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Tactical Peek

(1,204 posts)
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 08:51 PM Jul 2016

George W. Bush dances while mourners grieve Dallas police officers

Source: 9news.com.au

Eyebrows have been raised after former US President George W. Bush swayed and danced a merry jig onstage during a memorial service for five Dallas police officers killed last week.

Bush seemed out of tune with the gathering, smiling broadly and rocking back and forth while a choir sang The Battle Hymn of the Republic, a popular US patriotic anthem.

The former president held hands with wife Barbara and first lady Michelle Obama in a line of otherwise solemn mourners, and both appeared unsettled and uncomfortable by Bush's behaviour.

Predictably, Twitter users were quick to question what Bush was up to, and whether his behaviour was inappropriate.


Read more: http://www.9news.com.au/world/2016/07/13/09/40/george-w-bush-jigs-onstage-while-solemn-mourners-grieve-five-fallen-dallas-cops



Meds can be hard to adjust.

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George W. Bush dances while mourners grieve Dallas police officers (Original Post) Tactical Peek Jul 2016 OP
poor George dlwickham Jul 2016 #1
Finally? IggleDoer Jul 2016 #7
I don't think he ever choose which tie to wear Major Nikon Jul 2016 #11
Exactly. Chemisse Jul 2016 #25
Painting Scarsdale Jul 2016 #74
Finally! Finally? RoccoR5955 Jul 2016 #12
booze and coke take their toll over the years dlwickham Jul 2016 #14
No doubt he's moved on to some Opiate ToxMarz Jul 2016 #20
Oxycontin dlwickham Jul 2016 #47
In the video, behind him, I think that is the police choir. One of them is wiping tears while jtuck004 Jul 2016 #2
Amazing! If he weren't a former President, he might get the bum's rush. n/t Judi Lynn Jul 2016 #49
That was just so weird. He had to be drunk. femmocrat Jul 2016 #3
Very bizarre behavior PatSeg Jul 2016 #43
like this classic... Javaman Jul 2016 #80
Or that debate with John Kerry PatSeg Jul 2016 #89
agree he looks drunk---maybe stoned too wordpix Jul 2016 #101
When they were seated PatSeg Jul 2016 #106
Can we even imagine the self righteous indignation of the rw scum... 63splitwindow Jul 2016 #4
ODS Mendocino Jul 2016 #9
Let's not forget the Coffee Cup Salute Incident, either... NT Sand Rat Expat Jul 2016 #35
not to mention O got a 2nd term wordpix Jul 2016 #102
They'd be gibbering about it long after the next election. Judi Lynn Jul 2016 #50
it would have been a "high crime" for sure in RW scum world wordpix Jul 2016 #103
I get the distinct feeling Dubya has no idea what he's doing or where he is. Archae Jul 2016 #5
next will come the "George is on medication for a condition" routine wordpix Jul 2016 #104
typical hibbing Jul 2016 #6
Disgusting bluestateguy Jul 2016 #8
Just like the birthday cake or him playing guitar sakabatou Jul 2016 #10
don't forget his look at Katrina devastation from AF1 wordpix Jul 2016 #105
He was embarrassingly shit-faced at the Olympics a while back, too arcane1 Jul 2016 #13
... 63splitwindow Jul 2016 #16
That elbow looks like the result of a drunken fall. truthisfreedom Jul 2016 #23
probably because Barbara is his daughter barbtries Jul 2016 #55
Yeah, She is only 34. IrishEyes Jul 2016 #94
Looks like at least 10 people are helping him n/t ailsagirl Jul 2016 #45
we must pay for Secret Service + salary for this embarrassment of a person wordpix Jul 2016 #108
Speaking of vomiting... ailsagirl Jul 2016 #110
he's "on medication." I didn't know about this Olympics embarassment wordpix Jul 2016 #107
Much Ado About Nothing erpowers Jul 2016 #15
And the grinning? nt 63splitwindow Jul 2016 #17
This message was self-deleted by its author Th1onein Jul 2016 #65
*< Bucky Jul 2016 #77
Add to that... fullautohotdog Jul 2016 #18
I have never seen anybody swaying and grinning during that song. but, nice try. niyad Jul 2016 #21
He was wildly inappropriate. No matter WhiteTara Jul 2016 #28
I agree Android3.14 Jul 2016 #31
I get that but Renew Deal Jul 2016 #51
he* is a former president and, call me crazy, should observer a certain level of decorum Javaman Jul 2016 #83
many people sway but don't dance a "jovial jig." Going viral now, lol wordpix Jul 2016 #109
chimpenfuhrer was probably drunk again niyad Jul 2016 #19
I just walked past the 9/11 memorial. 47of74 Jul 2016 #22
I have long suspected that he has Alzheimer's Disease. BlueEye Jul 2016 #24
Lifelong drinking can cause dementia too. Chemisse Jul 2016 #26
Sociopaths do not suffer from guilt or embarrassment dflprincess Jul 2016 #30
I don't think he is a sociopath. Chemisse Jul 2016 #34
Assuming he has a conscience gives him far too much credit dflprincess Jul 2016 #37
I absolutely think Dubya is a sociopath Skittles Jul 2016 #53
I have read extensively about sociopaths and psychopaths... Javaman Jul 2016 #85
good synopsis, thanks wordpix Jul 2016 #114
Narcissistic Personality Disorder, just like Trump sofa king Jul 2016 #96
