Video: Bush says goodbye
posted at 1:00 pm on January 12, 2009 by Allahpundit
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Five and a half minutes of nice-nice with the press corps from this morning’s last hurrah. CQ has the transcript. I omitted the bit where he all but invites Obama to ask him for the second half of the TARP money — which The One duly did, shortly after this ended.
Not omitted: His concession that he “chucked” his free-market principles upon being warned of a looming depression. On that note, Kevin Hassett at Bloomberg looks ahead to the aftermath of the stimulus:
The Federal Reserve could print enough money to accommodate all of that debt, in which case the dollar will collapse and the U.S. will be looking at a South-America-style run on its debt.
Or the U.S. government could get its fiscal act in order with higher taxes. For that to happen, income taxes would approximately have to double.
While advocates of Keynesian-style stimulus are correct that this economy is terrible enough to warrant dramatic action, it is hard to understand how such a fiscal path might help. So what if second-quarter gross domestic product blips up a little bit? What business is going to expand its operations with the mother of all tax hikes peeking over the horizon? If government spending provided such a wonderful boost to the economy, we would be in Nirvana already.
Also not omitted are Bush’s thoughts on how the GOP can expand its appeal. Note his polite ambiguity as to whether “Republicans don’t like immigrants” is a fair statement or not.
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Au revoir Mr. Fiscal Conservative. You amazing Free-marketer you.
Apologetic California on January 12, 2009 at 1:03 PM
Don’t let the door hit you in the as@ on the way out. One idiot going one idiot coming.
unseen on January 12, 2009 at 1:04 PM
I voted for him twice and respect him, but his support of the Bailout-palooza is a colossal blunder that will be an anchor on our economy and our children’s lives for a long time. Because of that, I am glad to say farewell to President Bush.
james23 on January 12, 2009 at 1:04 PM
can we call big government compassionate conservatism an epic fail now?
lorien1973 on January 12, 2009 at 1:06 PM
Bush is a fiscal socialist – Michael Savage
Couldn’t agree more!
TheMightyQuinn on January 12, 2009 at 1:08 PM
3 years ago, I would’ve cried at the mention of his “goodbye” and while I will cry for certain on Jan 20 (my birthday) it won’t be because he’s gone, but for what is coming in.
beththebaker on January 12, 2009 at 1:08 PM
Thanks for keeping us safe since 9/11 Mr. President, but I can’t say I’m sorry to see you go. Good riddance.
FuriousAmerican on January 12, 2009 at 1:09 PM
Clearly, Bush went full retard. Never go full retard.
LimeyGeek on January 12, 2009 at 1:10 PM
Bush is gone.
Send in the clowns (channeling Judy Collins).
Bishop on January 12, 2009 at 1:10 PM
If the majority of US don’t like ILLEGAL immigration, what’s the problem being centrist with that?
the_nile on January 12, 2009 at 1:10 PM
In which President Bush plays nice-nice with the group of people that’ve done everything to destroy him and his party for the past 8 years, tried to get him to lose the war, and got a political rival elected to office.
amerpundit on January 12, 2009 at 1:11 PM
Voted for him twice. I appreciate his service. He is, without a doubt, the most unfairly maligned POTUS we’ve had in 50 years. But, alas, the man is spent and it is good that he heads into retirement.
That being said. Good grief do we have a clusterfark on our hands with the most unqualified, empty suit taking over. This country elected a friggin “brand” to be president. Yeah… that was a good idea.
Side note. The libtards at Yahoo News had a headline that “Obama advises Bush to tap the additional TARP funds.” He ADVISES???? Yeah, that’s the ticket. He freaking BEGGED Bush to do it so they can more easily dump all of the blame on him when it does nothing but worsens the problems we now face.
Funny. Bush was always good at recognizing and fighting the enemy abroad. And yet, the media and Dims (equally dangerous enemies) in his own country could always pull the wool over his eyes.
Sugar Land on January 12, 2009 at 1:12 PM
I’m going to miss President Bush.
Good man with a good heart. He’s made mistakes, but he’s been a solid leader and kept us safe.
Godspeed Mr. President.
nickj116 on January 12, 2009 at 1:13 PM
Bye Bush, the destroyer of the republican party because he never had any free-market principal.
