Baker III to Bush 43: EVERYONE HATES YOU!

[Me.]

Crazy Web Claims Pretty Much Confirmed By Newsweek

“Oh shit, it's Mini Me! - WonketteWe found this insane story last week about James Baker III shouting down Cheney and Bush 43 (in a fetal position) in some Godfather-style Oval Office takeover meeting right before the election. It was allegedly told by Newsweek’s Richard Wolffe to Chris Matthews during Election Night coverage, live on MSNBC at 4:30 a.m. — of course there are no transcripts, no YouTube evidence, etc.

But now that Newsweek has pretty much confirmed the whole story, we might as well repeat it here, after the jump.
Here’s the original claim, which appeared on the world’s greatest lunatic website (Godlike Productions) on Thursday:
Wolffe relates that he and a few select Senior media were there when Junior bush received this 1’ thick report/recommendations.

1) Baker informed Junior bush First of all - “EVERYBODY HATES YOU.” This amazed & humbled Junior bush. Baker was NOT alone with Junior bush was confronted with the above issues. Baker - “The people HATE YOU.” Junior bush turned white, the blood leaving his face, turning White - visible drawing up as in FETAL with his hands clasped in his lap.” Cont…

http://www.wonkette.com/politics/newsweek/crazy-web-claims-pretty-much-confirmed-by-newsweek-214749.php

[texpatriot2004]

1. Maybe the only true thing Baker ever said nm

[Bonobo]

2. Oh man... that's like pornography...

delicious, delicious,political pornography!

[Me.]

4. Delicious In So Many Ways

What I wouldn't give to see Cheney told to shut up!

[shadowknows69]

8. Our country has become a Machiavellian nightmare though.

Former Kings deposing their own princes. Can I wake up now?

[Bucky]

60. Keep those hands on top of your keyboard for a while there, Bonobo. I think the fan is due...

....a little more shit before the puppy who became president is done getting house trained.

[jazzjunkysue]

69. Give me more.

yum.....

[acmavm]

3. Hmmmmmmm...

This would explain a humbler and less visible (if that's possible) Cheney.

[txindy]

29. Less visible, yes. Humbler, I rather doubt. Off plotting somewhere, I'll bet.

Nothing could humble Darth. That would take self-awareness and at least a bit of empathy. Not a chance!

:patriot:

[Bunny]

5. I know there is something wrong with me, because I am secretly

a little glad that Baker and 41 are back in charge. And that feeling of gladness is just plain wrong, isn't it?

[ComerPerro]

7. They always were in charge, don't be fooled

only reason they are acting pissed now is because they are trying to reign in Bush's bad public image and smooth over the PR.

Plus, they probably aren't making nearly as much money as they could be if Bush were more competent.

[glitch]

16. Very true - still it's a bit of a relief that they are going the PR route and not

something much worse to save their foul stank hides.
So far, and assuming the propaganda works.

[ComerPerro]

19. I always assume the worst with this gang, and I'm usually right, lol

[glitch]

51. I am sometimes astounded that my "worst" hasn't even sunk close to theirs! nt

[kerry-is-my-prez]

48. Cheney was in charge. If these guys were in charge - Rumsfeld would've been gone.

So would Rove.

[WinkyDink]

77. Exactly. Visibility is designed to elicit PRECISELY that attitiude of

"Thank goodness!"

Instead of, "Thank goodness the DEMOCRATS are in charge."

[Horse with no Name]

10. They are the textbook definition of

lesser of two evils.
That doesn't make me feel better, but I don't think they can do any more damage than has already been done.

[txindy]

31. Unless they go off on Iran in the next couple of months.

I wouldn't put it past them. They want that oil pipeline throughout the ME.

[Bunny]

33. In this situation, it may in fact be a good example of "better the devil you know".

:scared:

[JuniperLea]

15. I've been wishing 41 was president instead of DimSon for quite a while

Proving once more and again, anything is better that W. At least 41 is intelligent. I got what I wished for, never thinking it could come true.


:shrug:

[smoogatz]

45. 41 was never intelligent, exactly--but he was clever enough

to surround himself with pragmatists. W has surrounded himself with ideologues, with disastrous effects. These days, 41 looks a bit vampiric and demented--you wonder of his socks match when you see him on TV.

