Blair: Bush is 'highly intelligent'

[Drogue]

In terms of ideology, pretty close. They have different policies, but that is mostly down to different political pressures/climate in the different countries. It's the closest comparison you could make between the two nations parties IMHO.

[Guynemer]

In the 2000 Election, one candidate was the scion of a political dynasty; who owed nearly every achievement of his life to his name, including being admitted to Ivy League schools; who had an intellectual capability that was grossly misrepresented by the media; who was shockingly indebted and entangled with shady corporations and special interests; and who has a habit of saying really dumb things.

And the other candidate was George W. Bush.


Look, George II is not an idiot. I've said many times, I don't think he is any less intelligent than the average American. I have serious doubts that he is smarter than the average American, but that's as may be. His IQ doesn't bother me.

And I don't doubt that he has some significant quantity of strength of character. Sure, he may have abandoned his National Guard post during Vietnam, but he also overcame alcoholism, and quite possibly cocaine dependence as well. That, my friends, is very, very impressive, and deserves a measure of respect that is often lacking from my fellow leftists.

On the other hand, his hypocritical treatment of drug users deserves nothing but derision. That's what bothers me about him--his politics. IQ? SAT scores? Who gives a flying ****? His politics are the problem, and that's what we liberals should attack; not his supposed lack of brain power.

[GePap]

Bush has gotten most of the policies he sought implemented, and has failed with a few as well.

I like what Guynemer said. I only call people stupid when they do something stupid or say something stupid (which is different from saying something I disagree with). Bush's problem with the english language is what motivates people to call him an idiot. you can;t be an idiot and become president. On the other hand, Bush is certainly not a genius, nor is he as "book-smart" and "witty" as Clinton. He does have a perseverence and a commitment that is greater then Clinton's.

I would love a president with bush commitment and Clinton's Brain, specially since I can;t stand 90% of Bush agenda, domestic or international.

[Drogue]

Originally posted by GePap
I would love a president with bush commitment and Clinton's Brain, specially since I can;t stand 90% of Bush agenda, domestic or international.

That sounds pretty good

[raghar]

Originally posted by GePap
you can;t be an idiot and become president.

Why do you think so?

[orange]

A blast with a shotgun is bound to hit something.

Spoken like a true Texan.

Look, George II is not an idiot.

I have serious doubts that he is smarter than the average American...

These two statements contradict each other, Guy

[GePap]

Originally posted by raghar

Why do you think so?

becuase you need to have shown some previous manegerial experience, you need to know how to politic, you need to know whom to trust, and how to pick you team..an Idiot simply would not get far.

[raghar]

Idiot with money and idiot with friends and contacts... he could go high. It's not as problematic be and idiot and go high, you just need people who would think they'll abuse you and would rule behind your back.

What about kim, he isn't idiot, but many people think so. If you look as people would expect, you could get pretty high, especialy in demo... regime.

[Ned]

Originally posted by Drogue
Blair is not left wing though. With New Labour, it seems the Lib Dems are the only even slightly left party we had. I'm begining to think I'd rather have the Tories back, if it wasn't for them elected people like IDS as their leader. Blair and Bush, personally, seem to have a lot in common. The fact one wants slightly higher tax and better public services, and the other want's the opposite, probably wouldn't come up in Foreign Relations.

Actually, their relationship is similar to the relationshib between FDR and Churchill. On foreign policy, they saw eye-to-eye. But on domestic issues, one was a conservative and the other a liberal.

[TCO]

Blair is staunch.

[Oerdin]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
So far he's allowed military leaders to make miltary decisions.
Made for well-run operations that were quickly over.

What a dope Bush is.

For some reason I think it was Churchill who said the best leaders are the ones who can figure out when to shut up and let the experts do their jobs.

Or something to that effect.

[Odd]

Determination towards a good cause can do wonders. Determination towards a bad cause can lead to disaster. Now, I´m not crazy to try to argue with you guys if his cause is good or bad, even because I don´t believe in this good or evil crap, it makes you forget to stop to think sometimes if maybe you´re not so right and the "others" are not so wrong.

But I can says that people usually like determined presidents. Our last president was a very inteligent man that did several small improvements without any radicalism. He delivered a country that was better in many aspects than when he assumed, but made no revolutions. He was hardly liked by the people.
One of Brazil´s most popular president, JK (not JFK), had a motto with was "fifty years in five". Money was not a concern of his. He had a bunch of megalomaniacal projects to develop the country and delivered them all, including moving our capital from Rio to Brasilia (equivalent of transfering Russia capital from Moscow to a city started from scratch in Siberia). He dipped the country´s finances into ****, but said that would be no problem since we would be rich because of his policies. Then we would be able to pay for all that stuff. Well, the country grew (just as anyother country did in the '50), but not like he promised. But the debts were still there. Ooops.

