AN APOLOGY FROM A BUSH VOTER: I was wrong to have voted for George W. Bush

[ProSense]

Doug's apology

AN APOLOGY FROM A BUSH VOTER

By Doug McIntyre

Host, McIntyre in the Morning

Talk Radio 790 KABC

There’s nothing harder in public life than admitting you’re wrong. By the way, admitting you’re wrong can be even tougher in private life. If you don’t believe me, just ask Bill Clinton or Charlie Sheen. But when you go out on the limb in public, it’s out there where everyone can see it, or in my case, hear it.

So, I’m saying today, I was wrong to have voted for George W. Bush. In historic terms, I believe George W. Bush is the worst two-term President in the history of the country. Worse than Grant. I also believe a case can be made that he’s the worst President, period.

Snip...

After five years of carefully watching George W. Bush I’ve reached the conclusion he’s either grossly incompetent, or a hand puppet for a gaggle of detached theorists with their own private view of how the world works. Or both.

Presidential failures. James Buchanan, Franklin Pierce, Jimmy Carter, Warren Harding-— the competition is fierce for the worst of the worst. Still, the damage this President has done is enormous. It will take decades to undo, and that’s assuming we do everything right from now on. His mistakes have global implications, while the other failed Presidents mostly authored domestic embarrassments.

Snip..

So, accept my apology for allowing partisanship to blind me to an obvious truth; our President is incapable of the tasks he is charged with. I almost feel sorry for him. He is clearly in over his head. Yet, he doesn’t generate the sympathy Warren Harding earned. Harding, a spectacular mediocrity, had the self-knowledge to tell any and all he shouldn’t be President. George W. Bush continues to act the part, but at this point whose buying the act?

Does this make me a waffler? A flip-flopper? Maybe, although I prefer to call it realism. And, for those of you who never supported Bush, its also fair to accuse me of kicking Bush while he’s down. After all, you were kicking him while he was up.

You were right, I was wrong.

http://www.kabc.com/mcintyre/listingsEntry.asp?ID=432586&PT=McIntyre+in+the+Morning

[yourout]

1. Better late than never....but

It better be the last time he ever votes for a Puke.

[Dem_4_Life]

47. I agree and that better be the last time. nt

[lonestarnot]

2. same response over here as over there.

You should hang your head in shame. You aided in destroying our democracy freak!

[Bobbieo]

3. Apology accepted, Doug

Thank you for your candor!!!

[lonestarnot]

5. I'm not Doug and his appology means nothing.

[Bobbieo]

6. You're right! You're not Doug

I sometitmes wonder If I belong to the same political party as some of these smartass posters.

[lonestarnot]

13. teehehehehehe You referencing me? LOL

:evilgrin: Maybe you don't?

[SlavesandBulldozers]

40. lol

he-yo!

[ProSense]

8. When are the sheeple going to wake up?

One just did. A few more and maybe the chorus to impeach the WH moron will grow louder!

It does mean something: Bush is a failure.

[lonestarnot]

14. Yeah when are they going to wake up that the election was stolen

and that has nothing to do with dumbass doug. Facts are facts, some people just like to bend them for their own self respect.

[ProSense]

17. When Bush voters wake up to that,

maybe they can wake up some of the Democrats! Sheesh!

There is such a thing a reality and it does play a role in expectations!

[lonestarnot]

19. You make about as much sense as Doug the appologetic

moron or is that "moran." Ruin the fucking country and then make lame attempts to smooth it over with a fucking appology. hmmmmf. That's some prosense there prosense.

[ProSense]

21. You asked when a Bush voter is going to wake up to the stolen election

and profess sense? The idiot doesn't matter, yet you're making him out as someone trying to smooth things over (even if that was his intention). With who?

I don't gives a shit about his apology. It does however say that Bush can't even fool the idiots anymore, and they too are turning on him.

Apology, sheesh!

[lonestarnot]

24. Trying to smooth over his idiotic choice to vote for bushitler,

so I assume he's appologizing to whomever reads his nonsense. I don't think it actually says anything more than he is a dumbass. And he's still in power, so the only turning they could do that would make any difference whatsoever would be to turn him over in the tar bucket.

[ProSense]

25. Smooth over to who? His listeners? n/t

[lonestarnot]

26. I just told you, apparently you are having a hard time focusing.

[ProSense]

27. Speaking of focus:

Yeah when are they going to wake up that the election was stolen

Wait for it!

[lonestarnot]

29. I don't plan on holding my breath for this moment.

[MissWaverly]

44. I happen to agree with you

I am glad Doug is waking up, that mean's there is less of a tendency to listen to Rove's drivel
right now. I must admit I am nervous, I think the new plan is to expand the Iraq War into a
multi-state war in the Middle East so that others will be drawn into the conflict, so U.S.
won't lose, Brits do not support the Israeli effort in Lebanon. What we need are the Dougs
of this country not to be marching in lockstep, this is not another photo-op for an action
hero. We need diplomacy and we need it now. Who has more influence with the Repugs in power
than the Dougs of this country. They will not listen to us, you see in the polls how they
only react when the Republican numbers drop.