[Mme. Defarge]

59. Both B's are malevolent

One is incompetent, the other is competent. Choose your poison.

[Me.]

61. Hobson's Choice

Any anodyne?

[DuaneBidoux]

78. At the risk of being flamed I agree, I'm glad to have these guys back

On foreign policy Bush Senior was not all that bad--in fact that is probably the only thing he WAS good at. Remember that incredible coalition he built of hundreds of nations to throw Iraq out of Kuwait under the aegis of the United Nations? And then he had the good sense to stop exactly where the UN said we should stop.

Seriously, these guys are actually human beings who believe in an International system of laws and treaties. I think if we can get out of this mess (i.e., if it is actually possible to extricate ourselves from this without a serious catastrophe, it will be these guys that can do it).

Don't get me wrong, I'd take Clinton's foreign policy team in a heartbeat, but under these circumstances beggers can't be choosers.

[DenaliDemocrat]

82. I may not have agreed with 41's philosphy

but I at least saw him as an intelligent, capable, man who could be reasoned with and negotiated with. I am convinced that 43 is just simply batshit crazy and stupid to boot.

[Orsino]

99. *Co make every other Admin look good. n/t

[Captain Hilts]

6. WHY would they have anyone from the press witness this?????

I have a hard time with this story.

It makes no sense.

[jobycom]

11. It's hard to follow in this jumbled format, but maybe

this is meladramatization of something that happened. Though I agree with you, the fact that they claim a few members of the press were there makes it hard to swallow. Especially since none of these key members of the press have reported it. It sounds too much like the spurious claim that Bush called the Constitution a "god damned piece of paper."

I can imagine some meeting where Baker is laying out the election probabilities and offering advice. I can imagine him saying "The polls show that everyone hates you," and Bush squirming a bit at that. I can imagine Cheney being asked to be silent for a bit. But the whole scenario of James Baker standing up and siezing power from both the president and the VP in front of the media is hard to swallow.

Maybe a better written story would clarify some of the vagueries.

Or who knows, maybe it did happen this way. Maybe the meeting was for other purposes and Baker just snapped, and they let him go on because no one was sure how to stop him. Stranger things have happened. Some of the true stories about Nixon are much stranger than fiction.

[riderinthestorm]

28. Baker is just that kind of twisted shit. I absolutely see him standing up there like a dictator

Baker is a kingmaker. He is a behind the scenes advisor of the worst, most evil sort.

But I agree that the Wonkette piece is really hard to decipher. I've never found her writing style to be easy. Glad to see I'm not the only one who struggles through her "jumble".
:hi:

[jobycom]

37. Kingmakers don't rant in front of the media

Not knowing Baker, all I know are rumors, so it's hard to comment on his actual style. But being the type of person who acts like a dictator and getting away with it in front of the media while shouting down the sitting president and vice president (both of whom could just order him to leave the room) seems problematic to me. Maybe it's just the juvenile form of writing that makes it seem that way, I don't know.

[riderinthestorm]

39. Oh absolutely agreed, it's close to impossible to imagine Baker doing this in front of media??!!

No way.

I have no problem though imagining Baker telling Shrub and Cheney though to shut the fuck up. And this isn't a good thing if he is in fact wielding this much power again. This isn't a good thing at all.

Did you see Syriana? Remember the guy who was on the Saudi prince's boat, and very chillingly verbally cuts the prince's balls off in front of his sycophants? That was Baker imho, from every account I've ever heard of him - he is coldly evil.

[jobycom]

41. Yeah, I can see that. But I don't think we'd hear it.There's the possibility

that this is a leaked story by BushCo. They are brilliant at using the blogs, and maybe this is their way to start changing Bush's image, or at least the administration's. He's seen now as out of touch and petulant, so they have to shake that image to improve him. By convincing Americans that they know this secret about him, they can convince Americans that Bush just had a major dose of reality. Afterwards, they can start the New George Bush image--more practical, more willing to listen to his advisors. It's a chance to revive their programs and give themselves a better chance by 2008. "Sure, he made a lot of mistakes, but when Poppy and Baker got ahold of him, he sure did become a better president, didn't he?"

I think that's what they are trying, whether this Baker meeting took place, or whether this story is a plant or a genuine leak. It will probably work to some degree, too. Hopefully not enough to win in 08, whomever they run.