She should have taken the girls and left Ilsa Jul 2016 #33
it's the bush family... Javaman Jul 2016 #86
that is true but my mom (RIP) never did anything like that wordpix Jul 2016 #112
His wife Barbara???? llmart Jul 2016 #27
at one point, it looks like FLOTUS is literally having to keep him from falling over. niyad Jul 2016 #29
this is not dementia, this is drinking with the red face wordpix Jul 2016 #115
Anybody watching the new TV show "Braindead"? It explains everything. bananas Jul 2016 #32
When following the link... Sand Rat Expat Jul 2016 #36
It's democratic underground. Anything George W. Bush is going to get people breathing fire. PoliticalMalcontent Jul 2016 #39
Very true. Sand Rat Expat Jul 2016 #66
I didn't think it was that big of a deal. leftyladyfrommo Jul 2016 #73
He grins and he also playfully shoulder bumps both Laura and Michelle. tblue37 Jul 2016 #41
It's a no-brainer. George was three sheets to the wind today. Zen Democrat Jul 2016 #52
Again, just saying what I see. Sand Rat Expat Jul 2016 #64
the phrase "inappropriate to the max" comes to mind wordpix Jul 2016 #116
You'll notice I said the bit at the end was cringeworthy. Sand Rat Expat Jul 2016 #129
Here is "the great big grin"some people are referring to: tblue37 Jul 2016 #122
Fair enough, that's a grin. Sand Rat Expat Jul 2016 #128
I think it's kinda funny how in the latter part of that video the president looks over toward him PoliticalMalcontent Jul 2016 #38
I will despise that lying, warmongering bastard until the end of my days Skittles Jul 2016 #54
I thought I would too. PoliticalMalcontent Jul 2016 #57
Bush's horrific legacy will last for decades Skittles Jul 2016 #58
I don't know. Seems like you're going out on quite the limb there. PoliticalMalcontent Jul 2016 #62
... Skittles Jul 2016 #68
Mic Drop. nt Javaman Jul 2016 #92
much of which george* made possible. Javaman Jul 2016 #88
Bush was a dufus doing Cheney/Rumsfeld's orders but the buck did stop with * wordpix Jul 2016 #117
I think we can figure out why he has kept such a low profile since leaving the WH. tblue37 Jul 2016 #40
wow he might have Aspbergers youceyec Jul 2016 #42
Aspergers does not show up at 70 Sanity Claws Jul 2016 #98
agree with you adding, "on meds for a condition" wordpix Jul 2016 #118
Around 2002, was a psychologist or psychiatrist who noted that Bush's speach pattern was indicitive Hoppy Jul 2016 #44
I don't doubt that a regular drinker gets dementia but wordpix Jul 2016 #119
Understand that there are many reasons for demintia. Alzheimers is only one. Hoppy Jul 2016 #121
he did have Lyme disease--if you listen to his early 90s speeches the contrast is incredible zazen Jul 2016 #46
Interesting. PoliticalMalcontent Jul 2016 #59
I have a friend with Lyme's. He's probably going to only live a few more years. Bucky Jul 2016 #76
W definitely had it--its effects are highly variable, though underestimated by IDSA. zazen Jul 2016 #93
Did he fall off the wagon again? totodeinhere Jul 2016 #48
Truly awkward. He seems to be an overgrown child. n/t Judi Lynn Jul 2016 #56
he seemed that way when he was "president", too Skittles Jul 2016 #60
if the antics of that clown, and the chaos he creatd throughout the world scares you... olddad56 Jul 2016 #61
Is he back on the sauce? Dopers_Greed Jul 2016 #63
Maybe he did not know why he was there, thought it was a party. Rex Jul 2016 #67
Anyone remember this? BumRushDaShow Jul 2016 #69
he's done so many creepy things wordpix Jul 2016 #111
Drunk. nt msanthrope Jul 2016 #70
Drunk and or an asshole Botany Jul 2016 #71
Twitter people are lucky they have tiny pics. Bush was flooded with exaggerated euphoria. Sunlei Jul 2016 #72
"Wife Barbara"? Bucky Jul 2016 #75
Sociopathic Responses from Real Sociopaths Javaman Jul 2016 #78
look at laura... Javaman Jul 2016 #79
Whether battered or not, she suffers. Chemisse Jul 2016 #81
I feel sorry for her after the fact. Javaman Jul 2016 #82
She comes from an age and culture of 'stand by your man.' Chemisse Jul 2016 #84
True, but I think it's more the family dynamic. Javaman Jul 2016 #87
You may be right. Chemisse Jul 2016 #90
I look at the bush family like the mafia. Javaman Jul 2016 #91
He probably had four or five shots before appearing in public CanonRay Jul 2016 #95
If the black man in the White House were to ever do something like this, people would be yelling for Liberal_Stalwart71 Jul 2016 #97
yes, it's a high crime if it's a Dem, pun intended wordpix Jul 2016 #120
I will dance ... Martin Eden Jul 2016 #99
We can always count on him Phentex Jul 2016 #100
I JUST watched the video! uawchild Jul 2016 #113
yeah, it seems like there's something truly missing there. MBS Jul 2016 #130
I just had a truly vomit worthy moment reading the support from MyNameGoesHere Jul 2016 #123
White privilege MsLeopard Jul 2016 #124
Why was he there again? wildeyed Jul 2016 #125
Because it was in Texas? N/t TexasBushwhacker Jul 2016 #126
They should have waited until after rehab. n/t wildeyed Jul 2016 #127

