GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher: Bush 'Destroyed GOP'

Twitter is just as good a place as any to criticize your former president, as Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) proved on Wednesday. The GOP congressman wrote a tweet saying that George W. Bush was not a "class act" and had, in fact, "destroyed" his party.

"@MarkRMatthews Bush not class act, destroyed GOP, jailed Ramos & Compean, left us bailouts, gave more power to fed gov & China," Rohrabacher's tweet read.

A further look at the digital dialogue shows that Mark R. Matthews, a "very conservative" law professor, had earlier commended Bush as a "class act" for his decision not to criticize President Obama during his pre-book release interview with Oprah, or at all during his media tour.

The Hill reports on the background of the California congressman's missive:

Rohrabacher alluded to the jailing of two Border Patrol agents -- Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean -- whose sentences Bush commuted in his last day in office. The pair had been convicted of shooting a Mexican drug dealer, and conservatives had championed their release.

The 11-term legislator also expressed his disapproval of Bush's Troubled Asset Relief Program, commonly known as the Wall Street or bank bailout, a frequently disparaged program that has haunted many of the lawmakers who have supported it.

For what it's worth, TARP is actually shaping up to be more successful than its reputation as a failed bailout would suggest.

Matthews later responded to Rohrabacher's rebuttal, calling it "true," but maintaining that it was "refreshing" to see the "dignity" that Bush exhibited by choosing not to talk poorly of Obama.

.@MarkRMatthews Bush not class act, destroyed GOP, jailed Ramos & Compean, left us bailouts, gave more power to fed gov & China.less than a minute ago via webDana Rohrabacher
DanaRohrabacher

Comments

[MajMike]

11:52 PM on 11/13/2010

Agreed, I had voted Rep for every Pres. election of my life until this last one, after what I saw from Bush in lying us into war and destroying our civil liberties in the name of the War on Terror (WoT) I cound no longer justify leting them stay in control. He and Cheney both are war criminals, and deserve to be in prison and be waterboarded every day they're in there. In fighting the terrorists he surrendered the moral high ground and turned America into a torture state, while doing more damage to our civil liberties than any Dems ever did (think Patriot Act).

[Left of Right]

11:04 PM on 11/12/2010

I watched Jesse Ventura Conspiracy Theory tonight called Wall Street--his version of what brought us down and is still going on and threatening to destroy us. AIG, Goldman Sachs, and our own government which is what we all suspect--it is paid off to create legislation to do nothing more than make them more money. Next is our Social Security.

It was very interesting to say the least. It is being replayed at 1am est on TruTV if you want to see it or tape it for later.

Thier website advertises it as:
Jesse goes inside the secret billionaire's boy's club to find out what caused the financial meltdown and how the group allegedly continues to manipulate and control the stock market and oil, gold and silver prices. From Wall Street to Washington, the governor barges in on the rich and powerful to demands answers

[dragonladywaltham]

10:51 PM on 11/12/2010

George Bush destroyed America!!!

[squalis]

10:39 PM on 11/12/2010

Same will be said of Obama and the Dem's.

[MSELLIE]

10:23 PM on 11/12/2010

Now you want to trash your boss, why? You think his revealing book has come out? Maybe you're in the mix?

[Coco Lily]

10:23 PM on 11/12/2010

Somebody needs to reacquaint Dana with Reagan's 11th commandment for GOP members.

[denicci1977]

07:32 PM on 11/12/2010

Don't run now, you are ALL in this together. Lies of a Rethug, flop together.

[yuckyor76]

04:46 PM on 11/12/2010

Rohrabacher, the one issue representative (illegal immigration) shouting off on twitter. Dana, you're not a class act. I guess it takes one to know one.

[JoannainPA]

03:23 PM on 11/12/2010

And most importantly our nation. Although some people forgot this and gave the GOP control of the house.

[jnw147]

03:09 PM on 11/12/2010

The GOP fanatics destroyed, and will continue to destroy the GOP.

[whizkid]

02:56 PM on 11/12/2010

Typical. Worried about the party, not the nation as a whole.
I don't care if Bush destroyed the GOP. Its the vast malfeasance
and the implications they brought to all of us that get me riled.

[EW34]

01:50 PM on 11/12/2010

Wow that is great to hear Dana speaking truth to power. If only he was in office during Bush's presidency and could have spoke up then and done somthing about it.

Oh wait, he was a congressman then too????

[quorthon]

01:03 PM on 11/12/2010

The rise of the Tea Party will make us Progressives downright nostalgic for the Bush days.

[eden4barack08]

12:41 PM on 11/12/2010

Bush 'Destroyed GOP'.......and Obama put it back together. Nothing unites the right wing back together like hate.

[getsit]

12:34 PM on 11/12/2010

What has destroyed the Republican party is lack of sense, supporting fringe candidates, being profligate spenders in reality rather than the fiscal conservatives they claim to be, not representing their voters' true interests and needs by focussing on abortion, illegal immigration and other non issues just to get votes), by being corrupted by corporate donations, greed and so on. They've lost their self respect and their integrity.

And it's obvious to most people. Now if all those people got out and voted we could get rid of these corrupt, lying Republicans.