Laura Bush's Marriage to Shrub is 'Shocking'

Laura Bush Says Gay Marriage 'Shocking'
27 minutes ago Add White House - AP to My Yahoo!

(To be married to that LYING THING)

By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Laura Bush says gay marriages are "a very, very shocking issue" for some people, a subject that should be debated by Americans rather than settled by a Massachusetts court or the mayor of San Francisco.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040218/ap_on_go_pr_wh/laura_bush_interview_2

[mitchtv]

1. shocking since she should be in jail

for vehicular homicide. BTW , Pickles is in Rancho Mirage today.

[xxqqqzme]

6. she is in Rancho Mirage?

Having her eyelid lift fixed is she?

[Stephanie]

8. eyelid lift??

I would love to see the before and after, if you have any pix.

Hadn't heard about that one before.

[Brian Sweat]

15. Damn long sentence your imposing there.

Especially since she was a minor at the time. Any proof she did it on purpose.

[bahrbearian]

2. I'd like to know what goes on in those Skull and Bone's meeting's?

[slor]

3. Her taste in clothing is "shocking"

no class and no taste.

[slappypan]

4. I call a family of millionaires like the Bushes

who have been on the public dole in one form or another for generations "shocking."

[Brotherjohn]

5. What they're REALLY saying is...

Her husband George also said today that "I am troubled by activist judges who are defining marriage."

"People need to be involved in this decision," Bush said. "Marriage ought to be defined by the people not by the courts." (http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-02-18-bush-marriage_x.htm)

Now, my first question is: Isn't that just what the "people" are doing?

I guess what they're saying is that judges are not people? I guess they're saying that the people deciding to get married are not people?

No, I know what they're actually saying. The people, as in the legislatures... not (ick!) those "activist" judges. Hey, it's not as though legislators are ever activist, huh?

They're saying they want a consitutional amendment, without saying so. Bush is trying to pass the buck on this like everything else, trying to get the ball rolling without outwardly calling for such a divisive amendment.

A constitutional amendment must pass both halves of the legislature, by a two-thirds majority in each. Then, the amendment must be approved by three-fourths of states' legislatures.

For the life of me, I can't figure out why a bunch of legislators are any more "people" than a bunch of judges? And if a smattering of judges here and there (in communities that are more open to such an idea) rule that gay marriage/civil unions/whatever are okay, then isn't that just the local control and states' rights conservatives are always saying they prefer? Isn't that the lack of heavy-handed, central government interference they say they want.

[kayell]

7. I find it SHOCKING that in this day and age

any woman, no matter how stupid would willingly allow themselves to be turned into an animitronic joke like the Stepford First Wife has done.

I find it shocking that the spouse of the pResident of the US has so little respect for citizens of this country.

I find it shocking that she thinks that abstinence education will actually persuade teenagers to be abstinent.

I find it shocking that she thinks it more important to mention the shockingness of gay marriage than she does to mention how shocking it is that her husband was responsible with his lies for the brutal deaths of thousands of men, women and children.

I find a hell of a lot of things shocking in fact these days.

[Malva Zebrina]

18. You keep implying that she "thinks"

Obviously she thinks as much as her dumbassed husband and that is practically never.

She spouts what talking points have been given to her and that is the extent of her "thinking"She rattles them off as she is told to do and that is, after all, the role of the "goodwife"

[King Coal]

9. How did the First Lump get the name Pickles?

[htuttle]

11. She was famous around Texas...

...for being able to keep a whole dill pickle in her mouth without chewing it --- a skill she shares with Nancy Reagan, BTW.

It was one of the things that attracted George to her in the first place, though I'm sure there have been precious few times he's seen this ability since the girls were born...


ps. I just made all of this up, except for the Nancy Reagan stuff...

[KharmaTrain]

10. Wedge, Divert, Repeat...

This whole gay marriage issue is starting to focus in on the Right Wing's putsch to dominate the judiciary and force through their slate of judges ASAP.

Methinks this is becoming more urgent as some in this regime may be thinking the unthinkable...losing the Executive next January (and to think they'd be evicted a day sooner than January 20th is dreaming)...thus getting their judges in place for future considerations.

Of course this is all red meat to the biggots and bible-thumpers who must dictate morality no matter how hypocritical or illogical it appears.

I appreciated the post showing the popularity polls regarding inter-racial marriage in the 50's and early 60's and I feel gay marriage or a legel union that secures their financial and civil rights (isn't that what this is all about) is fait accompli. As another stated the concept of a "Sanctity of Marriage Ammendement" would not past constitutional muster since it's a law that restricts freedoms, not protect them.

