Flashback: Students Sang Bush's Praises Too (And For Katrina Response!)

Republicans have been in an uproar recently over video footage of children at a New Jersey elementary school singing the praises of President Barack Obama. The outrage has been fueled mainly by a constant drumbeat from conservative media. But on Friday it boiled over into the realm of political opportunism when the Republican National Committee sent out a fundraising appeal calling the episode an "indoctrination of our nations... children" and "fanaticism."

"Friend," RNC Chairman Michael Steele wrote, "this is the type of propaganda you would see in Stalin's Russia or Kim Jong Il's North Korea. I never thought the day would come when I'd see it here in America."

Alas, such "propaganda" has not been limited to despots, dictators and the Obama White House. As a savvy source points out, back in 2006 children from Gulf Coast states serenaded First Lady Laura Bush with a song praising the President, Congress, and Federal Emergency Management Agency for their response to -- of all things -- Hurricane Katrina. The lyrics were as follow:

Our country's stood beside us People have sent us aid. Katrina could not stop us, our hopes will never fade. Congress, Bush and FEMA People across our land Together have come to rebuild us and we join them hand-in-hand!

The event took place at that year's White House Easter Egg Roll and included roughly 100 children from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. President Bush, it seems, wasn't in attendance during the song itself. But he was there earlier, when the First Lady read the book, Will You Be My Friend: A Bunny and Bird Story by Nancy Tafuri, to the children.

"After the reading," the Wall Street Journal reported at the time, "Mr. Bush asked, 'Did you like this book? Does it tell you about what people can do to help other people, what bird did to help bunny? Be kind to him and give him shelter.'"

The weather that day was described as a "chilly rain" which must have seemed appropriate given the fact that the Gulf Coast children were actually thanking the administration for its feeble response to the hurricane.

Comments

[formerroadie]

where's the stupid video?!

[jimbeaux1961]

To the tune of "America, The Beautiful"...

Our leader, dumb as rocks,
Needs help to match his socks, you must confess.
If we should drown tonight,
Huddle by candlelight
We'll be called lazy by the Right,
They could care less.

Oh, Dubba-Ya, Oh Dubba-Ya,
You really have no shame.
So starve us all
And have a ball,
We've just ourselves to blaaaaaaaame.

"That was just beautee-ful, kids. Huh, Barb?"

[mervr1]

Let's break it down plain and simple, this isn't about a bunch of children singing a song for the President.

This is about a bunch of Conservative Republicans kids singing a song for an African-American President who they didn't vote for and don't share his ideas for the country and get most of their talking points from Fox news.

Unfortunately we still have ign0rant people still stuck in a time warp and wish things were still the way of their ancestors...circa sla-very.

[MarianneEvans11]

Next, our school children will NOT be permitted to learn about the US Government and the Congress and how legislature works. Is this a case of too much information? I don't understand the big fuss that is being made over educating our children so they understand the political arena. They should get to know the President of the US. Half or more of the seniors graduating from high school don't know anything about politics. I think some of them are in our US Congress and Senate Houses.

[Bluesman2008]

They do seem to love free speech (ala Joe "that's a lie" Wilson) but THIS free speech? God forbid. This latest hostile group of right wing crazies, inflamed by the sicko Limbaugh's of the world (and we know who they are) are publicly throwing gas on the flames. They are purposely creating a pressure cooker. They lost government control and they are pissed - pissed enough to lie to the public and appeal to the basest amongst us (now, how easy is that) and look where it's going. More violence in the streets. White supremist groups coming back into vogue. Men showing up for presidential appearances wearing GUN??? I mean, how crazy are these people? Free speech? Well, that was mine. These people are sick and really have to be called on their BS loud and clear. I guess that takes me off their mailing lists.

[feyangel]

This whole discussion is stupid. Have any of you actually tried to indoctrinate a child-- oh, yeah, all us parents do it-- it is called raising kids. How effective are we at that anyway, with much more time invested and involved than the time these kids spent singing this song or listening to the speech. Kids are not zombies, nor programmable robots. They seem to have minds and hearts that think and feel for themselves. . . regardless of what we strive to teach them.

AND I think if we are going to worry about unhealthy "programming" of our children we should start at the movie theater and with the video games they play-- the violence, insensitivity and depravity some movies and games expose them to is FAR more dangerous than this song praising a black President or an inspirational speech he gave them.

[lionzion]

I like this!.. fanned

[askmeificare]

Kids should not be singing praises to any prez. However, the shrub song praised congress, bush and fema as a thank you for helping rebuild. The obama song praised just one man for his great accomplishments. And just so happened to bring race into the issue.