[Spiffor]

Chirac too is determined... to become the worst Jackass of the world
I'm not sure if his delusions of grandeur will bring him much popularity in the end. You'd say De Gaulle is extremely popular in France, but it's not the same. The main difference between Chirac and De Gaulle is that De Gaulle had prestige, charisma of a Statesman, and managed to have things his way. Chirac only barks without getting the cookie

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by CyberShy
I think I'm doing fine voicing fine critics against your simplistic leftish way of argumentation.

But I should understand that you mean 'critical thinking against the rightwing guys' when you say 'critical thinking'

critical opinions against leftish is not a part of it of course
Because, leftish people are superior.
I'm sorry for being that stupid to forget that all the time.

If you feel relying on shallow logical fallacies is "fine," more power to you. Other posters will notice my first post was about facts.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Ned
What is Yale material?

I have no idea, but I reckon 1400 is pretty much minimal.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by GePap
Yeah, but unlike in most other industrialized states, you can always get into some college or university, and have the chance to transfer around. The US does a better job at Higher education that any other industrialized state.

I agree, it's the lower end that the US sucks at.

[LoneWolf]

Originally posted by Tolls
"He went to Yale and Harvard Business School. "

Prince Charles went to Cambridge University...

And yet YOU Tolls, whomever you may be, you we know to be well qualified to opine on other's intelligence. And your reasons for believing so are. . .?

This entire thread reminds me of a bunch of junior high kids talking about their teachers.

[CapitanGarlic]

My dad could beat up your dad, so nyah.

I love politics.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by LoneWolf
And yet YOU Tolls, whomever you may be, you we know to be well qualified to opine on other's intelligence. And your reasons for believing so are. . .?

This entire thread reminds me of a bunch of junior high kids talking about their teachers.

Practice what you preach. How do you know about whether we are qualified or not?

[LoneWolf]

And UR eats his boogers! I saw him at recess!
And isn't our science teacher a complete MORON!!???

[Bereta_Eder]

It is funny to watch Blair trying to "fit in" with cowboy Bush....


I almost feel sorry for him. He has a hillbilly next to him (Clinton was not for example, so no anti-american troll just the impression) and he is much more sophistacted than him (since he is european no matter how much he wants to appear in-between).


It is a very very funny duo. Could work very well for some comedy show

[Imran Siddiqui]

He has a hillbilly next to him

Yeah, it's a shame when Blair has to deal with a hillbilly like Simitis

[Serb]

No boubt, Bush is highly intelligent.


"There's no bigger task than protecting the homeland of our country."

~ George W. Bush
Homeland Security Chief's Boss
-Stockton, California; August 23, 2002

" The federal government and the state government must not fear programs who change lives, but must welcome those faith-based programs for the embetterment of mankind."

~ George W. Bush
Wordsmith
-Stockton, California; August 23, 2002

"I'm thrilled to be here in the bread basket of America because it gives me a chance to remind our fellow citizens that we have an advantage here in America-we can feed ourselves."

~ George W. Bush
A man who feeds himself
-Stockton, California; August 23, 2002


"I'm a patient man. And when I say I'm a patient man, I mean I'm a patient man."

~ George W. Bush
A patient man


To Brazilian President Fernando Cardoso:

"Do you have blacks, too?"

~ George W. Bush
White Man

"A dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier, there's no question about it."
- George W. Bush
Leader of the world's greatest democracy

"Will the highways of the Internet become more few?"
~ George W. Bush
Chief executive of the most technologically advanced nation in the world

He's a real genius if you ask me.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yeah, Serb, a bunch of out of context quotes sure proved a lot, moron .

[Serb]

Yeah, Serb, a bunch of out of context quotes sure proved a lot,

If it only was few quotes then fine, but George can write entire books full of that kind of crap.
Enjoy...
"There's an old saying in Tennessee—I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee—that says, fool me once, shame on—shame on you. Fool me—you can't get fooled again."
~ George W. Bush
Nobody's Fool

— Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002

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"It's clearly a budget. It's got a lot of numbers in it."
~ George W. Bush
Chief Executive Officer of the USA
Reuters, May 5, 2000

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"I view our nuclear arsenal as a deterrent, as a way to say to people that would harm America, don't do it. That's a deterrent. That there's a consequence. And the president must have all options available to make that deterrent have meaning."
- George W. Bush
Statesman

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"Zimbabwe. We do not recognize the outcome of the election because we think it's flawed. And we are dealing with and we are dealing with our friends to figure out how to deal with this flawed election."
~ George W. Bush
Runner-up in the popular election for president, 2000 A.D.