[riderinthestorm]

43. Interesting theory, that this is a leaked fabricated story.

Or perhaps it happened, but was staged for the effect you describe.

Regardless, it's bad. Beyond that, salvaging Iraq and Bush 43's reputation (and more importantly the related $$$ schemes that lay behind all of 43's actions) will be close to impossible for even Baker I believe.

I really think that it's just too far gone into chaos. Even with Baker and Bush 41 pulling in ALL of their chips globally to try to salvage something, they don't have enough time (2 years or less), and 43 has squandered too much capital here and abroad.

[Me.]

53. It Could Also Be A Warning To Junior

Like "you're on thin ice boy". Maybe they're showing him who really holds the strings to power.

[AntiFascist]

62. Exactly, but I think a lot of it has to do with foreign policy...

there are always stories leaked about how Jr is at odds with Poppy or his people. If they make it appear that "the adults" are now in charge, people might accept it and business as usual will continue. Notice Baker's role in the Halliburton controversy, for instance.

[jobycom]

96. Yeah, that's what I was trying to get at. Thanks. nt

[drm604]

12. That's the problem I'm having with it.

Why would they have the press there for this kind of smackdown? :shrug:

[KoKo]

27. It's odd, alright. But, the Bushies have their "chosen" reporters who work

for them...so who knows.

[nodular]

97. Not necessarily witnessed by the press

One or more people who were there talked to the press. 
Without recorded audio or video, it ultimately comes down to
believing someone's story.  Of course, if two or more people
tell you the same story, that's fairly strong evidence.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

9. This is sounding more and more like a bloodless coup.

I'm serious.
Nobody elected any of these criminals (Baker, et al), and they're now running this country.
Again.
:wtf:

Granted, I didn't vote for *, either, but this seriously concerns me that someone can come in like this
and simply just take control of the presidency.
On the other hand, Baker and his gang of criminals seem to be willing to talk to Iran and NK, so...

I have no idea what to think. Oh no, I've gone crosseyed. :crazy:

[Phredicles]

13. "Nobody elected any of these criminals (Baker, et al),..."

If it's any consolation, no one (legitimately) elected the criminals they're replacing, either.

But yeah, I've got really mixed feelings about all this too.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

26. Not much consolation, no

But I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who's concerned with how easy this was for Baker to move in.

[Me.]

49. That's My Thought Too

Let's face it, they put junior in charge and he has been a disaster, so 41's men come charging to the rescue. Not an elected official amongst them. But here's a further problem for them. He's now set up an Iraq study group of his own to counter Baker's. He's going to put them through what he's been putting the country through. They aren't going to be able to save him or either * legacy.

As for the Cheney and Rumsfeld bit, I totally can believe it. They've all hated each other for decades.

[jazzjunkysue]

70. Exactly. We don't know anything about Baker or his ideology

because he's not been a public servant in a long time. He's not responsible to anyone. He's not really available to ask questions. He won't have a press secretary, the senate can't call him in and demand answers.

It's a ghost administration. This can't be constitutional.

[cassiepriam]

90. Yes, Bush is very weak, anyone could have taken power from him...

[Laura PourMeADrink]

14. Wow - what a story !! Thanks!

[Pithy Cherub]

17. Mr. Fix It for 41 & 43,

is trying to preserve some semblance of a legacy for junior. It's far too late - but in the meantime the story that is not being written is the fall of Neo-cons. AEI and the thinktanks ascribed to this have a seriously deserved negative brand. Wolfowitz is at the World Bank and needs to be gone. The neocons embedded inside the Pentagon have maybe 90 days left. John Bolton and Stephen Hadley are Cheney acolytes. The national Security Advisor will probably be called for the Libby trial. There is Cheney's staff that wrote the torure memos and the directives in the first place (Yoo, Addington)- that viper pit also needs to be debugged.

Itwould be very smart to limit Cheney's access to presidential briefing materials and revoke any implied priveleges of Cheney being able to declassify stuff.

