Sunday Roundup

In this, the penultimate week of the Bush Years, we learned that the only thing there wasn't enough room for at Blair House was the enormity of Bush's pettiness. It turns out there was plenty of room to accommodate the Obama family in time for the kids to start school. Scrambling to make things look good after snubbing the Obamas, Bush had hastily invited former Australian Prime Minister John Howard to toss another shrimp on the Blair House barbie, leaving the Obamas -- and their sizable security detail -- to check into the Hay Adams. At taxpayer expense. Also staying true to his character until the bitter end was Dick Cheney who this week asserted, "I don't believe we violated anybody's civil liberties."

Comments

[daddysboy]

All Americans should be throwing shoes. I guess they just wanted to write a little bit of random crassness into the final days of the administration since they hadn't yet quite achieved the level of ugly they were going for.

[Changeizgood]

Arianna;

I received a envelope the size of manila standard that said it's from "The Presidential Inaugural Committee. I want to know if this invite is real. I think it is as it has websites that go straight to the Committee. I'm happy and sad at the same time. The economy has this family busted broke and scrambling for food some days.

I feel happy and sad at the same time. Is the Committee invite real? Even the postage paid states it's from the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

What do they look like, there's a seal and everything that looks exactly like the one on the site.

Help!

I'll borrow or beg if this is real, to get there. Jeesh this is an honor.
Nothing like this has ever happened in our family's history. I worked real hard on campaign and even offered to volunteer at the January event to work as a server of food.

Could you e-mail me and let me know what they look like. My husband doesn't believe me.

I know this is a lot to ask, but please help me to find out. It says: "The Presidential Inaugural Committee requests the honor of your presence to attend and participate in the Inauguration of Barack H. Obama as President of the United States of America and Joseph R Biden, Jr. as vice President of the United States of America on Tuesday the twentieth of January two throusand and nine in the City of Washington.

??? Help!

[allamericanboy]

Hi Changeizgood ..... I got one of those too. I take it to be real; however, I must respectfully decline. I am honored to have a wonderful keepsake of a historic event.

[ramal]

Bush/Cheney: graceless and selfish to the bitter end.

[walktheshore]

Only 9 more days? Anyone want to get in on an office pool for which of the 9 days Scooter Libby will be pardoned on? Or Abramoff? Or....? God, way too many names but I'm sure he'll manage.

[2008CaliforniaFan]

If Nobody did anything wrong... there is No Reason to offer a Pardon.

So anybody he gives a pardon to he is pretty much calling out as being 'guilty'.(even before tried)
Of course Bush could care less.....he'd say "So what"
More for the History books on His Legacy.

[TXnative]

Nothing the Mark Rich or Puerto Rican terr_orist pardons of the previous two term president

[Oldbuck]

Bush showed his class with this act which is no class at all, after the last eight years I don't know why we would expect anything else from Bush or Cheney these two have proven that their is nothing beyond their low standards. Two draft dodging low lifes who will do anything legal or illegal. But thank God and U Haul they will be back in Texas in about nine days

[astonrickenbach]

This thing on the Blair house cracks me up.

When I sold my house and it settled on the first of the month I didn't let the new owner start moving in 2 weeks early.

Also, I am sure in the past previous exiting presidents also performed some hijinx that the incoming President didn't care for at all. I don't think we are breaking any new ground here.

Put it to you this way, how would you respond if you were going to lose your job and you had to train your replacement? Would you gush all over that person and go out of your way to help them? Or would you provide them with the information that is required and be cordial.

No matter what party affiliation you have the bottom line is that the majority of people will criticize the other party for things that their own party has/is doing themselves. I was tired of hearing all Republicans crying foul on Clinton for 8 years and now for the next 4 years all we will hear is people crying foul on GWB.

Obama is in a great position since he has a no lose position. If he fails in the next 4 years he can blame GWB and if he succeeds he can take all the credit.

[Fremon]

We are supposed to be better than that. Isn't that what we are told constantly what a great nation we are and by that how great our leaders are!. Actually, this fits Shrub and GOP to a Tee. Small minds and total incompetance.

[abliss2379]

It's BLAIR HOUSE, not the WHITE HOUSE, that the Obamas asked to use a bit early, and that because of their daughters' school schedule; I fail to see how it was unreasonable. As far as a fired person having to train the replacement, I've seen that happen and the firee handled it unbelievably gracefully, especially considering the firing was completely unjustified.

[astonrickenbach]

I don't think I ever stated that it was "unreasonable". I was more or less stating that it was understandable.

