Compare And Contrast

by hilzoy

George W. Bush, today:

"
President Bush said Tuesday that he will not call on Americans to conserve gasoline despite the rising price of oil, saying consumers are "smart enough" to figure out for themselves that they should drive less.

"They're smart enough to figure out whether they're going to drive less or not. I mean, you know, it's interesting what the price of gasoline has done," Bush said at a news conference in the White House press room, "is it caused people to drive less. That's why they want smaller cars: They want to conserve. But the consumer's plenty bright. The marketplace works."

"You noticed my statement yesterday, I talked about good conservation and — you know, people can figure out whether they need to drive more or less," he said. "They can balance their own checkbooks."

"It's a little presumptuous on my part to dictate how consumers live their own lives," the president added. "I've got faith in the American people." "

Ari Fleischer, May 7 2001 Press Briefing (h/t someone other than myself):

" Q Is one of the problems with this, and the entire energy field, American lifestyles? Does the President believe that, given the amount of energy Americans consume per capita, how much it exceeds any other citizen in any other country in the world, does the President believe we need to correct our lifestyles to address the energy problem?

MR. FLEISCHER: That's a big no. The President believes that it's an American way of life, and that it should be the goal of policy makers to protect the American way of life. The American way of life is a blessed one. And we have a bounty of resources in this country. What we need to do is make certain that we're able to get those resources in an efficient way, in a way that also emphasizes protecting the environment and conservation, into the hands of consumers so they can make the choices that they want to make as they live their lives day to day."

Barack Obama, today:

"The surest way to increase our leverage against Iran in the long-run is to stop bankrolling its ambitions. That will depend on achieving my fourth goal: ending the tyranny of oil in our time.

One of the most dangerous weapons in the world today is the price of oil. We ship nearly $700 million a day to unstable or hostile nations for their oil. It pays for terrorist bombs going off from Baghdad to Beirut. It funds petro-diplomacy in Caracas and radical madrasas from Karachi to Khartoum. It takes leverage away from America and shifts it to dictators.

This immediate danger is eclipsed only by the long-term threat from climate change, which will lead to devastating weather patterns, terrible storms, drought, and famine. That means people competing for food and water in the next fifty years in the very places that have known horrific violence in the last fifty: Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. Most disastrously, that could mean destructive storms on our shores, and the disappearance of our coastline.

This is not just an economic issue or an environmental concern - this is a national security crisis. For the sake of our security - and for every American family that is paying the price at the pump - we must end this dependence on foreign oil."

As said: making strategic connections: it's a good thing.

For good measure, one more comparison below the fold.

Barack Obama, September 19, 2001:

"Even as I hope for some measure of peace and comfort to the bereaved families, I must also hope that we as a nation draw some measure of wisdom from this tragedy. Certain immediate lessons are clear, and we must act upon those lessons decisively. We need to step up security at our airports. We must reexamine the effectiveness of our intelligence networks. And we must be resolute in identifying the perpetrators of these heinous acts and dismantling their organizations of destruction.

We must also engage, however, in the more difficult task of understanding the sources of such madness. The essence of this tragedy, it seems to me, derives from a fundamental absence of empathy on the part of the attackers: an inability to imagine, or connect with, the humanity and suffering of others. Such a failure of empathy, such numbness to the pain of a child or the desperation of a parent, is not innate; nor, history tells us, is it unique to a particular culture, religion, or ethnicity. It may find expression in a particular brand of violence, and may be channeled by particular demagogues or fanatics. Most often, though, it grows out of a climate of poverty and ignorance, helplessness and despair.

We will have to make sure, despite our rage, that any U.S. military action takes into account the lives of innocent civilians abroad. We will have to be unwavering in opposing bigotry or discrimination directed against neighbors and friends of Middle Eastern descent. Finally, we will have to devote far more attention to the monumental task of raising the hopes and prospects of embittered children across the globe—children not just in the Middle East, but also in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and within our own shores."

Compare:

Bush, 2008:

"The American people have heard President Bush and his spokespeople say many times that the U.S. government does not engage in torture.

Whether Bush was believed or not is another story -- especially in light of the photographic evidence of the abuse of prisoners in Abu Ghraib. It's understood that many of the photos are too sadistically graphic to be made public.

Still, the official U.S. denials of torture continued until earlier this month when Bush acknowledged in an interview with ABC-TV that he knew about and approved "enhanced interrogation" of detainees, including "waterboarding" or simulated drowning.

"As a matter of fact," Bush added, "I told the country we did that. And I told them it was legal. We had legal opinions that enabled us to do it.""

For all I know, Bush might actually believe this. It would take empathy to know better, and empathy does not seem to be Bush's long suit:

"In the week before [Karla Faye Tucker's] execution, Bush says, Bianca Jagger and a number of other protesters came to Austin to demand clemency for Tucker. "Did you meet with any of them?" I ask.

Bush whips around and stares at me. "No, I didn't meet with any of them," he snaps, as though I've just asked the dumbest, most offensive question ever posed. "I didn't meet with Larry King either when he came down for it. I watched his interview with [Tucker], though. He asked her real difficult questions, like 'What would you say to Governor Bush?' "

"What was her answer?" I wonder.