:popcorn: An evil republican coup from crazy republicans... :popcorn:

[Bonobo]

18. Yeah, he's like "Mr. Wolf" from "Pulp Fiction"

[Pithy Cherub]

44. Part of Cheney's farm team... may they stay in the minors..

:crazy:

[Hardrada]

42. Isn't there someone named Addington who's also some secret

power with Cheney? Should he not be keelhauled also. Yes, the whole crew of them need to be keelhauled metaphorically by endless Congressional hearings and international tribunals.

[Pithy Cherub]

46. Yep, I mentioned him with Yoo.

They need to dismantle the devilish neocon cabal and then Cheney has to decide whether he's fit for duty. But Cheney has a major card to play and that is what did Bush know about Valerie and what he will do should he have too much of his Dark Power destroyed. Baker, the military industrial complex's evil spawn can only push Cheney so far. That is where the real battle lies. Who shall bend to the other's evil will?

:popcorn:

[Me.]

83. His Chief Of Staff

Replaced I Liar Libby

[JuniperLea]

20. Attention Jib Jab! Time for a new animation...

Pouty, spoiled George singing...


Nobody likes me,
Everybody hates me,
Guess I'll go eat worms,

Long, thin, slimy ones,
Short, fat, juicy ones,
Itsy, bitsy, fuzzy wuzzy worms.

Down goes the first one,
Down goes the second one,
Oh how they wiggle and squirm.

Up comes the first one,
Up comes the second one,
Oh how they wiggle and squirm.

[The Backlash Cometh]

21. Oh, sure, now that they've sucked Georgie dry, left him an empty husk,

a clam without a muscle, a declawed cat in the wildernesss, a wino in a dark alley sucking the vapors out of empty bottles behind the ABC Liquor stores, NOW they tell him to pay attention to polls.

And that's how they treat their friends.

[mentalsolstice]

57. He's not totally dry

He's got his friend Jim, the other JB...I'm sure he'll find solace with him.

[bunny planet]

22. No shit Sherlock. Detest, is more like it Big Jim.

I hate you more though, because you made it possible for this little sniveling blivet to occupy the Oval Office in the first place. You engineered the first coup, and now you're engineering the second one. What's wrong with this picture, NONE of these traitors have ever been lawfully elected but they are still running our country. January, oversight, investigations, the whole nine, cannot happen soon enough.

[justice1]

23. It either isn't true, or it was a publicity stunt to appease the base.

[Jack Rabbit]

24. Something symbolic?

There might have been something symbolic in that the man Cheney shot in the face is Baker's brother-in-law.

[KoKo]

25. Barf Alert! You'll lose your lunch if you read the linked Evan Thomas

Newsweak piece. :puke: Thomas must have bedded both 43 and 41 to write that piece of drivel.

[annabanana]

30. As amusing as this is. . . It is NOT good for America.

We all get great laughs and giggles imagining jr getting spanked like this, and cheney being so reprimanded..

Baker is more dangerous than the whole neo-crowd combined. He has more connections, more savvy. The man is smooth. He is one of the primary 'enablers' of the thieves who are stealing the treasury and killing our kids...

[goclark]

32. And we still hate BAKER for fixing the selection in 2000

at least I hate him and always will.

[displacedtexan]

34. THIS was the best part...

[H2O Man]

35. Funny.

And Bush has looked so confident and in control since last Tuesday .....

[Me.]

58. He's An Even Better Actor Than We Thought n/t

[jazzjunkysue]

71. He's been trying to look sober for so long, he's had alot of practice.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

36. That was soooo delicious!

n/t

[quiet.american]

40. Mmn-hmn. True or not -- fun read. n/t

[kerry-is-my-prez]

38. Cheney used to boss Dumbya around also.

n/t

[Garbo 2004]

47. Newsweek doesn't confirm the "whole" wild dramatic story.

One of the Newsweek articles in reference to the replacement of Rumsfeld with Gates:

"Baker's role in the affair remains shadowy. He was spotted with both Bush father and son, as well as Bob Gates, in early October at the launching of the new aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush. But the four men may have just been discussing the Texas A&M football team. Baker, like Bush, is not likely to have been plotting in public. "For a meeting like that," says the former Baker aide, "the maximum number of people involved is two."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15675316/site/newsweek/print/1/displaymode/1098/

The idea that Beker would slap down GW in the manner described with media present doesn't pass the smell test.