BroncosRock on January 12, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Is the GOP so bereft of ideas that they capitulate to any smooth talker at the first whiff of a crisis? Don’t they have any underlying principles, except to get elected and reward their constituents? The stupidity of our political parties, and the blind stupid faith some people have in them, is frightening.
PattyJ on January 12, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Thank you Mr. Bush
DarkCurrent on January 12, 2009 at 1:16 PM
+1. My sentiments exactly.
-1.
wise_man on January 12, 2009 at 1:16 PM
I’m not necessarily sad to see him go, but it’s a little bittersweet. He needs to go. But he kept us safe and took the threat seriously.
I can only hope he put the fear of God into Obama during their meetings.
Esthier on January 12, 2009 at 1:16 PM
Clearly, Bush went full retard. Never go full retard.
LimeyGeek on January 12, 2009 at 1:10 PM
now that was funny.
unseen on January 12, 2009 at 1:16 PM
Most mixed feelings on a president, ever.
However, as a person, it will be quite a shame to see him leave that podium, and a nausea-inducing four years to watch that joker up there.
MadisonConservative on January 12, 2009 at 1:17 PM
I think the party was well on its way to destruction anyway. Six years as the ruling party and what did they do? They deserved the slaughter that was 2006.
Esthier on January 12, 2009 at 1:17 PM
One of the bright spots in one of the worst movies I have ever seen.
samuelrylander on January 12, 2009 at 1:17 PM
Good bye
Au revoir
Aufwiedersehen
Ciao
No mas!
Thank you for not being Al Gore and John Kerry. Thanks for keeping us safe.
Just go already, Mr. President. Have a nice retirement. What follows makes me choke but I’m not sorry to see you go.
Entelechy on January 12, 2009 at 1:18 PM
I used to be a Wellstone Democrat. 9/11 and President Bush changed that.
Mr. Bush has had one job that superseded all others the past 7 years: prevent another 9/11 and, by God, he did.
I wish he was a better public speaker and I wish he would have done a better job educating a recalcitrant American public about the Long War we are in with the Islamists. But he has keep us safe and in the dark days after 9/11, that seemed like an impossible task.
Thank you, Sir.
I and 28% of the American public thank you today.
History will judge you better than your peers.
Bruno Strozek on January 12, 2009 at 1:20 PM
I have miss the first term Bush but not the second term Bush. Did second term Bush listen too much to his dad??
BroncosRock on January 12, 2009 at 1:21 PM
Don’t juuuuuuudgggeee meeeeeeeeee!
TheUnrepentantGeek on January 12, 2009 at 1:22 PM
Things sure went downhill since 2006 for Bush; it is time for him to hang up the spurs. Sadly, many who are impatient for him to go will be pining for him within a year, as things go from bad to worse.
Vashta.Nerada on January 12, 2009 at 1:24 PM
Agreed. He didn’t do it all by himself but he certainly helped set the threshold. Anything from here on
is simply the snowball rolling downhill.
a capella on January 12, 2009 at 1:25 PM
Thank you President Bush for keeping us safe.
Where did I hear this, “He might be the only person to have someone stick their foot out to trip him and then stand back an accuse him of falling down.”
Don’t forget he tried 21 times to reform fannie and freddie. People should not be blaming him for the melt down. We should be uniting to build our party to defeat the liberals in congress. Prez does not matter hear. We need fresh new leadership in congress. We need term limits.
To ED and Allah, this site over the past two years has become so disrespectful. The post on hear have started to get mean and vicious. From the top down.
Show some respect for a man that kept you safe, and would be a better choice to lead this country over the next four years than Obama.
kara26 on January 12, 2009 at 1:26 PM
Could’ve been a lot better, could’ve been a lot worse. Thanks for the things you got right, Dubya.
Christien on January 12, 2009 at 1:26 PM
We’ll see.
Absolutely. Yet they persist.
Rae on January 12, 2009 at 1:27 PM
I doubt it. If you’re going to listen to a former president at any point it’ll be when you’re inexperienced yourself. His dad said that some of the criticism of junior is warranted.