The Rove Machine is attempting to kill two birds with one stone here...use homophobia and "family values" to keep its base from thinking about war, bad economy, defecits and their boy's other troubles. They'd love to center a debate on what a family is and attempt to frame Democrats as immoral in every way and all evils now are not because of a Democrat President or Congress, but the last vestiges of opposition to their pillaging, the judiciary. Plus nothing whips up hatred in the flying monkey hive worse than any issue involving gays.

I'm long married and know the difference between the emotional "marriage" (as view as "traditional"...buzzword) and the economic (insurance, medical, custody, etc.)...the bible wasn't written with the thoughts of litigation, lawyers and estates...those are recent developments and society adjusts accordingly.

Wingnuts just can't adjust to change and live in a bizzaro world of a 1950's black and white sitcom...based on the repressions which serve the controllers to keep their herd in line. Pickles embodies this non-entity who is seen but not heard and has taken the image of the modern woman backwards 30 years.

[Brotherjohn]

12. Two thoughts on your post.

1) Wow! I knew they were using this as a wedge issue, but I never actually thought of it this way: They're simply trying to distract their base from thinking about "war, bad economy, defecits and their boy's other troubles".

Think about it, they've already lost half the electorate, and with their boy's performance, they're in danger of losing their base! There's no way this amendment is going to get the more left-to-center half of the country to move to Bush. It's only going to stem the bleeding. But it will backfire. It's just another non-issue in a time of what everyone sees as a world of much more important issues.

2) Unfortunately, a constitutional amendment doesn't have to pass constitutional muster. That's exactly why these people always go for them (for prayer in schools, to outlaw flag-burning, etc.). Because they know they won't pass consitutional muster as laws (they know because they've tried).

An amendment need only be passed by 2/3 of each house of congress, and then 3/4 of the states' legislatures. No small feat, but once it's done, a court cannot overrule it based on consitutional grounds. It then IS the Constitution (unless it's repealed).

[KharmaTrain]

14. And I Replly...thank you...

We are in agreement on principle...just difference in perspectives.

I see the problems in the GOOP base as you note and this is a diversion to "rally the faithful". While you think it will backfire...and I hope it does...I think it'll get a lot of traction in the "Red" states where the fundies sway a lot of sheeple to the polls. Usually abortion did the trick, but that's old hat and few minds are to be changed, few dollars to be mined.

This is a new turf for the Ralph Reed types...wolves in Christian's clothing...who will add this to his trick bags of lies and scares that are reverbed from church pulpits across the South and West. Gays represent such a polarizing force in GOOP politics it's like the red-baiting/terrorist naming game that keeps the troops in line.

There are two goals here IMHO...first to see if they can get some kinds of distraction on this issue that can be used by Frist and Pest Exterminator to put through wingnut judges and force the confirmation of those being held up. The other is generating something that will make sure their ilk show up at the polls and don't stay home...that's gotta be starting to show up on the Rove radar.

2.) Yes, you're correct that an ammendment is designed to as the ultimate people's power over it's government...bypassing both existing law and common sense. And if an ammendment gets tossed to the states (and I'm certain that would happen in a second regime) it would be tossed around as state and local red meat for years...just like race and religious issues.

While I think at the present time an ammendment would pass the required number of states if it was rushed through, I felt the same way about the ERA in the 70s. That got batted around for years and then squashed by growing repugnican majorities in state legislatures...using that wedge issue to energize their base. I see a similar replay here.

My reference to the Constitution is regarding the existing and pending laws in front of state legislatures...sorry if I mindslipped from one thought into another...it's very easy here...and how those laws right now, sans a Constitutional ammendment, would lose in a court challenge...thus the GOOPs motive to change the judiciary.

Cheers.

[Brotherjohn]

16. I think you're right that it'll help the base to show up at the polls...

... but I think they're working upstream here. Already,much of their base has lost their enthusiam (thanks to Iraq, the deficit, the economy, perceived lack of integrity on Bush's part). They have a lot of ground to make up. I think their core base also only adds up to about 30% (maybe 40% on this issue; not "gay marriage" per se, but people who are homophobic, whom I think are the only people who would back this when push comes to shove).

I don't think this will work nearly as well as the abortion issue. I don't think conservatives feel as strongly about this one (although they may feel very strongly about it).

If it's any indicator, I know one strongly religious, pro-life relative who I thought would NEVER vote Dem. They're now saying Kerry looks good to them. And if this issue gets pushed, I think it would only move her further away from Bush.

