"We could have forgiven his public clumsiness if he had been doing anything for the country."

[omega minimo]

David Letterman to Katie Couric after she describes how the Dubya Bush White House staff wished the public could see "this president" who was more confident in private, than the public president who seemed "flummoxed and befuddled."

Well put, Dave, well put.

"... if he had been doing anything for the country."

[MrSlayer]

1. I've always said largely the same thing.

If his actions weren't so tragic, this guy would be the funniest President ever.

[saltpoint]

2. Agree. We never fiercely demanded public polish from Dubya. We only

desired public service.

And when it was not forthcoming and we realized he was such a remorseless nihilist and mutant keeper of the Founders' flame, we liberals called it liked it was.

Good for Letterman.

Good find on this quotation. Thanks.

[omega minimo]

6. And it was the way Dave said it

This was right before the more reported bit on Limbaugh.

He said it simply, like a fact, not a joke or emphasized at all -- just truth.

[ejpoeta]

3. the thing was, that making fun of bush's lack of public speaking and his

seemingly immature way of expressing himself was a way of trying to deal with his complete ineptness and our inability to do anything about it. We were hidden in free speech zones and kept away from the 'president' as he happily existed in a bubble which kept him from having to hear too much how the little people feel about him. Bush is and was an idiot. His public presence was just a symptom of that.

[omega minimo]

5. Yep and that "prescence" was on full display during the 2000 debates......

yet he got selected....

Great replies here, thank you.

[MiniMe]

4. If Bush was like Biden, some misspeaks but knows what he is doing,

we would have said about W what we say about Joe. In my case, he is a smart man and he knows what he is doing, but sometimes his mouth gets ahead of his brain. But we love him anyway. I don't equate any of those attributes to W.

[omega minimo]

7. IMHO

we had the opportunity to assess Bush and Biden before they were elected (or selected in W's case).

It was clear Biden was qualified and Bush absolutely was not.

[MiniMe]

8. Agreed

I love Joe. But he does gaffe from time to time. My point was that if W were competent, we would tolerate the gaffe's, and think they are endearing.

[omega minimo]

9. Agreed

and since Bush was clearly incompetent during the campaign, he never should have gotten enough votes to enable his selection.