Besides, first term Bush wasn’t a delight, either.
amerpundit on January 12, 2009 at 1:28 PM
Bush did indeed destroy the republican party. If he had vetoe any of the spending bill in his years as president, Republican won’t have lost the senate by the margin it did in the last two election.
Also if Bush attack democrats we would not have lost the house and the senate. That is why I said Bush destroyed the republican party.
BroncosRock on January 12, 2009 at 1:28 PM
Not one piece of real estate crumbled to the ground on our soil since that terrible day. Keeping government smaller was not your strong suit to say the least. The last time I checked, it was still illegal to enter and reside in this country without proper papers. Two other nations have been liberated that lived in tyranny by a military that sacrificed their lives at your orders and carried out their missions as the hero’s they are.
Since 1941, no other President has had so much piled on their plate from the start that had an unforgiving biased media attack you daily while trying to protect this great nation. Historians will treat you far better than today’s “journalist” and the wacko’s on the left that never recognized you as a legitimate President.
Thank you Mr. President, (and Laura), for your service. May your days in Crawford bring you peace.
Rovin on January 12, 2009 at 1:31 PM
BroncosRock – they will!
and You are right about Bush too. He was right on going after the axis of evil, but that’s about all.
kirkill on January 12, 2009 at 1:32 PM
Farewell, Mr. President. I’ll miss you.
The fact remains, no attacks on his watch. And they tried.
emailnuevo on January 12, 2009 at 1:33 PM
The full budget before Bush was president was around $1 trillion, $1 trillion. We are spending $1 trillion on pet pork projects and on saving companies that NEEDS to be sold off to companies that can grow it. Thanks Bush for destorying the dollar and the republican party.
BroncosRock on January 12, 2009 at 1:33 PM
I believe Bush knew his domestic policy was destructive to the Republican Party and I don’t think he cared. He must have thought that his moral compass and party loyalty were absolutely incompatible and morality (as he defined it) had to win out.
He truly is as much to blame for Obama’s ascendency as McCain. He may want to blame the media, but they were the same smelly bunch that hated Ronal Reagan. Reagan just knew how to slap them with a velvet glove. Bush stood there with that deer-in-the-headlights look and let them win. Ultimately, his strengths were outweighed by his weaknesses. I don’t care how history will see him. I’m just glad that he is history.
SKYFOX on January 12, 2009 at 1:34 PM
Why harp on the past. Time to lambast the worst president-elect EVAH.
Christien on January 12, 2009 at 1:36 PM
I will be forever grateful Bush was in office during 9/11. Whatever else we might be able to say about him, there hasn’t been another attack in this country in 7 1/2 years and in that respect he has more than done his job. I thank him for that. He has without question been treated egregiously by the MSM and by those on the left, which is unfair because I truly believe he is an intelligent man, and a decent and honest one who has the courage of his convictions. I do think his unwavering loyalty may have been his greatest liability b/c he hasn’t always surrounded himself with people who are competent or as honest and loyal as he has been. I have to admit, however, to having grown frustrated with him with respect to his domestic policy especially. This man spends like a Democrat on steroids and that’s definitely not what I signed on for. I can’t say I’m relieved to see him go, tho, because I know what’s coming is only going to compound these issues (just as a McCain presidency would have — unless the ‘Cuda could have talked some sense into him). The only good thing about this changing of the guard is that now I get to say, “Hey, I didn’t vote for this guy so don’t blame me!”
Anyway, my thanks to President Bush for his service and I wish him and Mrs. Bush and the dogs (condolences on the loss of India) the best in their retirement.
NoLeftTurn on January 12, 2009 at 1:37 PM
Voted for Bush twice and would do it again (given the choices).
Haven’t cared for his recent fiscal policies but I’m not sure what else could have been done.
Skywise on January 12, 2009 at 1:38 PM
Thank you, Mr. President. You will be missed.
I’ll happily listen to Bush mangle English than “uh….eh…..ummm…..uh……..” for the next 4 years.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on January 12, 2009 at 1:38 PM
Later, jerk-off.