[KharmaTrain]

19. Gay Marriage Is More A Threat To RW...

Painting with a broad brush here...but I'll phrase it the way an associate who works for my company put it. This is a life-long Repugnican, *-lover...a total hive-dweller in complete denial. He's totally unrepentant on the Iraq invasion (he's chirping the Saddam bad crap) and how the economy isn't bad...it's the liberuls and the media that are making it look that way (despite his inability to reach his quotas going on 12 months now).

We were talking about gay marriage. He started onto the "sanctity of marriage" crap...which made me start laughing cause this guy has been divorced twice and there's not a 20-year old in a skirt he won't try to chase. GOOP family values at work.

Nothing scares this guy more than homosexuality. Homophobe puts it midly. Abortion? I'd bet he, like bunnypants, have paid for a few and it's not something they feel...where you can see this guy grimace when we openly discuss what homosexuality is (in the sexual sense...not social). I think this guy fears that if homosexuality is legitimized two things will happen...

1.) A big nasty transvetite will for sex upon him
2.) All of his dream girls will become lesbians.

Honestly...this dude, and I've met others, feel a competition of fear and competition...nothing equivelent in the abortion issue. I see this fear translated into the "gay marriage will destroy family" mantra...that underlying buzz that if we don't outlaw it your son or daughter will become gay. And next to saying something positive about a Clinton, a RW would rather slit their wrists than recognize homosexuality in any shape or form.

[wellstone_democrat]

13. "Americans"

I didn't think I would really live to see the day that "Americans" became a particular type of coded message---not about citizenship but about ideology. If she had an sense of American institutions she would know that courts do indeed rule on the constitutionality of laws. It is their job. Any reasonably alert and intelligent American knows that . Anyone with sense does.

Of which, Mrs. Bush really has none. I don't care how often she is used to indicate that perhaps there is some "moderation" in the WH (or a "moderating" influence). If she isn't Xanax'd up to her eyballs she's simply someone who sold her soul for social status and money.

Frankly, I don't much care what that simpleton has to say.

[chookie]

17. What irony

Pickles, Snotty McClelland and His Chimperial Majesty all used the same words today "The issue should be decided by the people, not by activist judges."

HELLOOOOO! What do they have against activst judges all of a sudden, seeing that they owe his Chimpendency to a couple of activists in SCOTUS?


ABC News Tonight had a few minutes of Pickles on. I know that a lot of DUers feel we should be kind to her -- I however am not one of them. I must admit that I have not been sure if she's some drugged out fool who happened to get dragged in with the Bush Crime Family, or if she is an active member of it -- and after seeing her today -- hissing through her teeth about how McAulliffe is making up 100% the AWOL issue, and how you never get over the hurt of seeing the one you love maligned -- and not being able to control the hate in her eyes, and the anger twisted her mouth -- that is one creepy BITCH! Yikes!

When His Chimperial Highness is REALLY tanking, they send in Pickles to try and charm people. YUK! Does anyone really like her, really, apart from the religiously insane who claim they can tell by looking at her that she is sure of her salvation and eternal reward? Laura is, at best, unbelieveably boring and bland, and seems to be repressing a lot of bitchiness and hatefulness.

I also saw Snotty's press conference today. He just stands there and smiles, and says the same 4 phrases over and over again, regardless of what they ask him. The press were trying to get something beyond those 4 simple phrases out of him, and then he's say "I've already addressed that" or "You guys just love to beat me up." Gee -- looks like the press corp really does hate this little creep -- and I sure don't blame them.

Its weird -- all of them seems to be coached to affect total "denial" -- to be totally flabbergasted that ANYONE does not realize that His Chimperial Majesty is like Jesus himself and far above reproach and that anyone who says anything except "OH GOD HE'S GREAT!" is totally barking mad, or some kind of America hater.

I know this sort of crap plays well with their base constituency (the insane) -- but ordinary folks, particularly ordinary folks out of work, or struggling, or with loved ones in Iraq -- do the Bushistas REALLY think that Laura smiling into the camera is going to get America to believe that all the bad things that are happening are actually all really really good and that we need even more of this guy so we can have more of the same we've all be dealt these last years?

Nope. It's not going to work. They're going down in 2004. I can't WAIT.

[diamond14]

20. (caution: pic) mrs. george bush is 'shocked' by her own marriage

happily, mrs. george bush finds comfort in prescription drugs....




thanks to Betty Bowers
http://www.bettybowers.com