Scarsdale

(9,426 posts)
74. Painting
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 07:47 AM
Jul 2016

Maybe those paint fumes in therapy got to him? Laura benefited from all the money he made, let her take care of this clown. Alzheimers, maybe? Maybe pretending, in case the War Crimes Tribunal comes calling?

 

jtuck004

(15,882 posts)
2. In the video, behind him, I think that is the police choir. One of them is wiping tears while
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 08:55 PM
Jul 2016

he clowns around.

femmocrat

(28,394 posts)
3. That was just so weird. He had to be drunk.
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 09:00 PM
Jul 2016

I have watched it several times. At first Michelle looks embarrassed and Barack glances at her. Then he starts to sing, probably to "camouflage" bush's inappropriate behavior. He is such a gentleman.

Laura should have stomped on his foot or something. She just looks resigned, like "there he goes again". He is a national embarrassment.

PatSeg

(46,804 posts)
43. Very bizarre behavior
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 11:58 PM
Jul 2016

Earlier while he was seated, he looked very red faced and on the verge of tears. That made his behavior during the song that much more peculiar.

He certainly did look like he'd been drinking. We've seen this kind of odd behavior from George before. Brought back so many memories.

Yes, he is and always will be a national embarrassment.

PatSeg

(46,804 posts)
89. Or that debate with John Kerry
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 10:03 AM
Jul 2016

where he appeared to be listening to someone through an earpiece.

PatSeg

(46,804 posts)
106. When they were seated
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 02:44 PM
Jul 2016

and he looked on the verge of tears, Laura also looked like she was about to cry. Maybe it had to do with her husband, not the fallen police.

Thank you for the link.

 

63splitwindow

(2,657 posts)
4. Can we even imagine the self righteous indignation of the rw scum...
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 09:02 PM
Jul 2016

had that been President or Mrs. Obama?

Judi Lynn

(160,218 posts)
50. They'd be gibbering about it long after the next election.
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 12:50 AM
Jul 2016

Could be some of them would be yammering about it even as they died of old age.

Archae

(46,262 posts)
5. I get the distinct feeling Dubya has no idea what he's doing or where he is.
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 09:03 PM
Jul 2016

He's always seemed to have been that way, and his handlers like "Unca Dick" were the real people behind the throne.

truthisfreedom

(23,113 posts)
23. That elbow looks like the result of a drunken fall.
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 09:45 PM
Jul 2016

Barbara looks pretty good in that photo. She's aging well.

wordpix

(18,652 posts)
108. we must pay for Secret Service + salary for this embarrassment of a person
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 02:47 PM
Jul 2016

No doubt these several keep Georgie from falling and breaking his bones, and make sure he's on his stomach when vomiting.

ailsagirl

(22,837 posts)
110. Speaking of vomiting...
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 02:51 PM
Jul 2016

remember when Bush Sr threw up at an official luncheon?? It's not nice of me to bring that up, except this reminded me of it. Talk about embarrassing!!!!!!!!!!!!

erpowers

(9,350 posts)
15. Much Ado About Nothing
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 09:29 PM
Jul 2016

People complaining about President Bush swaying at the memorial service is much ado about nothing. Many people sway when they hold hands and sing that song and other songs. In addition, a number of people do not subscribe to the idea of being overly sad at memorial services, or funerals.

Response to 63splitwindow (Reply #17)

fullautohotdog

(90 posts)
18. Add to that...
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 09:34 PM
Jul 2016

that the writer is a moron who doesn't know who Laura Bush is...

I can see being moved by the police choir to that song. Maybe not Pentecostal "rolling in the aisles" moved, but yeah.

WhiteTara

(29,676 posts)
28. He was wildly inappropriate. No matter
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 10:17 PM
Jul 2016

his personal feelings, he was at a public mourning and to try to start a dance line was disgusting...just like he is.

Javaman

(62,442 posts)
83. he* is a former president and, call me crazy, should observer a certain level of decorum
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 08:43 AM
Jul 2016

that goes with that.

he* has always been a drunken buffoon.

 

47of74

(18,470 posts)
22. I just walked past the 9/11 memorial.
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 09:43 PM
Jul 2016


And all I could think of how that son of a bitch George W. Bush should be in fucking prison for allowing 9/11 to happen and how if he had been doing his fucking job I would have been visiting the observation deck of the original tower tonight.

BlueEye

(449 posts)
24. I have long suspected that he has Alzheimer's Disease.
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 09:45 PM
Jul 2016

Even when he was in office. Given how that revelation damaged Reagan's legacy, I can see the Bushes desperately trying to conceal the truth.

The video is sad and disturbing, honestly.