[Generic Brad]

85. Agreed

As much as I would find it highly amusing to be true, the facts are that we have nothing more than rumors and innuendo. This is no different, in my estimation, than the b.s. story about Abramoff being scooted off to jail before he could finger eight non-existent but unnamed Democrats. I'm not buying this tale either.

[roamer65]

50. Iran-Contra 2, The Sequel?

So what are we gonna promise Iran this time around? Nuclear technology? Sounds to me like these backroom dealings with Iran need to be investigated by another congressional committee. I don't trust Rethugs dealing with Iran.

[SpiralHawk]

52. Check with Jolly Ollie North, republicon bag man

He made sure the Iranians got our Hawk anti-aircraft missiles last time, weapons they may well use against our US sons and daughters in uniform some day.

I'm sure jolly ollie -- pretend patriot -- will have a recomendation for this time.

Why do republicons work to undermine our American men and women in uniform? What have they got against real patriots?

[roamer65]

67. hmmm...ollie...and you know Ortega's back...

...so could I be right on the sequel?

[buddysmellgood]

54. That's the last time jr. will be left alone with the keys. I bet he gets packed off to a boarding

school.

[jazzjunkysue]

72. Yup. It's called Camp David and Crawford. n/t.

[dogday]

55. Well shit, someone had to say it... nt

[ronnykmarshall]

56. To be a fly on the wall at that little meeting.

With a tiny little camcorder of course.

[Bucky]

63. Serious question: What kind of dirtbag of a father sends James Baker to spank his kids?

Are they really so distant that he can't even face his kid when the world is burning around them?

[Karenina]

64. Interesting that *dimson

could not hear that from ALL OF US DIRECTLY. A fat, bald, pasty-white, criminal colleague of his father finally got his attention...

[Arugula Latte]

65. Oh gawd. I just had a split second of pity for Dubya ...

What's happening to me? :scared:

... Thankfully, that passed ...

[focusfan]

66. has it took Dumbass(Bush)to realize this

you know you think he would be smart enough to figure this
out.oh sorry I forgot who we were talking about.:dunce: 

[robertpaulsen]

68. I've got no love for Baker, but boy did he make me snort my milk!

2)Baker - ” you KNOW your not a leader - Your a Cheerleader.” Those in the room gave a silent - YA you got that right - it’s about time he was told the TRUTH!!!

[johnfunk]

73. Now THAT's how an INTERVENTION is done!

Man, I wish I were a fly on that wall!

[jazzjunkysue]

74. Baker: "43’s core principles are ‘God and exercise,’"

Hysterical.

That goes with this one:

"43 learned diplomacy at the International House of Pancakes."

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

75. don't forget cheney shot baker's brother-in-law

i wonder if that subject was brought up at the meeting.

[Me.]

76. Completely Forgot That

Payback's a bitch

[Sydnie]

86. Damn, that's right

I had forgotten that too. :rofl: No love lost there to begin with and that is just icing on the cake for Baker.

[Perky]

79. anyone have the link to the newsweek article?

[bklyncowgirl]

80. God I can just see it. I don't care if it's true, it ought to be true.

But if Richard Wolfe really said it on MSNBC's election night coverage, surely someone on DU heard it.

[Major Hogwash]

81. I don't think this story is true.

At all.

Baker doesn't have that temperment.
It's not even plausible.

[RB TexLa]

84. Politics aside, Baker is very good at determining people's position

in respect to who they are negotiating with. It's what he has done his entire adult life, in domestic politics, foreign diplomacy and business.

[HughSeries]

87. The real boss has spoken.

[tinfoil tiaras]

88. The truth hurts, *.

Sorry. Well, im not that sorry :)

[Imagevision]

89. And Baker is representing the Saudi's against 9-11 families lawsuits

43 has been calling the shots - even telling jr. to get lost in asia until he sorts things out with his mess!!

[cassiepriam]

91. Elements of this contain the truth,,,, no doubt about that. nt

[Philosoraptor]

92. ah, to be hated my millions upon millions of people, suck on it dubya

[deacon]

93. Bush 43? Who's that? I thought he was Bush 41.5 n/t

[Me.]

94. ! n/t

[Philosoraptor]

95. --------------

[Me.]

98. One More Go Round

Just for the heck of it

[Me.]

100. Last Time Round

and chance to see final view count