New article in Esquire.

[MGKrebs]

Haven't read the whole thing, but pretty provocative. Here are some excerpts:

http://www.esquire.com/features/articles/2002/021202_mfe_rove.html

EX-BUSH ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL TELLS ESQUIRE: NO SERIOUS CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO DOMESTIC POLICY IN WHITE HOUSE AT ALL

"It's the reign of the Mayberry Machiavellis"

A current senior White House official: "Many of us feel it's our duty—our obligation as Americans—to get the word out that, certainly in domestic policy, there has been almost no meaningful consideration of any real issues. It's just kids on Big Wheels, who talk politics and know nothing. It's depressing. DPC [Domestic Policy Council] meetings are a farce."

Another senior White House official: "The view of many people [in the White House] is that the best government can do is simply do no harm, that it never is an agent for positive change. If that's your position, why bother to understand what programs actually do?"

 

[Heretic]

Its also Esquire for heavens sake, that ranks up there with the importance of the interviews in Playboy.

 

[MGKrebs]

I'm sure you are right.

DiIulio made it all up, because he was...angry about something. Who knows. He's probably got a book coming out or something, and being in charge of the faith based intitiative wasn't enough resume, so he's generating a little more press for himself.

Since his claims are patently false on their face, there would be no point in talking about them. Certainly we cannot gain any insight into how those guys do business from someone so obviously opposed to everything they do and clearly out to get them.

It is unthinkable that Rove and Fleischer had anything to do with the retraction- after all, why would they? This guy was obviously an enemy and one with so little importance that it wouldn't even be worth their time. In fact, surely it was a mistake hiring him in the first place, but you gotta at least attempt to include the radical left every now and then. And look what it gets you.

DiIulio had no credibilty to begin with, having voted for Gore and all, so he had nothing to lose by saying those things. Hell, he probably faked his resume anyway.

Nothing to see here- keep moving.

 

[demsformd]

I don't need an article in a magazine or the insight of a former staffer to tell me that no one in the White House cares about domestic affairs. And it is understood that Karl Rove has unprecedented influence in the White House. I know that Bush does little, he wears an overly-sized cowboy hat and says things like "Is our children learning?" and "you fool me once shame on me...[pause] fool me twice, shame on you." He's ignorant, some of you like that I understand, but I know that Rove is the true President. And the only thing of importance in the White House concerning our nation is not the plight of the poor or the middle class but the plight of the corporations and oil companies that abandon their workers and gave Bush all his campaign money.

 

[vraiblonde]

Shame on somebody, anyway. And I thought Dick Cheney was the REAL President? Make up your minds.

Frankly, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Bush was uninterested in domestic policy. He's got a bit on his plate right now keeping us from being 9-11ed again, ya know?

Now. What domestic policies would you like him to pay attention to? Perhaps filling those federal judge positions? Oh yeah, I forgot...he's been trying.

 

[MGKrebs]

Oh, that's perfect!

Originally posted by vraiblonde

Frankly, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Bush was uninterested in domestic policy. He's got a bit on his plate right now keeping us from being 9-11ed again, ya know?

Now. What domestic policies would you like him to pay attention to? Perhaps filling those federal judge positions? Oh yeah, I forgot...he's been trying.

Is it too much to ask that we have a prez who can do more than one thing every nine months or so? 6 hour workday, 20 minute meetings, 2 page max briefings. Sheesh.

I'd like to have a look at his daytimer:

7AM- jog for 1 hour
8AM- Laura says take a shower
830AM- go to office, have sec. read schedule for today
9AM- meet with some guys about the evil doers.
9:20AM- watch TV
10AM- photos in rose garden (aren'y they dead in December?)
11AM- change for noon jog
12noon- lunch with Karl (grrr!)
1PM- meet with those rich guys , more photos!
230PM- nap
3PM- Meeting with Colin (try to avoid, call Condi for cover)
4PM- don't forget to send Jenna and the other one a case of scotch.
outta here!

 

[Kain99]

O.K. Maynard.... so your obviously an angry Minority..... More power to ya! But for Cripes sake! at least argue intelligently..... Quoteing Esquire?? Come on Man?

 

[MGKrebs]

Stop it already!

I haven't even read the Esquire article! I just read the guy's letter.

 

[Kain99]

Deed by God Maynard!!! I read ton's of letter's shall I post them here?

Dear Kain,

I hate President Bush! He has refused my request's for Free funding continually for the past 9 month's. What an A-Hole!

He want's to blow up Iraq for absolutely no reason and my Mortagage is over-due!

I met Saddam Hussein in 1992 and he was the sweetest guy on earth, The Peasant's he had beheaded that day deserved it and I am seeking justice!

Signed,

Blow hard from New Jersey!