Chemisse

(30,793 posts)
26. Lifelong drinking can cause dementia too.
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 10:04 PM
Jul 2016

I suspect he drowned his guilt and embarrassment in a bottle as soon as he left DC.

Poor Laura. What an albatross around her neck.

dflprincess

(28,057 posts)
30. Sociopaths do not suffer from guilt or embarrassment
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 10:26 PM
Jul 2016

he was probably angry that no one was sad to see him go. No doubt Laura has had to listen to 8 years of drunken ramblings about how he's "gonna show them" and "they'll all be sorry".

Chemisse

(30,793 posts)
34. I don't think he is a sociopath.
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 10:52 PM
Jul 2016

Dick Cheney is, of course.

But Bush is just a kind-of dumb guy who was controlled by people much smarter than him. He was a joke as a president - a buffoon. Him being flown around in a plane after 9/11 while Cheney took charge, was symbolic of his entire presidency.

That is not an excuse for what he did, however. And I am glad that at least he has the punishment of suffering from guilt and embarrassment for the rest of his days.

Now Cheney has no qualms at all. He'd do it all over again, only find a way to make even more money off of it.

dflprincess

(28,057 posts)
37. Assuming he has a conscience gives him far too much credit
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 11:12 PM
Jul 2016

Little Georgie has been indulged all his life, look up "entitled" and you'll see his picture. Not entirely his fault, after all, he was raised by a woman whose "beautiful mind" couldn't be bothered to look at the pictures of caskets coming back from his war.

Skittles

(152,964 posts)
53. I absolutely think Dubya is a sociopath
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 01:09 AM
Jul 2016

all is emotions seemed fake - except when he was talking about the execution of Karla Faye Tucker - THAT excited him

Javaman

(62,442 posts)
85. I have read extensively about sociopaths and psychopaths...
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 09:03 AM
Jul 2016

just a weird hobby of mine.

sociopaths = nurture

psychopaths = nature.

sociopaths = understand the concept of right and wrong but their concept of such is very screwed up.

psychopaths = depending how high they score on the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised they could have a sense of right and wrong or none at all.

And like spectrum disorders, sociopaths and psychopaths have a scale to which they are measured.

given georges* truly fucked up family, I would say that he is most definitely a sociopath but not scoring very high. He has a history of torturing animals (blowing up frogs), he has a history of very poor decision making skills (multiple failed businesses), he has a history of grandiose proclamations (Iraq had WMDs), he has a history of acting inappropriately (to numerous to list), he has a skewed concept of right and wrong (again the wars and numerous policy decisions), while on the face of it, that doesn't mean he is a sociopath on the scale of a mass murderer, per say. He can be called a low to mid level sociopath. he has others do his dirty work for him.

where as a psychopath, depending where they score on the HPC-R, has no sense of right or wrong, they see things as a mission to be accomplished and view the way they do things as "the end justifies the means". "So a few people were fired and now on the streets begging for money, but the corporation is doing wonderful!" statements such as this might seem extreme but are not complete out of the purview of a psychopath.

But as I wrote earlier, there is a scale to psychopaths. Not knowing dick chaney's upbringing other than his "humble" beginnings in Wyoming, I would say he scores low to mid level on the scale. while he is ruthless in his actions, he does get angry when he doesn't get his way, but will continue to believe he was right in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. And probably go to his grave that way. Again, not knowing a whole lot about him, if he is indeed psychopath, I can say with all certainty that he has a closet, probably several closets full of skeletons. He knows where the bodies are buried because he put them there.

however, all of this could be nothing more than blowing smoke.

it has been rumored in the past that george* was a major coke head. This gives possible evidence that he is a substance abuser. and many people who abuse drugs of one kind or another will give off the appearance of being a sociopath in extreme cases.

If george* is indeed still a substance abuser, I believe his just that, an extreme case.

It seems as if all his public appearances now fall into the the same category: public embarrassment aka inappropriate behavior for situation at hand.

wordpix

(18,652 posts)
114. good synopsis, thanks
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 03:37 PM
Jul 2016

I'm a teacher and see these personality disorders come from a toxic stew of bad parenting, neighborhood environment, genetics and crappy food/water/air----take your pick of combinations. Children need our help while the repuke Congress is having another Hillary-Should-Be-Indicted witch hunt and allowing all kinds of military hardware to be sold in the ME, which will as always get into the wrong hands.

sofa king

(10,857 posts)
96. Narcissistic Personality Disorder, just like Trump
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 11:58 AM
Jul 2016

According to the DSM-5, individuals with NPD have most or all of the following symptoms, typically without commensurate qualities or accomplishments:

* Grandiosity with expectations of superior treatment from others

* Fixated on fantasies of power, success, intelligence, attractiveness, etc.

* Self-perception of being unique, superior and associated with high-status people and institutions

* Needing constant admiration from others

* Sense of entitlement to special treatment and to obedience from others

* Exploitative of others to achieve personal gain

* Unwilling to empathize with others' feelings, wishes, or needs

* Intensely jealous of others and the belief that others are equally jealous of them

* Pompous and arrogant demeanor

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_personality_disorder

The main difference between sociopaths and narcissists is that narcissists have occasional crashes of self-esteem, during which they can experience empathy for others and deep regret for the things they have done. Then, once self-esteem is regained, they go on to believe their own bullshit and invariably refuse further treatment.