I am going to give you a better example of what I was stating. If I told you that NYTimes historically always interviews the incoming President prior to the inauguration like they did with Clinton and the presidents prior to that, but GWB didn't do it, what would you say?

Hold a second, hold a second.

Now what if I told you that I made part of that up and in the NYT today they were stating that Obama is the one refusing to give them the interview and GWB was very quick to give them the interview.

Now you can hold off on flaming me as I am once again just using this as an example but point is, we all can find fault in all politicians and parties for things we disagree with from our limited point of view. It just gets tired and old to see this constant nit-picking over minor items.

And from my example, you can save your breath pointing out to me how few press conferences and how inaccessible GWB was in the past 8 years in a historical comparison - you know why? Because I don't care (although by pointing that out you would confirm that you missed the point of my post).

Abliss2379 in this article I use "you" as a generalization not as being a statement directed to you individually.

[OldKnute]

Well,,,, I agree with Arianna,

The Backhanded pettiness of the Bush's is a result of unwillingness to face up to their deeper feelings of resentment. Blair House is MORE than large enough for Howard and the Obamas.

Totally passive/aggressive actions.

The,, NO CLASS,, cowards way out. The impassable excuses only serve to further embarrass the Bush's inexcusable behavior.

As far as Chaney. The critical issues surrounding Civil Rights violations are 100% applicable. Justice denied ONE, is justice denied all,,,,, under any interpretation of the Law.

At one time we had more that 2000 people at Gitmo.

American, Canadian, German, English, and Australian citizens! All eventual released with NO Charges brought or proven. Abducted on foreign soil no less and NOT in combat zones.

As far as some discussions about the Obama Stimulus proposals, as compared with the Bush Plans,,, Please point to the successes of ANY of the Bush Giveaways. Even the first stimulus checks handed out had NO EFFECT.

I guess Bush expected us to,,, GO shopping,,, again.

The Bailouts of Wall Street have done nothing and may find many involved facing charges of fraud and mismanagement of funds.

Under the Obama Plan,, people don’t get a handout,, they get JOBS. Rewards for working hard, NOT behaving badly!

JMO

All the best

Knute

[astonrickenbach]

"Under the Obama Plan,, people don"t get a handout,, they get JOBS. Rewards for working hard, NOT behaving badly!"

How is he going to create these jobs?

[OldKnute]

Well,,

If he is smart, and I think he is, a portion of the Stimulus will go to shovel ready projects across the Nation. Many already in Blueprint phase and approved and close to being funded. Many placed on hold, at the early signs of the sluggish Bush economy.

If Obama would focus on all State and Local Schools, Roads, Bridges and Electrical Grid improvements that are above 75% funded already, the effects of the Stimulus could be multiplied many times over.

The hardest hit part of the employment sector (Non Wall Street) has been construction.

These workers then mean income to localities and communities across the nation. This would have a ripple effect throughout the Support and Supply Industries, Steel, Concrete, Windows, Doors, Hardware, Wire, Equipment, Trucking, and Timber.

It would,,, Magnify,,, the original Obama Stimulus, by a factor of four times, 25% of Project Costs of Community and Infrastructure improvements that are ready at the gate. A Kick Start.

On the other hand, Bush has proposed or completed, now over 1.2 Trillion in Giveaways and Bailouts. Credit is still locked up,,, artificially, and the Job Loss is STILL GROWING.

It is much the same as an ocean. A light breeze can raise swells to great heights, if the “fetch” is long enough and sustained. “Fetch” is the distance the breeze is felt over the water.

All the best

Knute

[provgrays]

Arrogance, mendaciousness, hubris and willfull ignorance have brought this country and parts of the world to the breaking point. Why did this we tolerate the crimes of this administration?

[monicaangela]

Great question, I haven't been able to find anyone who could answer it. All I can say is please don't allow these crimes to go unpunished, this administration is the lowest form of humanity I have ever seen. I hope the justice department works with the international community to put them on DR.

[astonrickenbach]

Never gonna happen. Obama would be an idiot to succumb to the idea of having current administration legally reviewed that way. Know why? Because some day down the road it may be him that is put in that position and he doesn't want to start that ball rolling down hill.

All Presidents break the law. To think otherwise is naive.

[William1950]

why did we tolerate it??? look in the mirror.... we all looked the other way, tsk tsk'd to ourselves, but we all looked the other way... or we just waited till it was over... but we, collectively- ellected bush to two terms... when he was elected the first time I went numb, when he was elected the second time I was apoplectic and scared shitless.... but at that point I like all of you thought i was helpless to avoid the next four years and just hoped we would survive... we did barely... survive.
we tolerated it because there was no choice then.

