Rep. John Boenher: We think it's clear that the American public will not tolerate a cynical policy that lets its sons and daughters and husbands and wives die for two more years for a plan that, from the outset, offers little hope of success, certainly not within that time period. It's too little and too late, Mr. President.
Cheney: And you're too late; the troops already have started surging into Baghdad and tens of thousands are on their way. You stupid, weak-assed cowards! Fuck you all!
Warner: There is no call for that sort of language, sir. We came here in good faith, Mr. President, speaking on behalf of the Republican Party in Congress, hoping you would seriously consider what we had to suggest. Your outright refusal to even stop for a moment and consider what is best for the country, for the party, and for our chances of regaining power and implementing many of your policies, leaves us no choice but to inform you that the resolution to begin impeachment hearings will be a bipartisan one. With great reluctance, many of us will join the Democrat majority in this effort. Not because we want to but because you have left us no alternative. Your obstinacy and close-mindedness, disastrous policies, corruptions -- along with the lies you told us and the American people to take the country to war with Iraq -- will serve as the Republican Party's death-knell for uncountable years. When you two are gone in disgrace, we'll at least have a chance of re-building our electoral base and luring back all the moderate, traditional conservatives who left because of your arrogance, stubborness and extremism. They, with our religious base, once again can provide the margin for Republican victory.
Rep. Dennis Hastert: Let's all take a breath and not say things we shouldn't. Let's stop all this talk about retaliation, impeachment, defeat. You two still have the opportunity to save your administration, your legacies, your reputations, your party. It could still be done, and nobody would think badly of you for altering your course. Simply say you've rethought your strategy, adapt some of the recommendations from the Iraq Study Group and others -- like regional diplomacy, a United Nations-led peace force, stepped-up training of Iraqi police and military units, that sort of thing -- and start slowly withdrawing our troops.
Bush: That will not happen. We must be seen as the victor, never the loser. We believe in our mission, and we will stay the course with it, regardless of what comes. We will persever -- we will persevate -- we will not stop. Thank you all for coming.
Lugar: With heavy hearts, we leave you to your fate, Mr. President, Mr. Vice President. You have decided to take us all down with you when you fall, and risk taking down the Constitution and the country as well. God help you, sirs. God help us all. #
Bernard Weiner, a poet and playwright, has written numerous fantasias ( www.crisispapers.org/weinerpubs.htm#fantasies ) about the Bush Administration. A Ph.D. in government & international relations, he has taught at various universities, worked as a writer/editor for the San Francisco Chronicle, and currently co-edits The Crisis Papers (www.crisispapers.org). To comment: crisispapers@comcast.net .
First published by The Crisis Papers 1/30/07. www.crisispapers.org/essays7w/elders.htm
Bernard Weiner, Ph.D. in government & international relations, has taught at universities in California and Washington, worked for two decades as a writer-editor at the San Francisco Chronicle, and currently serves as co-editor of The Crisis Papers (www.crisispapers.org).
I'm sure you're aware that your approval ratings are just about as low as any President and Vice President have ever received.
and many of you compare Bush to Truman and to Lincoln and hope in your hearts that despite the low opinion of his contemporaries, Bush will be vindicated by history.
Get over it. Both Lincoln and Truman had low polling numbers from the beginning. Lincoln got less than 45% of the popular vote and lost control of the Congress in his mid-term, and they started the Civil War over his election.
Truman started low and went down.
Bush's numbers were in the high 80s and dropped fifty percentage points in only four years. Fully half of the American public have changed their minds about this President.
This sort of movement of public opinion cannot be manipulated. People have changed their minds about Bush because he is ineffective and untruthful.
Robert Chapman
Lansing, NY
by
Robert Chapman (28 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 556 comments)
on Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at 7:14:52 PM
2 comments
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