That's why Bush had to spend two years of his Presidency on vacation, where "fluffers" rebuilt his dumb ass, time and again.

Being out of the limelight, and more importantly, being told time and again to stay the fuck away because he's such an embarrassment, has surely crushed his self esteem and probably led to years of tortuous regret, every moment of which he deeply deserves.

Trump would be the exact same kind of President. They are virtually the same person, though Trump seems slightly less stupid.

Ilsa

(61,675 posts)
33. She should have taken the girls and left
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 10:51 PM
Jul 2016

Him decades ago. No reason why she can't go now, I bet.

Javaman

(62,442 posts)
86. it's the bush family...
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 09:11 AM
Jul 2016

as long as barb and poppy are still alive, such an action would be hazardous to ones health.

wordpix

(18,652 posts)
112. that is true but my mom (RIP) never did anything like that
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 03:24 PM
Jul 2016

Mom had Alz. and I was her caregiver/case manager for 6 yrs. When she was in a crowd she was very well behaved until she got to the very late stage. And her face was never bright red like Bushie's. He may be demented but this looks like * was high as a kite.

First thing my neighbor said when she told me about it. She's a recovered alcoholic.

llmart

(15,501 posts)
27. His wife Barbara????
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 10:08 PM
Jul 2016

Who wrote this claptrap anyway? Yeah, Dubya is a jackass and always has been, but if the writer can't even get Laura's name right then they've already lost credibility.

Having said that, he looks like a real jackass. That isn't "swaying" that he's doing. His behavior is inappropriate. Period. But then he's noted for his inappropriate behavior.

niyad

(112,435 posts)
29. at one point, it looks like FLOTUS is literally having to keep him from falling over.
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 10:17 PM
Jul 2016

and that sick, inappropriate grin.

you know, I truly hope that it is acknowledged that he has dementia or something. at least that would be a non-disgusting reason for his disgusting behaviour.

wordpix

(18,652 posts)
115. this is not dementia, this is drinking with the red face
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 03:45 PM
Jul 2016

First, I am an expert in dementia, Alzheimer's variety. I took care of my mom for 6 yrs., had her in programs, in public, living at home with caregivers, living at a care facility. I read about it and consulted experts, etc. Georgie Boy is not acting like someone w/dementia. In general, these people are confused and thus can get angry, wail or yell loudly and so on. If they do this enough to disturb the neighbors, they are medicated with tranquilizers. They are mostly in their later years and when agitated, they don't get up and dance and laugh. They are mostly elderly, sedate, quiet or if agitated, can get angry and loudly confused. Doing a jovial jig in public is not the norm.

bananas

(27,509 posts)
32. Anybody watching the new TV show "Braindead"? It explains everything.
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 10:44 PM
Jul 2016

Alien screwworms are eating people's brains.

Sand Rat Expat

(290 posts)
36. When following the link...
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 11:10 PM
Jul 2016

The video immediately after the one about Bush was just as cringeworthy. Guy kneeling in front of a memorial to the officers killed in Dallas and shouting a "prayer" at the absolute top of his lungs, and just rambling on and on.

From the disjointed nature, I'd kinda wonder about his mental health. And if he's mentally stable (dubious, I know...) maybe someone ought to clue him in on what Christ had to say about praying in the street versus praying in one's closet. The rest of us would appreciate it.

Regarding the one of Bush, at first I was like "He's kinda swaying back and forth a bit..." and I didn't quite see what everyone was getting worked up about. Then for the last few seconds when he seems to march in place, then it made a bit more sense. Maybe my eyes are bad, but I don't see the great big grin some people are referring to. Either way, the marching at the end just made it cringeworthy all on its own.

No wonder he's kept such a low profile. I imagine that's less his decision and more Laura's, if he can be relied upon to behave like that in public, no matter the occasion.

39. It's democratic underground. Anything George W. Bush is going to get people breathing fire.
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 11:20 PM
Jul 2016

Rationality goes out the window when emotions get charged.

Sand Rat Expat

(290 posts)
66. Very true.
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 02:26 AM
Jul 2016

I've often thought that Christ Himself could come down from the heavens, put His hand on Barack Obama's shoulder, and proclaim in a ringing tone, "This guy is really awesome. Seriously you guys, I'm a fan" and the right wingers would still carry on with their ODS nonsense.

Guess the same principle applies. I thought Bush was an absolute disaster as a President, but I'll confine my criticisms of him to the realm of reason. If he does something I genuinely admire, I'll give him credit for it. It won't expiate his failures and shortcomings, but give credit where it's due.

I've always held to the idea that progressives ought to be rational and, at least as far as is possible, objective. Go where the facts and the logic lead you, regardless of how you feel about the situation in question. Getting all riled up and letting anger, hate, fear, or whatever drive your decision-making ought to be eschewed as the province of the right.

leftyladyfrommo

(18,816 posts)
73. I didn't think it was that big of a deal.
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 07:43 AM
Jul 2016

I think he was just reacting to the Battle Hymn of the Republic which is a really stirring number. I don't think he was trying to be disrespectful.