"Please," Bush whimpers, his lips pursed in mock desperation, "don't kill me.""

And who can forget this gem? George W. Bush, December 2001:

"But all in all, it's been a fabulous year for Laura and me."

This administration cannot end too soon.

Comments

[Ugh]

The essence of this tragedy, it seems to me, derives from a fundamental absence of empathy on the part of the attackers: an inability to imagine, or connect with, the humanity and suffering of others. Such a failure of empathy, such numbness to the pain of a child or the desperation of a parent, is not innate; nor, history tells us, is it unique to a particular culture, religion, or ethnicity. It may find expression in a particular brand of violence, and may be channeled by particular demagogues or fanatics.

Hmmm...if you replace "attackers" with Bush, Cheney, or Addington, etc., that works just as well.

[cleek]

Ugh +5

[Meditative_Zebra]

Ugh +5

Seconded!

[russell]

We had legal opinions that enabled us to do it.

And we paid damned good money for them, too!

Thanks -

[Dan S.]

"President Bush said Tuesday that he will not call on Americans to conserve gasoline despite the rising price of oil, saying consumers are "smart enough" to figure out for themselves that they should drive less."

What is this about, exactly; what is the purpose of this? Brand maintenance & differentiation? 'We're not the evil lefty conservationist tree-huggers who think you're too stupid to make your own choices"? Free market adulation to provide an excuse why nothing else needs to be done? Mindless out-of-touchness in regard to the folks who actually need to commute to&from work everyday, pick up kids, go shopping, etc. in areas where walking is not option and public transit may not be either (or may not be a very reasonable one, thanks to wasted opportunities)? All of the above?

[Model 62]

Dan S.: I don't think it's any of that. I think it's this: If Americans stop buying gasoline, the President's constituency may stop enjoying record-breaking profits.

Those guys want us to keep emptying our wallets.

[John Thullen]

The Republican Party doesn't know what to make of the American people.

You've got your "whiners" and you've got your "smart enoughs".

More than 4000 Americans and countless other lesser beings have gone to their maker's mark defending my right to know when to be smart enough and when to whine.

This is why I tip my hat to America every time I fill up my car's gas tank by spilling a quart or two of gasoline on the tarmac.

I am blessed.

The other day I was sitting at a stop light listening to an NPR feature about a soldier who lost her legs in Iraq when her DOORLESS
Humvee hit a roadside bomb.

Idling next to me at the same stop light was a shiny new Hummer, fully doored and sucking up Iraqi crude in case there should be a rocket attack in the parking lot of the grocery store.

Stupidity is fungible. Especially the "fun" part.

It is a resource best allocated by the market and not to be fiddled with by the government.

P.S. What to make of a country who elevates to the Presidency by free choice a man who believes exercizing the bully pulpit is precisely equal in its curtailment of our precious bodily freedoms to the government "regulating" the economy through law?

The blessed hand of God is upon us and massages us and will giveth us a happy ending.

[John Thullen]

The Republican Party doesn't know what to make of the American people.

You've got your "whiners" and you've got your "smart enoughs".

More than 4000 Americans and countless other lesser beings have gone to their maker's mark defending my right to know when to be smart enough and when to whine.

This is why I tip my hat to America every time I fill up my car's gas tank by spilling a quart or two of gasoline on the tarmac.

I am blessed.

The other day I was sitting at a stop light listening to an NPR feature about a soldier who lost her legs in Iraq when her DOORLESS
Humvee hit a roadside bomb.

Idling next to me at the same stop light was a shiny new Hummer, fully doored and sucking up Iraqi crude in case there should be a rocket attack in the parking lot of the grocery store.

Stupidity is fungible. Especially the "fun" part.

It is a resource best allocated by the market and not to be fiddled with by the government.

P.S. What to make of a country who elevates to the Presidency by free choice a man who believes exercizing the bully pulpit is precisely equal in its curtailment of our precious bodily freedoms to the government "regulating" the economy through law?

The blessed hand of God is upon us and massages us and will giveth us a happy ending.

[John Thullen]

I liked it so much I went back for a second massage.

[magistra]

What to make of a country who elevates to the Presidency by free choice a man who believes exercizing the bully pulpit is precisely equal in its curtailment of our precious bodily freedoms to the government "regulating" the economy through law?

Can I point out to Americans of any political persuasion that every time I as a non-American hear the term 'bully pulpit' I automatically hear it as meaning the presidency is intended to be a pulpit for a bully to preach from and wonder why Americans are so keen to characterise their leaders in that way. (Yes, I've learned the original quotation now, but the obvious meaning of the phrase is completely different).

[ryan]

i need help with this essay

[Gary Farber]

That's what the internet is for! To find people to do your homework for you!

"Conserving gasoline" means making petroleum into jelly for your toast.

An "energy field" is one we can run through faster and faster the longer we run.

"The American way of life" = "teh gay."

"Leverage" refers to a TNT tv show.

And a "strategic connection" is something you make during sex.

Hope this helps!