You’ve wasted eight years of a once great party’s time.
madmonkphotog on January 12, 2009 at 1:39 PM
The best thing about Bush is that he handed Obama trillion dollar deficits during his term in office.:)
faraway on January 12, 2009 at 1:39 PM
Actually, since 9/11, I switched to boxer briefs. That’s why they’re too afraid to attack us. They know that if they attack, there’s a chance they’ll run into me, and being so relaxed and in zen balance thanks to my perfectly cradled balls, my kung fu will destroy them. That’s fear you can’t buy.
LimeyGeek on January 12, 2009 at 1:39 PM
This is the logical problem we had with the Birchers and their “Eisenhower must have consciously been part of the Communist conspiracy.” It’s ludicrous to assume that, because the Republican party committed suicide, he wanted it to happen.
emailnuevo on January 12, 2009 at 1:40 PM
Bush, Obama, fire, frying pan.
angryed on January 12, 2009 at 1:40 PM
How about cleaning our own house?
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/sen.-hatch-to-back-holder-2009-01-12.html
a capella on January 12, 2009 at 1:40 PM
Maybe by bankrupting the next gubmint he will save us from its excesses? Brillant!
LimeyGeek on January 12, 2009 at 1:41 PM
Ya Bush protected us and put one good conservative on the SC. The other one Bush was forced after us force him to put in a good conservative judge.
BroncosRock on January 12, 2009 at 1:41 PM
In light of the odds stacked against him, I commend him. Gob Bless You Mr. President for keeping us safe. I realize he blew the bejesus out of fiscal responsibility and our grandkids are all going to pay the bill, but in the big picture, he made it at least possible to have grandchildren by keeping us from being blown to hell.
I (and you) can always figure out a way to make more money or increase our standard of living in spite of economic woes, but you can’t do sh&t when we’re all dead, and Obambi isn’t making me feel real secure these days.
Tim Zank on January 12, 2009 at 1:41 PM
While the jury is still out on the fate of Al-Qa’ida and the Taliban in Afghanistan, clearly about 28M Iraqis owe Mr. Bush a debt of gratitude.
Whether or not “El Uno” manages to screw it up remains to be seen.
pain train on January 12, 2009 at 1:42 PM
I don’t think anyone here is. What many including myself are blaming him for is the response to the melt down. His response was 100% socialist. For that, I hope history judges him harshly.
angryed on January 12, 2009 at 1:44 PM
a capella,
You’ve got a good idea.
Christien on January 12, 2009 at 1:44 PM
What a stammering fool. I think he’s back on the sauce.
Vernon Hardapple on January 12, 2009 at 1:47 PM
I did not read the comments before this – I wanted to say what came to mind as I saw the video:
1. Viewing this I now fully understand the meaning of the expression “casting pearls before swine”.
2. Bush makes the statement that “Some people thought Republicans didn’t like immigrants” as if this was a reasonable assumption. The reason “some people” thought that is that the media invested heavily in twisting the arguments of conservatives to that end, and unfortunately, neither Bush nor McCain ever bothered to stand up to them and say “Bullshit”. I don’t know whether that was because they didn’t understand what conservatives were really saying themselves, or they were just not prepared to take a stand on the issue, but they didn’t and ultimately that alienated (!) much of the support they should have had.
3. The media is worthless.
drunyan8315 on January 12, 2009 at 1:49 PM
I respect President Bush for keeping us safe after 9/11. I respect him for his two appointments to the Supreme Court. I respect him for not (at least not yet) throwing Cheney under the bus.
But it always should have been Jeb and now it can never be.
myrenovations on January 12, 2009 at 1:50 PM
Don’t let the door hit you where the good Lord split ya.
Ian on January 12, 2009 at 1:50 PM
I’m with Bruno.
mikeyboss on January 12, 2009 at 1:50 PM
Yes, thanks for that posting, bruno. Very well said.
wise_man on January 12, 2009 at 1:52 PM
The buffoon, stooped at the podium, while balanced on his left-elbow, troubled with the English language, and having eviscerated the Republican Party.
“I chucked aside some of my free market principles …”
As for me, I don’t trash my principles … because they are my “principles”!
Good riddance, you buffoon.
OhEssYouCowboys on January 12, 2009 at 1:56 PM
I’m really rather disturbed by the amount of conservatives here who are responding to Bush with the same vitriolic, bile-soaked quips that usually come from the mouths of true BDSers.