It was inappropriate. Kind of like he forgot where he was.

tblue37

(64,982 posts)
41. He grins and he also playfully shoulder bumps both Laura and Michelle.
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 11:45 PM
Jul 2016

In fact, he is acting just like the teasing kid who tries to clown around enough to get his brother or sister to giggle in church.

Sand Rat Expat

(290 posts)
64. Again, just saying what I see.
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 02:20 AM
Jul 2016

To me, a grin is a large smile that puts a lot of teeth on display. Maybe my eyes aren't as great as some or the video quality isn't as great as it might be, but I'm not seeing what I consider a grin. I'll rewatch the video and focus just on his mouth, and maybe I'll see what you're referring to. But from my memory of my first viewing, just not seeing a grin.

And as I said, up until that little marching-in-place thing at the end, I didn't see anything that struck me as out-and-out awful. To my eyes, he was swaying back and forth as people sometimes do when singing and/or listening to music. But the bit at the end was over the top, and inappropriate given the solemnity of the occasion.

Sand Rat Expat

(290 posts)
129. You'll notice I said the bit at the end was cringeworthy.
Sat Jul 16, 2016, 06:32 AM
Jul 2016

The higher quality images posted also make it a lot easier to see. Based on the video, I wasn't seeing a grin, just the peculiar ditty-bop business at the end.

Sand Rat Expat

(290 posts)
128. Fair enough, that's a grin.
Sat Jul 16, 2016, 06:30 AM
Jul 2016

I'm... less than certain what that other expression is, though. Judging by the look of his cheeks and nose, I think we can safely say he's hitting the bottle pretty hard.

What an assclown.

38. I think it's kinda funny how in the latter part of that video the president looks over toward him
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 11:18 PM
Jul 2016

And joins in a little with the swaying and singing... perhaps out of pity?

I don't know what goes through Bush's head. I have a hard time being angry with him this far out of his tenure as president. It doesn't seem like he ever did things maliciously. It seems like he was just a puppet for Rumsfeld and Chaney. Does that absolve him fully? No. But... He's just so aloof as to portray a picture of someone who isn't all their mentally. I'm more upset with the people who manipulated his position, and elected him a second time.

His aloofness could come off as personability at times though. The dude looks like he's enjoying himself, which I'm sure made it easier for people to relate to him and therefore more likely to vote for him. People aren't smart.

For clarification, I was a LOT more pissed years ago, but 8 years of not having his dumb ass in office can heal a lot of bad feelings, even if a lot of the bad that he caused is still felt today (Wars, Patriot act, etc). Realizing Rumsfeld actually pushed Bible scripture into Bush's daily Iraq briefings... that's like some sort of subtle mind control tactics, especially if Bush is an ardent scripture believer... So fuck Rumsfeld. More blame goes to him in my book, even if the buck ultimately stopped with Bush.

57. I thought I would too.
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 01:32 AM
Jul 2016

Too many other things to hate, I suppose. Too many present day problems to deal with.

62. I don't know. Seems like you're going out on quite the limb there.
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 01:46 AM
Jul 2016

Did George Bush ever do anything to promote racism? If anything Bill Clinton's 'getting tough on crime' laws of the 90's which garnered bi-partisan support did more to foster racial profiling than anything Bush did in office.

I don't want to be in a position of defending Bush. I raged when the dude got re-elected. I've just been in a place lately where I've been trying to clear my mind of biases as much as possible. Part of that is getting rid of any inconsistent thinking I find in my processes... and frankly it just seems hard to hate the puppet. Much easier to blame the puppeteer in these situations (to me).

So... How do you feel that Bush had anything to do with what happened in Dallas? Perhaps I can reassess my beliefs with additional information. Or... perhaps you can think it over and realize perhaps you maybe misspoke.

This isn't Rick Perry talking about his family compound. George Bush was pre-Obama when racists were much more closeted. The Obama presidency brought out the worst in people because republicans used fear tactics.

(The only thing I can think of off the top of my head that even remotely smacks of racism regarding George Bush is Karl Rove starting a whisper campaign about John McCain's daughter, but again, that was Karl Rove, and not Bush).

wordpix

(18,652 posts)
117. Bush was a dufus doing Cheney/Rumsfeld's orders but the buck did stop with *
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 03:52 PM
Jul 2016

He was the one who signs orders and such. He either didn't care what he was signing b/c he was enjoying the job doing nothing presidential, or he trusted the others and went along. Or both

tblue37

(64,982 posts)
40. I think we can figure out why he has kept such a low profile since leaving the WH.
Tue Jul 12, 2016, 11:41 PM
Jul 2016

It probably takes a while to dry him out enough, and even then his handlers never know how he will act.

Sanity Claws

(21,822 posts)
98. Aspergers does not show up at 70
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 01:21 PM
Jul 2016

But you are right that he does not seem to have a clue regarding socially acceptable behavior. Alcohol and drugs can do that to a mind.

