Bush's "...emotional rush...obsessed...frenzy...heart-thumping release"

[Rose Siding]

"He's become a biking maniac," said Mark McKinnon, his media adviser and frequent cycling companion.

What began as a way for the president to stay fit, after three decades of running ruined his knees, is now his passion.

Besides burning calories at a 1,000-per-hour clip, cycling gives Bush an emotional rush that sometimes surpasses the one he got from running.

"He's obsessed with it," McKinnon said. "He now likes to do nothing but work out on his bike, and he does it with a frenzy that is reserved for people like Lance Armstrong."

Bush's face lights up at the mention of biking, a heart-thumping release from the stress of his job.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002178846_bushbike13.html

Bush's media adviser wants to kiss him or something.

[Castilleja]

1. He sounds like a person of extremes

in everything he does.

[KittyWampus]

10. For Jr. I Think It's Called Dry Drunk

:)

[Sydnie]

2. so now he is an endorphin junkie too? LOL

He is worried about those "few extra pounds" the "doc" said he was carrying at his last "physical" (which we will never know what they REALLY found wrong with him).

Someone should give him some training wheels so he can stay on the damn thing and stop playing "Clyde Crashcup" then.

[KittyWampus]

11. "Few Extra Pounds" = The Wire Or Heart Monitor He Was Wearing

[Merlot]

3. "face lights up at the mention..."

Really, do you know any ADULTS who react like this?

Sounds like either the reaction of a child or an addict who has replaced one addiction with another.

[w4rma]

4. Smirk's new fad. Does he have ADD? (nt)

[Stirk]

5. Do you remember early in Bush's first term, months before 9-11...

when some guy fired a pistol at the White House?

I remember the media reports at the time saying there was no reason to worry, everyone was safe. Bush had been in the gym at the time, and Cheney was in his office. It was 10:30 in the morning. Kind of shows you who does what.

Anyway, that's what this biking story made me think of- particularly the "he now likes to do nothing but work out on his bike" part.

[globalvillage]

6. Hmmm...

"He now likes to do nothing but work out on his bike."
I think we'd be better off if that were true.

[kedrys]

7. Oh please. His ass is twice as wide as mine.

How much of a biking maniac can he be? You don't burn off that much fat if you only get on the bike for a 10-minute photo opp so your boyfriend can brag about what a jock you are.

[warrior1]

8. it's called Cocaine

.

[KittyWampus]

9. Kerry Actually RACES Just Like Armstrong... But The Media Decided

to make fun of HIM didn't they.

[progressivebydesign]

33. Great point.. WHY was Kerry ridiculed? n/t

[karynnj]

44. Because the media was against him

He was/is a serious cyclist. There was something written after the election in Sports Illustrated On-line which mentioned that in his late 50s (can't remember age) he participated in an over 100 mile MA race coming in something like 32 out of over 3,000 people. (Note all details from memory, but are relatively correct). Also, the much mocked wind surfing is fairly demanding.


Remember he played soccer and ice hockey in college, Bush was a cheerleader (although only in Prep school). Yet, the media presented Bush as athletic and made fun of Kerry.

As someone who hated gym, I would not pick a President by his ability in sports, but this more easily measured dimension shows exactly how biased the press was. Kerry is more athletic, smarter, better read, more articulate, and by far the nicer of the two.

[Ilsa]

12. This doesn't surprise me. He is always addicted to something.

Alcohol, cocaine, sweets, running, invading countries, cycling all give him a big rush.

[Atman]

13. First they invoke FDR...now Lance Armstrong.

Have they no shame? Uh...did anyone see SNL's Kim Jong Il skit last night? Our grand and glorious leader bikes with the frenzy reserved only for the greatest of the great! He is the master of all he undertakes, you mere mortals! Bow down and like his tire tracks.

[fooj]

14. A classic trait of alcoholism. It's a transfer of addiction.

The man needs some counseling. Lucky us:cry:

[eek]

15. He's so manly = distraction tactic , but from what?

"A classic trait of alcoholism. It's a transfer of addiction."