[femalevet1977]

Well, it would seem to me that if the children sang it at the White House, their parents probably gave them permission to participate. I wouldn't imagine that a field trip to Washington DC would be something that the school did without notifying the parents.

So, there is a huge difference.

[gloriousbeing]

Well, yeah, if that's the perception YOU CHOOSE TO HOLD. Really. How many other "no, no, no" thoughts do you hold about President Obama? Stop listening to Right Wing talking points and think for yourself. This is an exercise in teaching children to participate in government. You know, "WE THE PEOPLE". It starts in elementary school so that children can begin to understand that we have government. We have laws.

[Scriobhaim]

OMG, how ignorant. "We have laws"... as if "laws" includes indocrinating schoolchildren in political loyalty to one party or another. femalevet1977's perfectly reasonable and logical observation of the concrete difference between children coming to the White House and singing a song, and children being a captive audience in a tax-supported school and forced to sing Obama's praises, is totally apt and correct. We haven't seen this kind of official "Great Leader Praise" being foisted on our children except in North Korea, Communist China and the USSR. It is NOT to be tolerated in America.
Talk about perceptions "YOU CHOOSE TO HOLD", gloriousbeing. Go look in the mirror.
Evidently, you're under the misapprehension that "children beginning to understand we have government" means singing, "Mmm, mmm, mmm, Barack Hussein Obama" when the teacher tells you to. That, in short, is really creepy.

[LMPE]

Here's my version of that song:

FEMA, it ignored us
And the prez, he sent no aid
Katrina has destroyed us
New Orleans is unmade

Right-wing pols and their corporate
Cronies across the land
Exploit us to their benefit
It's corruption hand-in-hand

[LookingHawk]

Peeeeeeeeeeeerfect.

[ranthny]

Why is anyone surprised by the GOP lovers actions or point of views? It is the typical consistent behavior. Preach, Yell, Hug their guns, and thump their bibles when they want to make a point against DEMS. Yet, when they do the same behavior and called on the carpet for it, they are wrapping themselves in the flag and saying they were being patriotic. HYPOCRITES—all the damn GOP bunch.

[Veratruth]

TEACHERS have enough TROUBLE trying to TEACH our children the BASICS without this NONSENSE about indoctrination. PLEASE get this NONSENSE out of your THOUGHTS and MINDS.

[BambooHarvester]

& btw, george, Your a F~ ing Piece of Sh*t !

[BambooHarvester]

Risen up Merriam Webster new word ;
" overprivileged "

[natioam]

This was done at the white house and was thanks for help during Katrina.
The other was done at a school and praised one man and talked about his policies.
BIG DIFFERANCE!!! I for one do not worship any false idols...can you say the same?

[Observer963]

natioam, the answer to your question was posted further down this thread (by a different commentor):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxdt_f0hwUg&feature=related

[conscioushope]

nation~

And, what are "false idols" to you?

It's obvious, however, that you do not spellcheck.

[EWeiss]

So one was coordinated by the White House. Good point.

Wow, I hadn't even though of it that way before. One's a teacher who really likes Obama, the other's a bonified indoctrination program with conceived of and executed by the Bush Administration.

[Observer963]

Good one. Good observation.

[Daezy]

Right on! There's NO camparison.
I would love to see this on FOX as a comparison. Bring it on!

[FGDinVA]

If Fox is the only source you trust, then I can understand your problem with understanding this situation.

[sharpz111]

The nonsense just keeps on coming. When is the Republican party going to start behaving seriously?

A slip of judgement by a few teachers is suddenly irrefutable proof of an Obama mega conspiracy?

I mean where does Michael Steele get his cues from, Matt Drudge?

Somebody needs to remind the Repubs that stoking paranoia is not a legitimate political strategy.

[Observer963]

In the second thought!! maybe this was not a "slip of judgement" as you put it but a calculated action to show that many people support the President and find that the GOP negative propaganda regarding Presiden't speech to our kids was ridiculous!

[yvonne61]

Anything about OBAMA or anything he does the PARTY OF NO IDEAS are getting their pants in a knot. The real problem is that OBAMA is a likeable person and all different races are interested in him Obama life story are different from other people. The night of election and he won it shock the REPUBLIC off their feet. They doing all they can to bring him down, they act like spoli kids no getting thieir way. Then i heard Ronni say Obama going be a one term President. They hate Obama with a passion because he down to earth. He been in office 8 month and the nuts on right acting like this. I
hate to see 4 or 8 years.



Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/25/flashback-students-sang-b_n_300372.html