 

Hoppy

(3,595 posts)
44. Around 2002, was a psychologist or psychiatrist who noted that Bush's speach pattern was indicitive
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 12:09 AM
Jul 2016

of the onset of dementia. I recall it as having been posted on this site.

wordpix

(18,652 posts)
119. I don't doubt that a regular drinker gets dementia but
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 03:56 PM
Jul 2016

he is in his early stage to be able to read that speech. My mother could not have done that six months after her Alzheimer's diagnosis.

 

Hoppy

(3,595 posts)
121. Understand that there are many reasons for demintia. Alzheimers is only one.
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 06:18 PM
Jul 2016

Alzheimers is diagnosable only after autopsy. It seems to have a two or three year span before death.

My mother has been in dementia unit of V.A. for 8 years. Baring heart attack or cancer, she likely has another two or three years of life to go.

zazen

(2,978 posts)
46. he did have Lyme disease--if you listen to his early 90s speeches the contrast is incredible
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 12:23 AM
Jul 2016

It's not like he was an intellectual or moral giant, but he _could_ actually speak in complete sentences and seemed to know where he was in space and time. I think the Lyme accelerated his decline.

Bucky

(53,795 posts)
76. I have a friend with Lyme's. He's probably going to only live a few more years.
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 08:06 AM
Jul 2016

If Dubya had it, I don't know if he'd still be with us today.

zazen

(2,978 posts)
93. W definitely had it--its effects are highly variable, though underestimated by IDSA.
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 10:32 AM
Jul 2016

Sorry about your friend. Lyme is a scourge and its treatment has gotten caught up in the worst of ego-driven insider academic medicine politics. That said, it really is difficult to know what is chronic Lyme or what may have been triggered by Lyme (certain lines of thought now are that it messes with the gut micro biome--which is hard to tease out from the antibiotic treatment too--and that this sets of different cascades of side effects depending on one's genome).

Seriously--Google it. Pre and post Lyme Bush are incredible. I've known plenty of addicts and they don't deteriorate mentally that way. I mean, he's an entitled idiot anyway and presumably drinking again, but even Boehner could string together sentences and he was sloshed pretty regularly.

olddad56

(5,732 posts)
61. if the antics of that clown, and the chaos he creatd throughout the world scares you...
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 01:42 AM
Jul 2016

just wit and see what happens if this next election was rigged like 2000 and 2004.

BumRushDaShow

(127,312 posts)
69. Anyone remember this?
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 05:42 AM
Jul 2016


And fortunately, the writer of the article at the link (an Australian news outlet) corrected the text to indicate his actual wife's name instead of his mother's!

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
72. Twitter people are lucky they have tiny pics. Bush was flooded with exaggerated euphoria.
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 07:39 AM
Jul 2016
I think wife Barbara had to squeeze his hand to wipe the grin off his face and keep his happy-feet on the ground.

Bucky

(53,795 posts)
75. "Wife Barbara"?
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 08:02 AM
Jul 2016

That should be Laura, right? Dubya does a lot of things wrong, but I'm pretty sure marrying his mom isn't among those sins

Javaman

(62,442 posts)
78. Sociopathic Responses from Real Sociopaths
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 08:31 AM
Jul 2016

How a Sociopath Responds

Dealing with a Sociopath can be extremely frustrating. Because they lack basic emotional components and are typically quite narcissistic, the responses and reactions they have to everyday events can at times seem very odd and quite inappropriate to the rest of us. If you understand their thought process at its very basic level, you can better understand why they respond the way they do. You’ll never be able to rationalize how they act, but you might at least be able to gain a slight understanding of how a sociopath may respond in the future. As you will see in the following scenarios, a sociopathic response will typically be about them—never the actual situation. Baffling to the rest of us as it is, it is simply the way they are wired. Unfortunately, the following situations are real. They are written exactly as they occurred. *PLEASE NOTE* This article is not intended as a method to diagnose an individual as being sociopathic. It is intended to show some very typical response patterns from real individuals who have been diagnosed as sociopaths. Only a professional can and should actually diagnose a sociopath. Many normal, healthy, mentally sound individuals will have some of these reactions some of the time. This article is part of a larger series on articles detailing common behaviors and reactions of individuals who fit the diagnostic criteria for an individual considered Sociopathic. An individual can also have "sociopathic tendencies", which would inidicate that they exhibit sociopathic traits on a consistent basis, but not enough to be diagnosed as a Sociopath. Those with sociopathic tendencies are not sociopaths in the diagnostic sense, but may have other disorders that should be taken into consideration.

http://hubpages.com/health/True-Sociopath-Responses-Its-All-About-Me


--------------------------------------------

or he was just drunk as usual.

Javaman

(62,442 posts)
79. look at laura...
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 08:34 AM
Jul 2016

she seems very uncomfortable as if "george is having one of his poorly timed "feelings" moment.

I honestly believe she suffers from battered wife syndrome.

Chemisse

(30,793 posts)
81. Whether battered or not, she suffers.
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 08:37 AM
Jul 2016

I've always felt sorry for her: the good little wife who has to stand by and watch her husband destroy the world.

Javaman

(62,442 posts)
82. I feel sorry for her after the fact.
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 08:41 AM
Jul 2016

but not because she married him. I think she's just as much an opportunist as george* is.