Yes. As is that born-againity.

But anyway, they're suddenly saying he gave up running for biking?
Jeeze - a couple of years ago they were making a big deal about the 3 miles he runs every day.

As someone else mentioned, if this guy exercised as much as the handlers say he does, he'd bea buff little nasty m*therfcuker.


What is the pattern of making him out to be macho? Seems like every so often its "clearing brush by hand in 1000 degree heat"

Jogging 200 miles a day before brekkie

Pilot the plane/flightsuit giant package-gate


Mountain biking through the rugged forestland of Crawford



Anyone got thoughts about this particular distraction?

[fooj]

16. You think he is still using?

[chefgirl]

17. Once an addict

Always an addict.

In all seriousness, I've had direct experience with deep down addiction. A very close member of my family has been battling this demon for years.

What I've learned is that addiction is in the person to begin with and the drug (or the activity, etc...) is just an outward manifestation of that addiction.

To be sure, there are drugs that cause physical addiction within the body, but its the people who are predisposed to addiction who end up being the ones who have the worst time beating it.

Many times they will simply transfer the behavior to some activity which is percieved as otherwise healthy, or at least, not self destructive. The people who do this are usually the ones who find it fairly easy to 'kick' the physical addiction to a drug (like Bush says he did with alcohol) because the real problem is not external, but internal.

I have no problem believing this idiot could be obsessive about a lot of different things. Bicycling, religiosity, world domination, etc...

-chef-

[No Exit]

18. Marilyn Monroe's mother used to ride around on a cycle a lot...

in the streets of the Florida town where she lived. Her cycle was one of those 3-wheeled jobs, and it had a big flag (generic, not American) on a big pole at the back of it.

Marilyn Monroe's mother was a paranoid schizophrenic.

Let's get Junior one of those 3-wheeled cycles, with the big baskets on it.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

43. And it can have a little flag and one of those bells you ring

by pulling a little trigger. And it should have playing cards and crepe paper in the spokes. He can wear a metallic red helmet with his name on it.

[No Exit]

46. LOL!! Yeah, the tag would say "George", but bad children would

tear it off and replace it with one that said "Hello, My Name Is Stupid... Throw rocks at me."

[No Exit]

19. I think he should ride a scooter. n/t

[onethatcares]

37. I think he should get laid,

not to the point of addiction, but better than crawling up a chicken's ass.

[No Exit]

45. Yes--just like Billy Bibbit in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", it might

actually make him talk better!

[tinfoilinfor2005]

20. The stress of his job??

Who can I deprive? A hungry poor young family or a destitute old person? Decisions, decisions...very stressful.

[GoSolar]

21. Bush is an idiot.

[Lisa]

22. that's how he wrecked his knees running

He would rush out and pound the pavement, without even bothering to warm up prior to his run. At first I wondered whether he was ultra-competitive (as in, assigning himself the number "1" at his so-called "fun run" and then hassling everyone who was faster than him).

But then, someone who has ADHD told me that he would self-medicate with violent exercise. It was hard to tell whether Dubya was more unfocused and distracted during the time when he was forbidden to exercise, since his speech is always rather confusing -- but he did gain weight. Not surprised to hear that he's switched over to cycling now -- he's probably desperate for that post-exercise high.

[Rose Siding]

23. Guess that's preferable to that one weight loss method he tried

I remember reading that on the eve of the Iraq invasion, he swore off of desserts. X-treme diet :o

[MisterP]

24. I keep thinking about Georgie's biking accident:

he said something like "watch this," went down too steep a slope, and flipped over.
One of these days he's just going to drive off a cliff.