[Erika]

4. Apologies are only a start, much more is needed from them

like their self-accountability for helping W to ruin this country and its self-esteem and its standing in the world.

[C_U_L8R]

7. We don't need apologies

We need impeachments and convictions.

Deeds.. asshole.. deeds

[Bobbieo]

9. I've always maintained the people who voted the SOB in office

are going to be the ones who finally destroy him We sure as hell aren't doing it, so every defector just joined our side.

[Gato Moteado]

11. I've always maintained the people who voted the SOB in office

are human garbage.

and they had a little help from dieboldt and scotus.

[Gato Moteado]

10. why was jimmy carter a failure?

he was a one term president who only lost because of behind the scenes shenanigans by the reagan puppetmasters. but he certainly wasnt a failure.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

16. Agreed.

He's a very good man who's done great things.

[stevietheman]

20. Carter was/is a good man with great intentions, but...

he didn't get along with Congress, was too apolitical, was overly micromanaging and his overall performance was rather mediocre, at best.

And I say this as somebody who very much admires Carter for everything that he is and has done in his entire life.

[Greyhound]

35. Jimmy Carter performed the one inexcusable act for an

amerikan President to commit, he tried to tell us the truth. He said things like;

the American lifestyle is too wasteful and cannot be sustained indefinitely, so lets start making these changes now to mitigate the pain as much as possible.

We are much too dependent on uncertain foreign suppliers of oil, we must use less so that we can meet our own needs if/when it becomes necessary.

Both the Arabs and Israelis will have to make concessions if we are to stop the slaughter in the ME.

Spending 1/4 (at that time) of the entire budget arming for a war that will never be fought because the inevitable consequences are unthinkable, is wrong and stupid.

Alas, he is victim to the popular culture and will not be redeemed until well after his, and probably my, death.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

41. amen

he also gets blamed for the failure of a military mission that failed because of an accident. and probably would have been disastrous had it "succeeded" in really getting started.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

12. Whoop-ti-doo.

You were wrong. Now go away.

[lonestarnot]

15. LOL.

[Eric J in MN]

18. He still isn't telling people to vote for Democrats in 2006..

...and so he still isn't helping the situation.

I agree with whoop-ti-do.

People who only criticize Republicans who will never run for office again don't have my respect.

[Doctor_J]

22. And he'll vote for whatever loser the GOP nominates in 08,

against whatever spectacular candidate we have up.

What a tool.

[Gato Moteado]

23. yeah, i read the article....doug is a moron.....

....he insults clinton and gore and jimmy carter with nothing to back it up. doug is a braindead repuke but because he's not a religious fundy or a freeptard even he can see what a failure bushco has been and he's embarrassed. but he's still human garbage.

[Guaranteed]

34. Good assessment. nt

[Guaranteed]

33. He's just spouting the new neocon 2006 midterm position.

"We're horrible, but the other guy is, too- because we say so."

[struggle4progress]

48. Bingo.

[Kokonoe]

28. A McCain guy

Who thought of President Gore was… unthinkable. Hmmmmmmm Sounds like a reference to 08'. And WTF no mention of the (sweep under the rug) issues like spying on citizens.

[gratuitous]

30. Confession is the first part

Now, what are you going to do to atone for your mistake, Mr. McIntyre? How will you ameliorate the damage you have done? What is your plan for the future to avoid making this mistake again?

[Guaranteed]

31. This guy...

I went ahead and read the whole article. Some of what he said sounded familiar to me- at the beginning.

But, oh, boy. Read it down to the end. FUCK you, buddy. Apology not accepted. You've still got a lot of mental work to do, you goddamned moron.

[Guaranteed]

32. My response to him:

So, I read your "apology" to America.

The beginning was good. Much of it sounded familiar, even. People pulling together after 9/11, the need to invade Afghanistan, the list of idiocies of this Administration. I was finding common ground with you, and that was nice. It was a solid apology to begin with, although the warning signs regarding the incompetence and bad ideas of the neocons were understated, as they usually are in these types of apologies (countless we have seen now), for the benefit of the author's conscience.

No, really, don't be too hard on yourself. While you were "wincing" over Bush invading Iraq, my sense of my whole country was crumbling around me. I suddenly realized that we weren't the good guys anymore. But, I understand that it's easy to get caught up in partisanship. And I thought, for a moment, that you had seen your error and, rejecting it, were assuring us that you would never do it again.

Then, of course, I got to the end, and I realized that this was nothing new. This was not a new leaf you were turning over. There had been no real self-reflection, here. In fact, it was, as F. Scott Fitzgerald put it, "plagiaristic and marred with obvious suppressions." You so believably lamented the imminent collapse of our political system, due to the "spin, anger, revenge, and pots and pots and pots of money." But this only after getting in your one last lie: "The Democrats are equally bankrupt," which is not only a moral equivalence (the last bastion of the shirker) but simply not true. This is only the new-and-improved neocon 2006-midterm position: "We may be the worst ever, but the other guy's just as bad."