However, I think it was only after she married him that she understood the full awesome power of the bush family dynamic and how truly fucked up it is. And there was no way in hell they were going to allow her to divorce him* without her suffering from some unfortunate "accident".

Chemisse

(30,793 posts)
84. She comes from an age and culture of 'stand by your man.'
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 08:45 AM
Jul 2016

So I don't blame her too much for standing by and watching it all happen without speaking out.

I just hope she has enough money now to hire a staff to watch over Georgie boy - clearly a full-time job.

Javaman

(62,442 posts)
87. True, but I think it's more the family dynamic.
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 09:59 AM
Jul 2016

I had an Aunt bounce my uncle in 1965. It was very hard for her, while not my mom's sister, my mom always supported her and stayed her friend, in-spite of my dad's continued insistence that she don't.

I think Laura was a social climber and in the beginning enjoyed "the life" of being married to a connected family.

but much like a onion, you only see the skin when you first buy it, you have no idea the amount of layers are in one.

as time wore on, and she had children, she became as much a part of the family as any of the others. I'm sure there was certainly a point in she and georges* relationship that hit that moment of realization of how truly screwed up the family is, but by that point, she was so invested, both emotionally, financially, and socially, that for her to leave would have been "detrimental" to her health. Meaning, poppy and control freak barb wouldn't have liked that very much.

After failing at several businesses but still landing back on his feet via poppy's influence, georges* star began to rise with his construction of the Angels baseball stadium (there was a great article about how he totally screwed over the people who owned the land it was built on (big surprise) in the Austin Chronicle several years ago), then him becoming governor. As the saying goes, if you fail at everything else, run for office. And so he did. Laura, played the dutiful Governors wife. She was pretty much innocuous during his* reign of terror but she did have her pet projects.

However, no one runs for the president of the United States unless they have an equally ambitious spouse to support them.

I think at that point, Laura was in it for the glory. She became, or perhaps always was, a media hound just as much as he* was to get him* into office.

Laura, the former Democrat, saw opportunity and dove right in and ran with it.

And what was that opportunity? To live in the same house as george* without having to deal with him directly anymore.

I think at this point, given georges* rumored history of substance abuse with coke, she had enough and needed a break from his ranting and raving. But sadly that wasn't the case.

It became readily apparent that while "those who fail at everything become politicians' he was also failing at being president as well. And once again, the substance abuse kicked in.

Laura, might be "standing by her man"type, but I think think she was actually biding her time until he was out of office.

His* presidency resulting in the true failure that it was, Laura, thought she could finally have the peace and quiet she probably always wanted, but in reality, that peace and quiet became georges* liability.

The failed president* still has to be propped up and marched out on occasion for appearance purposes.

And the "stand by your man" became Laura's millstone around her neck.

I can't predict what she thinks, but I think she loves her kids but often, during times, of him* making a fool of himself*, she ponders the concept of alternate realities.

Chemisse

(30,793 posts)
90. You may be right.
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 10:17 AM
Jul 2016

About her personal ambitions, and about the difficulty of getting out of a marriage within a powerful family.

It may be that now she has little to do with him, other than those embarrassing public appearances.

Javaman

(62,442 posts)
91. I look at the bush family like the mafia.
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 10:20 AM
Jul 2016

just when you think you are out! they suck you back in. lol

CanonRay

(14,038 posts)
95. He probably had four or five shots before appearing in public
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 11:02 AM
Jul 2016

that'll get those happy feet going every time.

 

Liberal_Stalwart71

(20,450 posts)
97. If the black man in the White House were to ever do something like this, people would be yelling for
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 12:03 PM
Jul 2016

him to be impeached. This is despicable behavior!

uawchild

(2,208 posts)
113. I JUST watched the video!
Wed Jul 13, 2016, 03:29 PM
Jul 2016

OMG. It's like he has dementia. His wife was solo embarrassed. And the quizzically expression half way thru from Michelle Obama was priceless.

lol

MBS

(9,688 posts)
130. yeah, it seems like there's something truly missing there.
Sat Jul 16, 2016, 07:03 AM
Jul 2016

The standard line about guys like that is - well, he's not an intellectual, but he's got "emotional intelligence". Not W. He doesn't seem to have a CLUE about people, either.
He's clueless in every sphere.
(Ah, darn- the image of the incident when he tried to massage Angela Merkel's shoulders at an international forum just popped into my head again, and I can't seem to dislodge it from my brain. . . Not a good way to start my day, before I've even had breakfast )

He's just a very, very small and mediocre person.

Even knowing all that, his cheerful swaying during a solemn hymn for a solemn funeral. . really mind-boggling.

 

MyNameGoesHere

(7,638 posts)
123. I just had a truly vomit worthy moment reading the support from
Thu Jul 14, 2016, 09:42 AM
Jul 2016

DU members in this post. It makes me wonder if an age verification should be implemented as it is obvious some posters could only be 8 years old or less. Although the alien brain worms would explain a lot.

wildeyed

(11,240 posts)
125. Why was he there again?
Fri Jul 15, 2016, 07:06 PM
Jul 2016

Seems like they have been letting him out in public more recently. I guess they want to remind us all of how incredibly incompetent the GOP is at running government? And GWB was a f'ing genius compared to Trump

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