Bush Goes AWOL

[bkkandrew]

...Some would say a good thing?

Bush Absent on Financial Crisis as Paulson Leads U.S. Response

By Catherine Dodge and John Brinsley

Sept. 18 (Bloomberg) -- This week, President George W. Bush held a state dinner for Ghana's president, surveyed Texas hurricane damage, posed with Youth of the Year award finalists, and met with Army General David Petraeus.

During that time, Bush has publicly uttered 160 words about the worst Wall Street crisis since the Great Depression, saying the government is working to ``reduce disruptions'' in U.S. financial markets.

As Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke confronted the collapse of Lehman Brothers Inc., the sale of Merrill Lynch & Co., the biggest stock market drop in seven years, and a government takeover of American International Group Inc., the president has been conspicuous by his absence.

``It's George W. Who?'' said Fred Greenstein, a presidential historian at Princeton University in New Jersey.

``The country is facing an economic 9/11,'' said Leon Panetta, former chief of staff for President Bill Clinton. ``To deal with that kind of situation, the president has to take charge and tell the country not only what is going on, but what he is going to do about it. You can't just leave it to the secretary of the Treasury.''

More here:

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide

Goerge W. Who? If only we had said that 8-years ago...

[good2bhappy]

Bush has publicly uttered 160 words about the worst Wall Street crisis since the Great Depression,

160 words too many!

[good2bhappy]

``To deal with that kind of situation, the president has to take charge and tell the country not only what is going on, but what he is going to do about it. You can't just leave it to the secretary of the Treasury.''

Better still he can leave it to the next President.

[Sir Burr]

Anything bad happens and Dubya is like a deer caught in the headlights.

Response to 9/11 - Carry on reading childrens book.

Response to Katrina - None until he was poked with a cattle-prod.

Response to Financial Melt-Down - None.

[barbaro]

Bush has publicly uttered 160 words about the worst Wall Street crisis since the Great Depression,

160 words too many!

Because the election is 6 weeks away, GWB may want to avoid to much exposure in speeches and press conferences on this. Hurt the GOP? Maybe. The polls are tight.

Perhaps that's why Paulson is the man.

[Texpat]

He's not an economist. He's not an astronaut either or a shoe salesman.

Frankly I'm glad he's saying nothing.

[pai nai ma]

^ Yes we all are, but he did learn to be quiet rather late in his career.

[Sir Burr]

He's not an economist. He's not an astronaut either or a shoe salesman.

Frankly I'm glad he's saying nothing.

Shouldn't he at least consult with economists and financial specialists, then issue a statement?
It's called leadership.

[Butterfly]

He's not an economist. He's not an astronaut either or a shoe salesman.

Frankly I'm glad he's saying nothing.

he is not much of anything actually, so yeah he should just shut the fuck up and die somewhere,

[Texpat]

Roll out the bandwagon boys!
All aboard!

You'll bash him no matter what he says, so why bother? Bit like King Sarkozy's foray into Georgia, eh? What a knob.

What's Gordy Brown had to say about the collapse of his economy?

Ummmm, that's different, eh?

[jandajoy]

I bet his Daddy's proud of him.

[Butterfly]

You'll bash him no matter what he says,

he is a fool and a cretin who takes himself way too seriously, of course we will bash him no matter what he says. He can't construct an entire phrase without tripping on a syllable or make an idiotic sound,

it's like watching a retard on a stage, you can only make fun of him

[Begbie]

He's basically an empty suit. Can't expect too much of him. Most of his handlers have up and left over the last 12 months.

[jandajoy]

What a way to leave to stage.

[barbaro]

He's not an economist. He's not an astronaut either or a shoe salesman.

Frankly I'm glad he's saying nothing.

Good point.

He's kind of like a cheerleader, as all Presidents will give the nation "pep talks" like a coach in a time of turmoil, which happens occasionally.

However....I just read that bush he's giving a speech to address the recent financial issue.

A politician is a politician. I won't be listeningl

[Begbie]

^Bush was a cheerleader in college, not that there's anything wrong with that. Give him something to wave and watch him dance.

[mad_dog]

Nationalising a huge diverse insurance company is a bizarre move. But letting AIG would have unleashed hell. It was a company of titanic proportions. Last night they said that Morgan Stanley and even Goldmen Sachs were considering goign to the fed with begging bowls.

Interesting times indeed. The US government has shelled out 200 billion to buy floundering financial insitiutions and massively tightening market constricting regualtions are being written by ..... The GOP...... May you live in interesting times

[Begbie]

Bush just made a two minute speech on the crisis. Badly read with improper punctuation. Minor doofus, I'd think nobody is listening.

[bkkandrew]

Nationalising a huge diverse insurance company is a bizarre move. But letting AIG would have unleashed hell. It was a company of titanic proportions. Last night they said that Morgan Stanley and even Goldmen Sachs were considering goign to the fed with begging bowls.

Interesting times indeed. The US government has shelled out 200 billion to buy floundering financial insitiutions and massively tightening market constricting regualtions are being written by ..... The GOP...... May you live in interesting times

If you think that is bizarre, wait for the Ford & GM bailouts next week. The US Government will be a one-stop-shop for everything soon!

[Norton]

If you think that is bizarre, wait for the Ford & GM bailouts next week.

Hasn't 25B in government loans already been given to them?

[bkkandrew]

^Oh no, I am talking about a real bailout.

[Norton]

Oh no, I am talking about a real bailout.

Apparently they had asked for 85B in loans but "only" got 25B.

You must be referring to "bailout" in the AIG sense. Nationalization?

[bkkandrew]

^They have so many fancy names for it now, who knows what they will call it. But it will mean nationialisation in reality.

It will be utopia - you go and buy your Government car, insure it with your Government insurance policy and finance it with your Government loan, which you pay back from your Govenment owned bank, using money from a Government rebate cheque!

[Norton]

It will be utopia - you go and buy your Government car, insure it with your Government insurance policy and finance it with your Government loan, which you pay back from your Govenment owned bank, using money from a Government rebate cheque!

Keep it up. BF is gonna green ya for this post.

[bkkandrew]

I wouldn't think so, I get a red per day from that pr1ck...