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"See, we love - we love freedom. That's what they didn't understand. They hate things; we love things. They act out of hatred; we don't seek revenge, we seek justice out of love."
~ George W. Bush
Lover
-Oklahoma City, Aug. 29, 2002



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"I'm a patient man. And when I say I'm a patient man, I mean I'm a patient man."

~ George W. Bush
A patient man
-Crawford, Texas; August 21, 2002



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"I'm thrilled to be here in the bread basket of America because it gives me a chance to remind our fellow citizens that we have an advantage here in America-we can feed ourselves."

~ George W. Bush
A man who feeds himself
-Stockton, California; August 23, 2002



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"There's no bigger task than protecting the homeland of our country."

~ George W. Bush
Homeland Security Chief's Boss
-Stockton, California; August 23, 2002



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
" The federal government and the state government must not fear programs who change lives, but must welcome those faith-based programs for the embetterment of mankind."

~ George W. Bush
Wordsmith
-Stockton, California; August 23, 2002



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"I do remain confident in Linda. She'll make a fine labor secretary. From what I've read in the press accounts, she's perfectly qualified."

~ George W. Bush
Labor advocate and newspaper-reader
—Austin, Texas; January 8, 2001


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"I do remain confident in Linda. She'll make a fine labor secretary. From what I've read in the press accounts, she's perfectly qualified."

~ George W. Bush
Labor advocate and newspaper-reader
—Austin, Texas; January 8, 2001


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"I promise you I will listen to what has been said here, even though I wasn't here."

~ George W. Bush
The Man Who Wasn't There
—Waco, Texas, August 13, 2002


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To Brazilian President Fernando Cardoso:


"Do you have blacks, too?"

~ George W. Bush
White Man
—Washington, D.C.; November 8, 2001


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"Tommy [Thompson, Health and Human Services secretary,] is a good listener, and he's a pretty good actor, too."

~ George W. Bush
Smooth Talker
—Waco, Texas, August 13, 2002



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"The public education system in America is one of the most important foundations of our democracy. After all, it is where children from all over America learn to be responsible citizens, and learn to have the skills necessary to take advantage of our fantastic opportunistic society."

~ George W. Bush
Opportunist
— Santa Clara, Calif., May 1, 2002


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"I am mindful of the difference between the executive branch and the legislative branch. I assured all four of these leaders that I know the difference, and that difference is they pass the laws and I execute them."
~ George W. Bush
Chief Executioner Officer
— Washington, D.C., Dec. 18, 2000


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"The legislature's job is to write law. It's the executive branch's job to interpret law."
~ George W. Bush
Interpreter
— Austin, Texas; Nov. 22, 2000


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"It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber."
~ George W. Bush
Republican President with a Democrat-controlled Senate
— Washington, D.C., April 10, 2002


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"A dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier, there's no question about it."
- George W. Bush
Leader of the world's greatest democracy

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"This is still a dangerous world. It’s a world full of madmen and uncertainty and potential mental losses."
~ George W. Bush
43rd President of the United States

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"How many hands have I shaked?"
~ George W. Bush
Latecomer to politics

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"Will the highways of the Internet become more few?"
~ George W. Bush
Chief executive of the most technologically advanced nation in the world

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"They misunderestimate me."
~ George W. Bush
Spokesman for the Republican Party

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"I am a pitbull on the pantleg of opportunity."
~ George W. Bush
Top Dog in Washington D.C.

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"I know that the human being and the fish can co-exist."
~ George W. Bush
Self-proclaimed environmentalist

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"Rarely is the question asked, “Is our children learning?”
~ George W. Bush
Education advocate

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"I do believe Ariel Sharon is a man of peace."
- George W. Bush
Potential negotiator between the Palestinians and Israelis

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"I think we all agree, the past is over."
~ George W. Bush
Former Once-and-Future President

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"Put food on your family. Knock down the tollbooth. Vulcanize society. Make the pie higher."
~ George W. Bush
The most powerful man in the universe.