Yes, he made mistakes, but good lord, the hate is really undeserved.
MadisonConservative on January 12, 2009 at 1:56 PM
My collie says:
CyberCipher on January 12, 2009 at 1:58 PM
now you know how I feel.
wise_man on January 12, 2009 at 1:59 PM
/salute
+100
Mark Garnett on January 12, 2009 at 2:00 PM
It’s ludicrous to assume that, because the Republican party committed suicide, he wanted it to happen.
emailnuevo on January 12, 2009 at 1:40 PM
I never said that I believed he wanted it to happen. I said that I don’t believe he ultimately cared that it happened. And I certainly don’t let the Republican Party off the hook for their idiocy. That is for a different thread.
SKYFOX on January 12, 2009 at 2:00 PM
Yet note the difference in our responses. I didn’t even have to censor mine, nor use the word “insane”.
MadisonConservative on January 12, 2009 at 2:01 PM
‘Making mistakes’ is forgivable with a fast-food order, not the Chief Executive of the most powerful government on Earth.
Of course, pretty much every member of Congress deserves equally to be spat upon and cursed.
LimeyGeek on January 12, 2009 at 2:02 PM
Agree, but I just figure it’s the first presidency most of them have seen end-to-end.
DarkCurrent on January 12, 2009 at 2:03 PM
Name me a person who has done their job for four years with no mistakes.
It happens in every line of work, and there is not a president who hasn’t made a mistake or done something I haven’t found fault with. Yes, even Reagan.
MadisonConservative on January 12, 2009 at 2:04 PM
Thank you President Bush for the War on Terror.
Damn you President Bush for the War on Capitalism.
I wonder how many will be missing George W Bush in about 2 years of Pure, undiluted Obama?
The Obama Experiment will be the real test to see if America can withstand the attack from within.
portlandon on January 12, 2009 at 2:04 PM
when you don’t act insane, then you aren’t called insane. note the difference.
wise_man on January 12, 2009 at 2:05 PM
We will all miss him in a few months.
In two years those who wont, will start too.
In 10 yrs those who hate him will miss him.
John The Baptist on January 12, 2009 at 2:08 PM
Did that idiot really say misunderestimated??? Credit to those in the room not outright laughing at him.
Vernon Hardapple on January 12, 2009 at 2:09 PM
And no credit to the idiot who hasn’t been paying attention to the fact that Bush has been poking fun at himself by using that word for the last few years. Self-deprecating humor. Look it up.
MadisonConservative on January 12, 2009 at 2:12 PM
Bruno +1
President Bush kept this country safe after 9/11. He created the framework to keep us safe in the future if the next administration doesn’t dismantle it.
Mistakes? Yep
I have had my disagreements with the President, many times gnashing my teeth over his domestic policies.
But I will miss him and very much miss the best First Lady this country has had since Dolley Madison.
sandspur on January 12, 2009 at 2:13 PM
I’m not interested in how the rest of us peons mess up….POTUS is a unique position with unique responsibilities and consequences.
Bush’s (and Congress’) mistakes have left America in tatters. Damn him for that. Damn them all. Traitors.
LimeyGeek on January 12, 2009 at 2:15 PM
I recently saw America in person for the first time in a few years. It wasn’t in tatters.
DarkCurrent on January 12, 2009 at 2:19 PM
I disagreed with some of his domestic policies, but I am going to miss him at the helm. I don’t blame him for the republicans demise. He didn’t cause Duke Cunningham, Tom Delay, Mark Foley, Larry Craig. He did, however, keep people around him when they clearly should have gone. Powell. McClellan. Even Rumsfeld, though I give Rummy lots of credit for what he did do right. My sadness is seeing Cheney leave. I feel like the kid at the end of the movie Shane…come back Cheney!
Sue on January 12, 2009 at 2:19 PM
Thank You W!
I’m sorely going to miss my comfort zone of knowing your hand is on the wheel.
Welcome Home to Texas!
BTW, the entire news conference in available at the Whitehouse.gov website.
Texas Gal on January 12, 2009 at 2:20 PM
Must have been an impostor. I saw America in person, and it was selling blood & semen to pay down the interest on its debt, smelled awful, and had a nasty bout of the clap.