Many of the Democrats were at their worst in the run up to this war. They- the ones who were more on your side of things, the ones who refused to see that the Administration had made a decision to invade Iraq and was only trying to justify it after the fact, instead of the other way around- WERE bankrupt. They were absolutely cowardly. And, you're right, they're not taking responsibility for Iraq, as much as the "crackpots," as you put it (also known as "the people who were right, whom I'm apologizing to"), in the Democratic Party have tried to coax it out of them. Some have come clean and sworn off their actions enabling this Administration, but only very few. You're right, though. The Democrats have a lot of work to do within their party. There's a whole lot of fat to trim. Fortunately, the "crackpots," the smartest/most courageous people in America (take your pick from either adjective), the people who have opposed the last five years of, frankly, RIDICULOUS policy from this Administration, have gotten started on it. Yes, sir. We have vision.

But to say that any of the Democrats, be they DLC or not, are as "bankrupt" as the neocons is one of those obvious suppressions old Nick Carraway was referring to. It's laughable. So is the implication that President Al Gore- apparently, another "crackpot" who knew invading Iraq was a bad idea and had the courage to say so- wouldn't have defended our country from terrorists. That's actually as offensive as it is ignorant. And what is this "second crime of our age" garbage you threw in there? PLEASE don't tell me it's another reference to Clinton. Are you kidding me? You did read your own list of problems we have today, right? 8 years of peace and prosperity under Clinton. That one must have been for the Kool-Aid drinkers- those who are lying to themselves. A little self-charity.

You clearly still have work to do on yourself, sir. In fact, as a member of the corporate media, you're still the problem. Until you come totally clean and stop trying to drag those who had the courage and sense to do the right thing down with your ship, your apology can't be accepted. Do it right, and let's fix things.

My Best,

[Gato Moteado]

37. great response!

i responded to him with a similar email though yours was lightyears better than mine.

[ProSense]

36. This guy didn't vote in 2004!

From the article:

I’ve talked so often about the border issue, I won’t bore you with a rehash. It’s enough to say this President has been a catastrophe for the wages of working people; he’s debased the work ethic itself. “Jobs Americans won’t do!” He doesn’t believe in the sovereign borders of the country he’s sworn to protect and defend. And his devotion to cheap labor for his corporate benefactors, along with his worship of multinational trade deals, makes an utter mockery of homeland security in a post 9-11 world. The President’s January 7th, 2004 speech on immigration, his first trial balloon on his guest worker scheme, was a deal breaker for me. I couldn’t and didn’t vote for him in 2004. And I’m glad I didn’t.

Great point by Will Pitt:

There is an interesting mishmash of nationalism, blindness, bad information and more than a little dogging of the Democrats in this, but by and large, I think this kind of article from a Bush voter - if widely disseminated - may be seminal, especially in the '06 midterms.

Also, whatever his bad data may be, the author definitely means it.

It is too much to ask for people who think this way to vote Democratic. If we think tactically (and we have to), we simply want them to stay home in November. Midterms are won by the margins; recent history has midterm voter turnout at about 35%, which makes midterm elections a fight between the bases of the opposing parties.

Get stuff like this out, and we might be able to convince enough of their 17.5% to not bother in November. It's worth considering, anyway.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1706797&mesg_id=1708232

[Joanne98]

38. I will NEVER forgive any of them.....Fuck you Doug.

[leesa]

39. Whatever. He is STILL blind to Al Gore who is NOW a true leader

though, so has he learned anything? I doubt it. He'll probably support McCain if he's the R contender. Has he opened his eyes or is he still blinded by patisanship? Does he know who Kucinich or Dean or Edwards or Feingold or the others who are proposing answers are? No.

[BlueJac]

42. Carter was not a bad President........

Reagan and Bush did him in...........they were losers too!

[ProSense]

43. Links to other blog posts:

We Were Right

Rightwing Radio Host Posts Stunning Apology for Supporting Bush!

[intheflow]

45. This is as contrite as I've ever seen a repuke.

:kick: for the flip-flopping realist. (Although he's wrong wrong wrong about Democrats all the way in the apology.)

[joeprogressive]

46. FU Doug, what a backhanded apology

Democrats are equally bankrupt, are you f****** kidding me. Beware, this is the new strategy for Republicans. Now that it is irrefutable what a disaster Bush has been they will try to say he is somehow just a bad apple. Bush embodies all the Republican ideals and the reason he has failed to a greater degree than past Republican administrations is because he is dumber and he had a Republican congress.

[Singular73]

49. We should organize a Bush-voting Reconcilliation act

Like they did in South Africa.

Noone will be judged, or held accountable, as long as they admit voting for Bush, and they admit they were wrong. It could be a spiritual cleansing for those poor folks :)

[Guaranteed]

52. Ehhh...I hear ya, but isn't that a little

Inquisition-like? A little McCarthy-istic? :P

[Downtown Hound]

50. Apologize to the Iraqis Doug

They're the ones that you owe it to the most.

[Guaranteed]

51. Word. nt