Tuesday, March 14, 2006

The President Claims "I Wept." - But For Whom?

This whole post is about the President of the United States. I find this two minute exchange completely disturbing, but let's see how you view it:
10:50 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: First of all, it's great to be here in upstate New York. As you can see, a special person has greeted me at the airport.

Jason, mind if I call you J-Mac?

JASON McELWAIN: Yeah. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: I'll call him J-Mac. You can call me George W. (Laughter.)

But our country was captivated by your amazing story on the basketball court. I think it's a story of Coach Johnson's willingness to give a person a chance. It's a story of Dave and Debbie's deep love for their son, and it's a story of a young man who found his touch on the basketball court, which in turn, touched the hearts of citizens all across the country.

So I want to thank you for being here. You probably didn't realize the impact you were going to have on people all across America and around the world when you made those six 3's. I've kind of gotten off the courts these days because I'm getting old, but if I got back on the courts, I'd need a lesson -- (laughter) -- on how to rotate that ball. But let me have that -- (holding up a sign with Jason's picture on it) -- kind of looks like you.

Anyway, thank you all for coming. God bless. I appreciate the wonderful story that's come out of your family.

Q Mr. President, how did you hear about the story and what's your reaction?

THE PRESIDENT: Saw it on TV. Saw it on TV and I wept, just like a lot of other people. It's just one of those stories that touched a lot of people's hearts.

Q Did somebody play it for you, or did you just see it?

THE PRESIDENT: I can't remember exactly how it happened. Probably somebody played it for me, you know, being the President and all. But it's a wonderful tale.

God bless.

END 10:52 A.M. EST
Sure, Jason's story is wonderful and fun to watch, but here are some things that disturb me about it.
  1. W's sense of humor is both belittling and inappropriate.
  2. The whole meeting of Jason at the airport in New York seems like an overly political ploy, but for what end?
  3. Why does the President insist on calling Jason "J-Mac" when he said "yeah" he would mind if he did.
  4. Why do I get the nauseating feeling that the President is misleading us around two things: A) that he actually wept - as in I don't believe he actually wept (and to me it is also disturbing that I can't trust the president even on such a trivial subject), and b) how he came to view the video?
  5. How does he know that others wept over this video and why does he bother mentioning it?

  6. And lastly, the thing I find most disturbing:

  7. Why would the President of the United States, if he is telling the truth, weep for Jason and not for the countless number of people he has put to death in Iraq (GIs - KIA, Innocent Civilians)?
Unscripted speechifying by the Shrub is very revealing about his true character, isn't it?

7 comments:

pissed off patricia said...

I know what you mean. There is something sick about using people and lying about it at the same time. He always brings up something to remind everyone that HE is the PRESIDENT, and usually likens himself to someone of some royal position. Being president he doesn't remember if he was watching a disc or if he himself turned on the TV? Give me a break. He hasn't wept since the recounts of the 2000 election when he thought he might lose and have to get a real job

Just for the record, I didn’t cry. So he wasn’t speaking for me.

Anonymous said...

I think that all of your points with the exception of 6 are very valid, and at the risk of coming to G.W.'s defense--OUCH! My keyboard just shocked me--I'd point out that sensitivity to a single individual over thousands or millions is very--OUCH!--well known. (Ow! Son-of-a-b*tch!)

Now I'm weeping.

isabelita said...

Interesting, 'spike, I remarked sarcastically and disrespectfully upon this over at neil's joint, before I saw your sober reflection upon it here.
Good fucking grief. W. is banally and throughly evil.

pissed off patricia said...

Let's just say it. Bush uses people like sideshow freaks. He uses them for his own political benefit. Just like that bunch of ghouls used Schiavo. They didn't give two damns about her, but they used her brain dead body for political reasons. That's exactly what bush did with that kid today.

Bush has positioned himself for some bad karma to come his way.

isabelita said...

Oh, how I wish I weren't such a rational non-believer, regarding karma, anyway. And I want W. and his crew to suffer NOW! Not in his next life.

Unknown said...

Kvatch, let me pass you a cyber tissue to sop up the sobs. Incidentially, to whom do you refer as the individual in question?:-)

I like PoP's perspective: "Bush uses people like sideshow freaks," but I am afraid Clinton did the same thing and he was very good at it. So, it's not a new political ploy, but for the W, it's not as natural. I get the very real sense, as Isa stipulates, there is a very evil bent to his actions, which makes it even more deplorable.

Blog on all.

Neil Shakespeare said...

"George wept." Isn't that the shortest verse in the Bible? "George Wept". A great blog post title! Might have to use that. Thanks, buddy!