LimeyGeek on January 12, 2009 at 2:31 PM
That pretty much sums up my feelings as well. I think he is a good, kind man who has made mistakes. The most glaring for me being the bailout, the non-defense of his policies, and immigration reform. But, had he not done as good a job as he has at protecting the country, some of us wouldn’t be here to worry about the mistakes he has made. I am eternally thankful for that and as someone said above, I pray that he has been able to convey to Obama, the gravity of the threats against us.
macblanegirl on January 12, 2009 at 2:31 PM
The fact that the POTUS actually uses ‘words’ like that in the first place are evidence of his incompetence. He’s a dope – but you’re a bigger dope for defending him.
Vernon Hardapple on January 12, 2009 at 2:34 PM
That’s due to a difference in perspective I suppose.
DarkCurrent on January 12, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Or bad acid
LimeyGeek on January 12, 2009 at 2:41 PM
I’d be interested in your opinion of Obama’s use of ’skin in this game’ to describe his assumed stakeholders.
You evidently don’t understand Texan. I’ve always been amused at how those who self-congratulate themselves at linguists twist themselves inside out when W makes up a word to express himself. I’ve never had a problem understanding him.
Texas Gal on January 12, 2009 at 2:43 PM
You should detox then
DarkCurrent on January 12, 2009 at 2:43 PM
I would feel much better about seeing Bush go if it was Guliani replacing him.
I voted for Gore (to my everlasting shame), but I was glad to vote for Bush in ‘04. I have never liked his spendthrift tendencies, but he had the right response to terrorism. He blew it with the bailout, but he is the kind of guy that trusts his subordinates, so I would lay that one with Paulson.
Count to 10 on January 12, 2009 at 2:46 PM
With Obama on the horizon, I think I’ll retox ;)
LimeyGeek on January 12, 2009 at 2:48 PM
And Kerry is an intellectual even though he pronounces idea “idere” while looking down his patrician nose. ::eyeroll::
Sue on January 12, 2009 at 2:48 PM
It will be an astonishment if the next occupant of the White House exhibits a fraction of the honesty, integrity and decency this man has shown.
It would be interesting to see if any of you here who denigrate him would do anything but cower if that responsibility were thrust on you.
I suggest y’all grab your collective asses and hold on, ’cause the next 4 years is going to be a ride to behold.
irongrampa on January 12, 2009 at 2:50 PM
Oh, absolutely. The mixing of syntax for a word is signs of absolute and utter mental incapacity. Meanwhile, being unable to get through an interview without “uh”ing 68 times is signs of an intellectual prodigy.
Congratulations for judging a person’s intelligence upon the media’s worthless, hollow standard – how he speaks.
MadisonConservative on January 12, 2009 at 2:54 PM
I much prefer Obama’s fake southern accent that he stole from some black preacher. Born in Hawaii, raised in Indonesia/Hawaii, lived in NY/Chicago and talks like a southerner. I’ll take misspeaks from Bush over contrived accents.
Sue on January 12, 2009 at 2:54 PM
Yeah. Bush was shanghaied. Nice one gramps.
I’m investing in vaseline.
LimeyGeek on January 12, 2009 at 2:56 PM
How to tell you are speaking to an intellectual person…count the number of times he/she says, uh, you know, uhm, you know. That is the sure sign you are speaking to a well-schooled individual.
Sue on January 12, 2009 at 2:57 PM
Try visiting a red state sometime (like Oklahoma). As long as you insist upon visiting the blue states and ONLY the blue states, your perspective will continue to be hopelessly skewed.
My collie says:
CyberCipher on January 12, 2009 at 2:58 PM
My viewpoint is far deeper than superficial red state/blue state nonsense.
LimeyGeek on January 12, 2009 at 3:00 PM
My apologies. Clearly George Bush and the guy from Sling Blade are geniuses. Mission accomplished!
Vernon Hardapple on January 12, 2009 at 3:01 PM
Hopefully this difficult lesson will temper enthusiasm for the ditz from Alaska, at least among the more rational members of your party.
benny shakar on January 12, 2009 at 3:05 PM
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