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"Families is where our nation finds hope; where our wings take dream."
~ George W. Bush
Son of a one-term president
LaCrosse, Wis; October 18, 2000


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"The true greatness of America are the people."
~ George W. Bush
Harvard graduate

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"I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe, I believe, what I believe is right."
~ George W. Bush
Believer

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"We're making the right decisions to bring the solution to an end."
~ George W. Bush
Where the buck stops

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"I think we ought to raise the age at which juveniles can have guns."
~ George W. Bush
Texan

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"If a person doesn't have the capacity that we want a person to have, I suspect hope is in the far distant future, if at all."
~ George W. Bush
Visionary

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"I am mindful of the difference between the executive branch and the legislative branch. And that difference is: They pass laws and I execute them."
~ George W. Bush
Preserver, Protector and Defender of the Constitution

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"There ought to be limits to freedom."
~ George W. Bush
Leader of the Free World

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"...when I put my hand on the Bible, I will swear to not - to uphold the laws of the land."
- George W. Bush
America's chief law enforcement officer

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"Our enemies fear a society which is pluralistic and open to worship an almighty God."
- George W. Bush
Devout church-goer

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"And that's why yesterday the Secretary of Treasury and I both said that we need to have more stimulants available."
- George W. Bush
Anti-drug activist

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"I don't have anthrax."
- George W. Bush
Healthy politician

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"The press often ask me, well, is this the - is the evil one hiding from us in Afghanistan, the ones who have done this to America? I said, I don't know."
- George W. Bush
Leader of the world war on terrorism

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"You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test."
- George W. Bush
Husband of the nation's leading literacy advocate

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"...Obviously, we've all been depressed by the acts of heroism."
- George W. Bush
Optimist

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"It is important that we stay the course, bring these people to justice, to show - and show others how to fight the new wars of the 21st century."
- George W. Bush
Commander-in-Chief

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"Our nation must come together to unite."
- George W. Bush
Wielder of the Bully Pulpit

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"There's no doubt in my mind that we should allow the world worst leaders to hold America hostage, to threaten our peace, to threaten our friends and allies with the world's worst weapons."
- George W. Bush
The world leader with more weapons than anybody.
—South Bend, Ind., Sept. 5, 2002

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"And there's no doubt in my mind, not one doubt in my mind, that we will fail. Failure is not a part of our vocabulary."
- George W. Bush
Spokesman for the nation

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"More and more of our imports come from overseas."
- George W. Bush
Economic pundit

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"My administration has been calling upon all the leaders in the-in the Middle East to do everything they can to stop the violence to tell the different parties involved that peace will never happen."
~ George W. Bush
America's chief diplomat


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"Let me tell you my thoughts about tax relief. When your economy is kind of ooching along, it's important to let people have more of their own money."
~ George W. Bush
More Than an Oocher

— Boston, Oct. 4, 2002

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"I was proud the other day when both Republicans and Democrats stood with me in the Rose Garden to announce their support for a clear statement of purpose: you disarm, or we will."
~ George W. Bush
the Disarming President
— Speaking about Saddam Hussein, Manchester, N.H., Oct. 5, 2002

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"People say, how can I help on this war against terror? How can I fight evil? You can do so by mentoring a child; by going into a shut-in's house and say I love you."
~ George W. Bush
Unusual Strtegist

— Washington, D.C., Sept. 19, 2002

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"There's no doubt in my mind that we should allow the world worst leaders to hold America hostage, to threaten our peace, to threaten our friends and allies with the world's worst weapons."
~ George W. Bush
Undoubetedly

— South Bend, Ind., Sept. 5, 2002

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"See, we love—we love freedom. That's what they didn't understand. They hate things; we love things. They act out of hatred; we don't seek revenge, we seek justice out of love."
~ George W. Bush
Lover
— Oklahoma City, Aug. 29, 2002

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"There's no cave deep enough for America, or dark enough to hide."
~ George W. Bush
Hiding in plain site in the White House
— Oklahoma City, Aug. 29, 2002

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"Reading is the basics for all learning."
~ George W. Bush
The guy who was reading to elementary students as the terrorists flew jets into the World Trade Center.
—Announcing his "Reading First" initiative in Reston, Va., March 28, 2000.

Read more here:
http://www.bushisms.com/index1a.html#List

moron

You have no idea how real morons should looks.
A hint for you:

[Imran Siddiqui]

If it only was few quotes then fine, but George can write entire books full of that kind of crap.

Once again... out of context quotes, sure prove a lot, moron .

(btw, that was sarcasm, since you probably would have trouble getting it)

[Ned]

Yes, Serb, Bush does seem to have a lot of trouble with off-the-cuff speaking. I didn't see but a portion of the debates between he and Gore in 2000. How did he do? The pollls right after the debates seemed to suggest that Bush won or at least drew.

The next election should be interesting. If a very articulate Democrat is nominated, I wonder if he can win the election purely on his performance in the debates?

[Sava]

@ anyone who thinks Dubya is smart

His dad was an intelligent man. He's not.

[Drogue]

I think people accept that, just not that it matters much.

[Sava]

Oh please Ned, my cat could have out-debated Gore.