[MisterP]

25. ah, here we go

"'I'm gonna show you a hill that would choke a mule,' he says.
"He hits the brakes and is steadily advancing downhill when his front tire loses its grip amid the loose rocks. His foot gets stuck in a strap that keeps it on the pedal.
"In the blink of an eye, his rear wheel is in the air, and Bush is flying high over the handlebars, landing on his back with the bike on top of him.
"He lies motionless for a few moments. The reporter hoists the bike off him just as his medics arrive to attend to him."
--AP, Jul. 27, 2004

[SoCalDem]

28. Bike ...1 Bush...0

[smirkymonkey]

42. We can only hope....

lets just pray he doesn't take the rest of us with him.

What a dork!

[mitchum]

26. More bullshit from his fluffers

[napi21]

27. Gee, with all that excitement, he'll kill himself if he falls off again!

You do remember how many times he fell off his bike in the past!

[Undercover Owl]

40. don't get our hopes up!

something to be disappointed about when it doesn't happen.

[Sugar Smack]

29. "Prayer and exercise are what keeps me going,"

he told a Great Falls, Mont., man who asked what brand of bicycle he rides.

Why ask him anything? What part of "What brand of bicycle do you ride?" did you not understand? Montana man and everyone else who expects a direct and comprehensive answer from Asshat: get real. You know who you're talking to, so expect a lot of grandstsnding and saccharine-saturated bullshit. Frankly, I'd love to have been in that guy's shoes for a second. I'd ask another question. But I'd stand back so I wouldn't get hit with chimp sweat or whatever else he wanted to throw at me. :o

[Lisa]

34. here's the full quote ...

He did answer the guy (Bush's bike is a Trek), but rambled off on a weird tangent.


http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/02/20050203-13.html


Q And what kind of mountain bike do you ride? (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: I'm not supposed to endorse products, but it's called a Trek. (Laughter.) Are you a mountain bike, guy?

Q Yes, I am.

THE PRESIDENT: Oh, listen, let me -- I'll get to the -- I'll try to remember what -- the real question you asked. (Laughter.) First of all, I hope people exercise on a regular basis. It's -- I can't tell you how important it is for you. Unfortunately, I exercised too hard for a while and can't run anymore. But I did discover mountain biking. It's got to be fabulous mountain bike country, right?

Q It is.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Unlike, you however, I'm a safe mountain biker. I'm looking at -- you look like a risk-taker, you know? (Laughter.) Like ride those little tiny trails -- that's not me. (Laughter.)

Now, I really -- the best health care plan -- one of the aspects of the best health care -- any good health care plan is to encourage right choices. What you put into your body matters, and how you treat your body matters. And so I -- thank you for bringing up -- giving me a chance to segue into exercise. As a matter of fact, prayer and exercise are what keeps me going as -- (laughter) -- as the President. (Applause.) And family and friends -- family and friends, especially Laura. (Applause.)

[Sugar Smack]

36. Thank you, Lisa...

As usual, it's worse than I thought!;)

[newyawker99]

39. Hi Sugar Smack!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Rose Siding]

30. A caption for this after playtime shot?

[globalvillage]

31. Is that a book he's holding?

Caption "Fetch"
or
"Can you help with the big words?"

[progressivebydesign]

32. Classic addictive personality. Alchol. Born-Again, Exercise. n/t

[tanyev]

35. Ooooohh.

They forgot to mention how he doesn't whistle show tunes.

Trent Duffy, a White House spokesman, immediately offered excuses for his boss. "It's been raining a lot, and the topsoil is loose," he said. In addition, Duffy reasoned, "He likes to go all out. Suffice it to say he wasn't whistling show tunes."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48380-2004May22.html

'Cause he's so manly. Get it? Rugged, vigorous, really, really, manly. Uber-manly. Get it? NOT a girlie-man!

[n2mark]

38. If the Shrub has bad knees

and cannot run, how can he ride a mountain bike. I have bad knees, can't run, can't use the stairmaster and can't ride a bike. The only thing I can use involving my lower body is the treadmill with limitations.

[smirkymonkey]

41. Ummm.....The only reason his face "lights up" is because of

the shiners he gets from his numerous wipe-outs.

That, and a fifth of Jack between rides.