George Bush: "Goodbye From the World's Biggest Polluter"

George W. Bush ended his time at the G8 summit, the last that he will attend as U.S. presidency, with the following statement.

Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter.

According to the Telegraph reporting,

He then punched the air while grinning widely, as the rest of those present including Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy looked on in shock.

It is impressive that, after all these years of idiocy and bad policy making, that George W Bush is able to shock me as well.

And, it wasn't only national leaders who were in shock:

One official who witnessed the extraordinary scene said afterwards: "Everyone was very surprised that he was making a joke about America's record on pollution."

Amusingly, in a very sad way, America has lost its lead as "the world's biggest polluter" under George's tenure, yet another way that America is no longer #1. In this case, it is not because the United States has reduced its pollution but because the booming Chinese economy is now spewing out even more GHGs than the overly polluting American economy.

Hat tip to Magnificio at Docudharma and MsLibrarian.

Comments

[krocklin]

I have a friend who is an ardent born again Christian and a Republican.
And a huge supporter of ANY Republican policy.
And a he is an intelligent man, a responsible and good family man and prosperous in his career, which exposes him to travel all over the world. So a charge of parochialism per se doesn't apply to him.

When I ask him how he can rationalize the corruption, the lies, the criminality, the cronyism, the war profiteering - all of which he denies the existence of - he responds with answers with words in them like "freedom", "courage", "honor" etc. McCain and Bush are fond of these smokescreens as well.

I point out to him that both George Washington and Eisenhower warned against "imperial adventures" in the name of (phony) patriotism.

But he like other friends I have, who think similarly, are intractable.

This is puzzling to me and I have lost some faith in human nature as a result.

[Marlyn]

Those on the right value FREEDOM, while those of us on the left value EQUALITY.

[MelKnee]

There are none so blind as those who will not see.

[TheEmptinessOfTruthiness]

I know what you mean and I've encountered similar people as well.

I've come to the conclusion that open-minded vs. close-minded and susceptibility to propaganda is not a linear function of intelligence. Some of the smartest people around are also the most brainwashed. I can't account for it, but it's no coincidence that they are always hooked by whatever line affirms them to be the select few.

Perhaps its an ego thing? The arabs have a word for "group ego." Unfortunately I can't remember the word and google isn't helping, but I think english would benefit from having a word like that.

[Amathyne]

I feel you. Everytime I try to have one of these conversations where I try to point out the same things - lies, corruption, gross incompetence, they just smirk at me like I'm slightly retarded and not worth speaking to.

[timothe]

Before we declare the debate about CO2 emissions over, let's actually have the debate, ok?

The Indian government steadfastly claimed they will not be adhere to any caps on emissions because there is no proof that they emissions actually cause damage to the environment.

So again...let's have the debate.

[jvarga]

Ok so India says they're going to pollute as much as they want so what, the US should too? Is that your position?

[timothe]

My position is that CO2 emissions aren't pollution. Plants and trees worldwide agree with me.

[elr50]

Everyday I have one more reason to despise this man, and wonder about my next door neighbors who still have a Bush/Cheney bumper sticker on their car.

[jesdakota]

Well, we'll always have their socialism.

[BobJacobson]

The developing nations are less socialistic than the US, the government of which is now into almost weekly multi-billion (and lately, multi-trillion) government subsidies for failing banks, highly profitable oil companies, and absentee corporate farmers. It's called corporate socialism or in the European tradition, fascism.

[SantaFeStars]

Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter?? A smile on his face while saying it?? This guy is the biggest loser in the world! He should know all about polluters since big oil is in his pocket and vice versus. What a pathetic man.

[NTO08]

A big giant FU to the rest of the world...that has been Bush's policy since he told the rest of the world to F off when he went into Iraq, then had the balls to ask for help from the countries he insulted.

[Lemeritus]

You ARE kidding, right?

[A. Siegel - Huffpost Blogger]

Sadly, it does not seem to be the case. FYI ... now on HuffPost front-page (posted seven minutes after my short post went up).

[PandeiroMan]

I first assumed it was over the top satire like that Borowitz fellow, then I thought it was an exaggerated leftsist attack like from Bob Cesca or Cenk Uygar. Then, I read the link and saw that Bush actually did say that. To paraphrase Frank Schaeffer, Did Bush just hand Obama the White House? This has to lower his abysmal ratings a little bit more, no? Even some of the 25% must find this at least embarassing. Of course 90 something percent of his continuing base will continue to blindly support Bush, but at least s few people will be disgusted by this, dont you think?

[seatea1967]

Is this real?

[DickTater]

Yet another atrocity of LeChimp's that the media will prob. not let us see. There is so much that they are filtering out (and bad press for Corporations, Iraq Veteran Funerals, coffins arriving, anything bad about McCain, anything bad about Media Companies, anything bad about LeChimp, anything bad about any of their advertisers, pentagon Message Force Multipliers, FISA, etc.)

What could be more powerful than Mass Communications? And why not just steal it from the people (once THEIR airwaves are nationwide and perfected) and let the Corporations take over? Sure, all those meddlesome Gigawatts, and receivers, and repeaters.....the people don't want to be bothered with all that. Let corporations do it for you!)

I don't think the founding fathers ever considered Mass Communications. In their day, there was no possibility that 1 or 4 or 6 owners would control all the printing presses and pamphlets and papers. In fact, their own revolution depended largely on getting pamphlets and proclamations printed and distributed.

The idea of Mass communications would have staggered them, and heartened them....Until you told them that these new thangs...corporations....would someday emerge and swallow up Mass Communicationis and make it Corporate Mass Communications (regular citizens not wanted). And that roughly 6 or so giants would control it all. They would have scuttled all their plans right then and there.

[Susanfrom29]

Just when you think he couldn't possibly be any more of an embarrassment...

[NTO08]

He's the gift that keeps on giving...

A brilliant campaign ad by Obama would be showing him saying this, then show McCain's ideas, and ask...how much different are these two men from each other? Maybe a Sesame Street style add...which is unlike the other??? Could be a killer spot.