[provgrays]

William1950,

When I look in the mirror, I see a man who voted against Bush twice and one who has been working against him for eight years.

My question was for the Congress and those who voted for the tyrant.

[concernedinca]

To answer your question, and many others,I heartily recomend reading Russ Baker's book "Family of Secrets". It should be required reading in journalism schools everywhere.

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

9 more days!

[monicaangela]

9 days too many.

[dessertsfirst]

Of course there was room in the "inn" for the Obamas et al. I couldn't believe that the Bushes could have been so lame!
And ... civil liberties??? well, I guess you have to know Cheney's definition of civil liberties... LOL

[2008CaliforniaFan]

Obama has 'bigger' issues to deal with this at this time...But I hope someone (how about it Rahm?) or some of the attorneys within Obamas Staff remembers this 'nonsense'.
It might give them an incentive to do rather intensive 'investigations' down the road ... rather than let it slide. I guess Bushie wasn't thinking about That.
Just like in a Football game.. you don't give the opposing team blackboard material as an incentive to fight hard.

The NYT story from Dec 12 lists a Sally McDonough?
Who is she and why she was willing to be part of this fiasco. .. or what's her History?
W H Y was she willing to stick her neck out for the Bush's.
Does anybody in the Media know her background..?

[JZ735]

Obama isn't going to do s==t to Bush...you know it...I know it...if he can say he is doing tax cuts and keeping Gitmo open, then I don't want to hear one word from any of you about Bush again...I don't care what the man does...

[2008CaliforniaFan]

I don't know who Sally McDonough 'Niemiec' worked for previously but her is a link
to the WH Press relese giving background.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/03/20070307-1.html

[Quaoar]

"Scrambling to make things look good after snubbing the Obamas, Bush had hastily invited former Australian Prime Minister John Howard to toss another shrimp on the Blair House barbie, leaving the Obamas -- and their sizable security detail -- to check into the Hay Adams. At taxpayer expense."

LOL. As if Bush ever truly cared about the taxpayers.

[WhatIKnow]

I hope to never hear again from anybody named Bush, Cheney, Rove or Paulson no matter what they are doing in life.

[BannedInBoston]

Good luck, then....

[pcplz]

Sorry, I hope to hear so much more from them.....how they feel about being put on International Crimes Trial at the Hague. How uncomfortable their jail cell is....etc and so on.

Oh yes, I do want to hear more....much more!

[JZ735]

YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINT­ED...Obama and the Dems, as is their wont, have no intention of putting Bush and pals up before the Courts...you know it, I know it, let's stop imagining any other scenario...

[themagarian]

Here it is, Neesy08:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/12/sorry-were-booked-white-house-tells-obamas/?scp=2&sq=Blair%20House&st=Search

[leeflorida]

I read somewhere that the Obamas were paying for the hotel out of their own pockets.

[BoosMom]

I believe they are paying for the hotel, but the security detail is paid for by the taxpayers. Presumably, they would have required fewer secret service people at the Blair House and it was already set up to be secured, where any public hotel would not be.

[astonrickenbach]

FYI, they pay for their own food when in the White House also (except when it is a gov sponsored event).

[UNCLEJOE]

Before you can begin to prosecute Bush Cheney culprits, you have to get rid of the Republican Congressmen and one third of the guilty Democratic Congressmen. And that will take a good eight years of throwing those guilty out of office in the future elections.

Our only hope of punishing the Bush Cabal is the International Hague Court for prosecuting criminals against humanity.

Obama has to stay clear of this problem if we hope for Obama to make economic and foreign policies changes to put America back on the moral and economic high ground.

[GrkAm]

You are right. It's a balancing act from start to finish. I believe if anyone can do the job, it's Barack Obama.

Actually, we ALL better make it work--we don't have any other choice!

[JEP57]

"Also staying true to his character until the bitter end was Dick Cheney who this week asserted, "I don't believe we violated anybody's civil liberties." Considering the fact that I haven't heard anything on the news or read any article in the last several years about any American citizen bringing a lawsuit against the administration for having their civil liberties violated, you can safely assume it hasn't happened. Believe me, it would have been all over the mainstream news if there were ANY pending lawsuits.

.

[jinxed]

IN YOUR DREAMS MAYBE. The MSM is NOT the "liberal bias" BushCo. and theRepublicans have been trying to shove down our throats for 8 years. The MSM only prints what is approved by the WH and its corporate taskmasters. Get a clue!

[astheworldturns]

Just how would anyone file a lawsuit if their civil liberties were violated? Think about it.

[JEP57]

By going to see a lawyer and taking it to court.