It’s sad when our administration doesn’t live in reality.
THE PRESIDENT: Good. Okay, Mary, tell us about yourself.
MS. MORNIN: Okay, I’m a divorced, single mother with three grown, adult children. I have one child, Robbie, who is mentally challenged, and I have two daughters.
[…]
THE PRESIDENT: You work three jobs?
MS. MORNIN: Three jobs, yes.
THE PRESIDENT: Uniquely American, isn’t it? I mean, that is fantastic that you’re doing that. (Applause.) Get any sleep? (Laughter.)
MS. MORNIN: Not much. Not much.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, hopefully, this will help you get you sleep to know that when we talk about Social Security, nothing changes.
It’s “fantastic” that someone has to work three jobs to survive in this country? Did I miss the memo here? Somebody please tell me I’m reading this wrong.
Comments
Jake, how dishonest and desperate to attack the President do you have to be to put that meaning in the President’s words? Please!
How else could he have meant it? I’m just wondering how the hell he could call it “fantastic” that a woman has to work 3 jobs? Did I read that wrong?
Jake, first I want to say that if that post came off as an attack, I am sorry. It was a knee-jerk. I like your site, and I do not wish to offend. Now, as I say this, let me post something that may further look like an attack, but is honestly meant as debate. Here goes!
The way I see this, there are two plausible explanantions for your post:
1) You really think that George W. Bush is saying that it is fantastic that this woman is having to work three jobs to support her kids;
2) You refuse to look at it any other way because of your bias.
If option #1 is true, then you may seriously have a mental problem. 🙂
I say it is probably option 2.
Was the President’s choice of words poor? Yes, I would agree with that. But to say that the President thinks it is fantastic that woman is divorced and working three jobs to support three kids, one of which is handicapped, is simply nonsensical. He is merely giving this woman encouragement and kudos for her hard work.
Is her situation “Uniquely American”? Not at all. He was trying to point out how hard Americans work, even in desperate situations.
You are simply attacking the man because you do not support his politics. I suggest that you try to step away from your bias and think through the situation and remarks, then try to honestly look at his comments and yours. If you truly and completely come away from this with no change of heart or mind, then option #1 may actually be true, and you need to go down to the county psych ward.
Probably a combination of 1 and 2, really 🙂
I’d say the same thing, whether it was a Left or Right-winger in office. I think all politicians are idiots 🙂
Psych-ward or not, my reaction is primarily #1, primarily because I’m just basing that on what I’m reading. Obviously, that can be mis-construed because I’m just reading the text, and it may not have meant to come across like that, but I don’t ever think it’s fantastic that someone has to work 3 jobs to support her family that other folks (Gov’t? Friends? Church?) should really be helping her out with.
Well, the church used to be the primary care-giver in these situations. However, since the government took this role from the church’s hands, people started looking to government for this. Now the attitude is that the government will do this, and we don’t have to worry about it. When someone comes along in government and says that the government is not the responsible party, and that this should go to the church and family, then everyone gets in an uproar.
Simply put, the government has no role here.
Beyond that, as far as this debate between us:
I think that if this woman can do what she does and still support the President by being there with him, then she probably doesn’t want a hand-out from the government. She must think the President is doing something right (or maybe the secret service hunted her down and forced her to act like she supported the President! Are those black helicopters I see on the horizon???)
Red or Blue here, it would just help if GWB would pick his words wisely. He never does. He would get less flak and come across as a nicer guy if he though before he spoke.
I would have to agree with Jake here.
Bush is a great man!
It would be better if some of the sorry ass people who are stealing from the pot on their “so -called” disability would just work ONE job! Ahaha. For example, I can’t tell you how many guys who are forced to pay child support , suddenly get “disabled” and enjoy stealing from our future! Sorry ass bastards! All they do is suck the system while people like this woman keep trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it! All they do is take take take ! Some even get jobs on the side illegally to get money in addition to their social security benefits! …of course even more money is sent to the children of these sorry excuses for humanity (instead of the hard earned child support) – and that costs us all too!
Reading the whole conversation, Bush certainly could have chosen his words better. This lady is just waiting for her SS benes to kick in for both her and her son so that she doesn’t have to work 3 jobs. I think Bush was on autopilot while speaking and just wanted to get the conversation over with.
Its really really sad that our leader has no clue that people actually have to bust their ass to make ends meet, I heard Bush say that last week, I heard the whole thing. How pathetic
I’m just going to post my $.02 here and say that I (as a voter) have been feeling increasingly disconnected with all high-level politicians.
I think it started when security had to be so tight that your average person couldn’t get close to a politician. These public servants are “too important” to allow normal poeple access to them.
How can I trust someone I can’t meet?
Also, the increasing polarization of the political parties leaves moderates (such as myself) feeling rather betrayed by society.
I don’t know… I could go on and on, but basically I agree with Jake inasmuch as this isn’t making our fearless leader sound like he’s much in touch with “the people” (remember them?)
I don’t have any kids… by choice. And I ccould support myself with one part-time job.
Bed. Made. Lie.
Jay Leno ran the clip the other night, and I’ve seen it. Dubya beamed with delight when she mentioned her three jobs. He was clearly happily impressed with her situation, not neutral and not bored and certainly not getting that she was describing a hardship, as opposed to a work ethic on overdrive.
In context, it was very clear that he thought having three jobs was “fantastic.”
out. of. touch.
Too bad that the president’s irresponsible tax cuts are probably the reason this woman has to work three jobs; the saddest part is that she voted for him.
I think it’s shocking that Bush ever, EVER got elected. He seems actually proud of the fact that he isn’t a bright man – anyone remember the whole “I was a C student too sonny, and look where I am now” fiasco – the fact that middle Americans voted him in because they believe him to be “God-faring” is just scary. On many occassions, he has proven himself to be of very limited intellect and the fact that he won’t allow anybody ask him questions without seeing and preparing for them beforehand only serves to prove that fact again. Once, an Irish reporter at the White House actually challenged him and asked him pertinent questions …. what did he do …. he messed up some answers, was bundled off stage and then called her disrespectful. In America it is now disrespectful and un-American to disagree with the President’s opinion – land of the free – well, maybe one time it was 🙁 Now, land of the ignorant and gullible.
It really is amazing how any discussion whatsoever, regardless of how benign it may be, involving Bush, brings out the rabid left.
It really was quite clear (to me at least) that ‘how uniquely American’ was in reference to her indomitable spirit. The “f*ck the obstacles, I’m going to make this work” attitude that is, in fact, so uniquely American.
But I guess when you’re a hammer, all of life’s problems look like nails…
I think Bush’s comment was unintentionally ironic, not malicious. Of course he was admiring her hard work, not delighting in her difficulties. But her difficulties arise from a lousy economy, which we populists believe is the fault of the current Republican leadership with its support of laissez-faire capitalism and corporate oligarchs at the expense of the poor and powerless. Bush meant to say that her work ethic was “uniquely American”, but the economic woes of this country are also somewhat “unique” among First-World nations, or so we populists believe, and it is amusing to hear Bush agree with us (even though we know he probably doesn’t).
On a less amusing note, while such hard work might inspire admiration in anyone, most people would probably also express concern and compassion for this woman…and Bush doesn’t. Not really. He compliments her, he jokes with her, he probably made her feel better…but he doesn’t offer her any hope that things might improve. I think this is a common theme in Bush’s presidency: he invokes fear a lot, and a need to persevere, but he doesn’t talk a lot about hope (at least, not in this life). That’s rather disturbing to me.
Well said, LihTox. You took the words right out of my mouth and I couldn’t have said it better.