Dear Kain,

When in the HECK are you going to get off your FAT Arse and do something about George JR.????? This is insane!

All of those poor innocent rag heads dieing in Afghanistan... How do you sleep at night???

I have no pity for the thousands who died in America on the 11th, we have been asking for it for Year's!

Blow hard in Delaware!


Maynard,..... I'll be honest! This thread sucks *** for a girl like me.....

Obviously you were tucked safely in Southern Maryland when the first wave struck!

Talk to me, when you've crawled through the fire sweet heart!

Until then, Kiss my Yannkee behind! before you strike back.... My husband works at The Pentagon and my father worked at 8909-068 WTT (World Trade Towers 89th floor suite 068) In case your not familiar with the addressing in the rest of the world!

It kills me to hear the unaffected whine! It must be easy for you to feel for those innocent soul's in the third world.....

How about feeling for my husband.. who crawled through fire from the CNO's office here in America on the 11th... How about about feeling for my father who never made it home??

How about getting your head out of your Butt and feeling for me, who had no idea for more than 5 hours if either of them would survive???

It's time to start living in America MG....

 

[MGKrebs]

I get letters too.

dear Krebbsie,
Where does one go to find intelligent discussion about issues? Everywhere I go they just ignore the issue and attack me.
Signed, Still Learning and I'm older than 17

Dear MG,
Can you tell me when we decided that it was no longer appropriate to question our government? I had been raised to believe that this was the essence of democracy.
Sincerely, Confused in America

Dear Mr. Krebs,
How do I get people to stop misinterpreting what I say? Sometimes I just like to bring up a topic for discussion, and some people completely ignore the idea and just get mean. It makes me think that they don't really have any thoughts about anything, they just want to be pissed at something or somebody.
Signed, Hans Blix

 

[Kain99]

O.K. Krebbsie.... I give, What's your point?

 

[MGKrebs]

Maybe it's just a lame thread idea.

I thought it was interesting that a former White House official had those things to say. But nobody, NOBODY, ( well, except for jetmonkey) chooses to take issue with his comments. And jet was responding to my satire! The only comments are in the vein that it's Esquire, so it can be dismissed, or that he's a democrat, so it can be dismissed, or kiss my ###.

Esquire has nothing to do with it. The guy wrote the letter. Esquire printed it. Are we saying they faked it? I haven't read any commentary from anybody at Esquire, it is purely the contents of the letter that I was trying to get thoughts on. He said what he said. He retracted it. Seems interesting, but whatever. I'm sure the guys over at DU are having fun with it.

Forget it.

on edit: dems made some thoughtful comments.

 

[Heretic]

Ridiculing in a partisian fashion is not questioning your leaders. Usually when questioning somone you try to do it in a manner where they will actually listen to you instead of blow you off. But maybe that is what you want.

Leader: I think we need to start colonizing the moon

Civic Minded Questioning of Leader: Isn't the cost prohibitive, danger, what if a major accident happened it would be days before we could get to them.

as opposed to

Patrisian Ridicule: Our leader is a dipshit that cant even eat pretzels

Now you tell me which guy you would actually listen to?

If you were actually interested in improving things by civic minded questioning of leaders you would do it in a fashion that they would actually listen to you, but people like you on both sides of the coin (left and right) want the leader that isnt of their party to screw things up royally so that they can push their own agenda.

And you wonder why nobody takes you seriously, please I thought liberals were supposed to be the smarter, more educated ones in society (well according to you).

 

[MGKrebs]

Still no comments on DiIulio

Moderators, please feel free to delete this whole thread at any time.

 

[vraiblonde]

What do you want me to say about him? He obviously disagreed with what Bush and Co. are doing. What's more to say? It doesn't mean I have to take his opinion to heart, nor does it mean he's right. It merely means he has an opinion.

Another senior White House official: "The view of many people [in the White House]...

People in this forum do this all the time - have some opinion that is going to cause them to take flack so they say "EVERYONE feels this way" or "A LOT of people feel this way". I guess it's just their way of trying to justify their position - safety in numbers, don't ya know.

Anyway, DiIulio already said he was misquoted in Esquire so I'm not sure what should be said about it.

 

[MGKrebs]

That's more like it!

Now we're getting into the spirit of it!

I may respond later, but right now I have to change the cat pans.

 

[MGKrebs]

Hmmmm.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32951-2002Dec9.html

"President Bush's dismissal of top economic adviser Larry Lindsey came after the president complained privately about the full-figured aide's insufficient exercise. Newsweek this week reported that Bush and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice share a "mutual fondness for working out." The administration has also seen the untimely departure of two other men of girth, DiIulio and Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Harvey Pitt. Is this a trend? "

 

[Larry Gude]

Darn...

...I was kinda pulling for Michael Moore to run ATF...