Step Right Up, Step Right Up, Ladies and Gentlemen, to...The Bush Wedding Video!!! (click here)......

Notes on the Video. As P.T. Barnum once said, "there's a sucker born every minute." Don't you be one. In spite of what you may have read coming from the Bush camp, the tape is harmless. First, consider the initial source of this fabricated event...Matt Drudge, and consider the political leanings of he and his friends. Secondly, consider who shot and provided the video, an invited guest at a country club wedding in West Texas whose father owned the New England Patriots at the time. Not exactly an outsider, is he? (While Bush was part-owner of the Texas Rangers at the time, the bride and groom both became higher-level political appointees when Bush became governor a few years later.) Thirdly, consider the fact that Bush is amusing on the tape, Midland, Texas' version of Dean Martin, who made a career out of playing the drunk for a laugh. Who's to say that Bush isn't doing the same thing? While he drinks something at the end of the tape, perhaps even something alcoholic, years after he claims to have gone cold turkey, so what? When some reporter asks Bush what was in the drink, he'll then have the opportunity to rope-a-dope. He'll attack the media, Washington politics, the Gore camp, and anything else he can think of to look like a put-upon candidate in the eyes of the voters. In short, the tape and Bush's reaction would be a good way for him to go on the attack and move away from the issues, where Gore is beating him, to a defense of his character, which would give him an excuse to attack Gore through Clinton. As Bush told Tucker Carlson in the "Talk" interview when the rumor of a photo of a half-naked Bush dancing on a bar came up, "They think it's like a high school election, where if you beat up your opponent enough you can win. They've lost their fucking minds." Ironically, Bush would like to turn this race for the presidency into a high school election, an election based on personality rather than issues, because most believe he then would have a better chance of winning. Spending valuable time discussing a meaningless wedding party video does just that. It stops Gore's momentum and gives Bush a personality spotlight. --Politex, 8/29/00 photo taken from the video

We Get Letters...

bush watcher..."Oh, come now. Having watched the tape -- and known my share of drinkers -- I think it's clear that he was a weeee bit tipsy. Not sloshy, but tipsy. And I don't think he was terribly funny, either. Just a sad old frat boy." politex...Two words. Dean Martin. It doesn't matter.

buh watcher...", Matt Drudge is going to have to do better than this! Jeez, I was hoping for something really interesting. Why the Bush camp is worried about this silly bit of nonsense is beyond me. Glad you were able to provide a link to the video, though. The Smoking Gun folks will have to find something other than a broken squirt gun to outrage the voters. Oh well, for a moment I was elated. A girl can fantasize can't she? Back to reality. :o)"

Back to the Future: G. W. Bush and the Iran-Contra Affair.

If Bush were to become president, chances are fair to good that we could count on a domestic or international scandal that would rival the scope of Reagan's Iran-Contra scandal. The basics are in place. Bush is just as permissive and is just as administratively inept as Reagan. Further, although much younger than Reagan, stories this past week have informed us that Bush inexplicably suffers from the same loss of energy that drove Dutch to bed and blanket in the middle of each day, leaving the ship of state to founder on the rocks of ambitious aides and advisors. As Frank Bruni recently expressed it in the NYT, "Mr. Bush himself makes frequent comments about resting and sleeping and a sensible pace, concerns that do not exactly portray him as a ball of fire." Such concerns have prompted Bush Watcher Ted Zep to revisit Hedrick Smith's "The Power Game" [Ballantine, 1989, pp. 617-618], re: Iran-Contra. With the obvious parallels to a possible Bush administration in place, what he read was not very comforting.

"Reagan's hands-off habit of delegating great authority pays a premium to aides who are sharp and aggressive. In fact, Reagan's permissive style was the most important element in the rise of his National Security Council staff. Ironically, in September 1986, just two months before the Iran disaster burst Reagan's bubble, Fortune magazine carried a flattering cover story. It promised: 'What Managers Can Learn From Manager Reagan.' Beside a head shot of Reagan was his formula: 'Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don't interfere.'" This behavior, of course, is what Bush has pointed to as his administrative technique as Governor of Texas. Further, Bush spokesmen have been saying, in effect, "Yes, he's not all that bright, but he has the personality that attracts people who are to his cause." As Zep puts it, "Lord knows why the GOP wants an even emptier suit [than Reagan] in office, with the Iran-Contra gang back at the helm [of a G. W. Bush administration]."

Smith continues, "the Iran hearings in Congress underscord how lax [Reagan] was, how rarely he pressed tough questions, prodded for explanations, checked the odds and consequences of failure, kept his staff on his toes. Even when the Iranian operation blew up in his face, Reagan was neither curious nor alert enough to ask Poindexter for an explanation of the diversion of Iranian funds." If there are any doubts about this being a description of typical Bush administrative behavior, the reader is invited to review our study of Bush's response to the health care scandal in Texas. Consider his appointment of the obsessive son of a powerful Republican Congressman to head the massive state Department of Health and his lackadaisical and vague defense of the man and his policies as the scandal continues to this very day. (Read here)

Just as in Bush's case, Smith sees the scandal as being part of a larger problem. [The scandal] "fit Reagan's pattern on foreign affairs. He would set a general course, but his understanding was often so hazy and simplistic that he was at the mercy of aides--more than most presidents. Republican senators, coming away from the Oval Office, told me of their shock at his weak grasp of important issues. Most Reagan aides loyally defend him, but some admitted embarrassment as his gaps or his mental laziness. Others reported having to step in and handle conversations for Reagan so that he did not look stupid." Recall that this very thing happened last week with Bush and his totally confused statements about his tax cut policies. Karen Hughes had to step in and explain the policy to the confused reporters traveling with Bush on his plane.

"One high State Department official told me of his dismay at Reagan's comments," continues Smith,"that showed he simply had not understood what we had been talking about. I got the impression on that occasion and others that his knowledge is shallow and superficial. The people around him can manipulate things to get his general approval on something and then keep complications away from him." Bush brags about this approach to decision-making. He has said many times that he wants the big picture and is quite willing to make a quick decision on the basis of broad generalizations supplied by his advisors, leaving the nuts and bolts to them.

Smith concludes, "Reagan's formula is made to order for an assertive, activist national security staff, taking general cues from the president and translating his wishes into order to other agencies. That gives the National Security Council staff great leeway to speak for the president, leaving no one but the president in a position to challenge its word." If Bush were to become President, what would happen would be an all-out battle behind the scenes for control of foreign policy. Based on what we know about the proposed make-up of the Bush team, the winner would be Cheney leading the hawks in the name of our national corporate interests. (Read here and here.) With Cheney in the Ollie North role, Bush would be allowed to continue his afternoon naps and later tell reporters, in all honesty, that, in spite of Whatever-Gate, he knows that his advisers are all good men and women and he has total confidence in their abilities and motives and he takes pride in his ability to select good people for the job and God bless America. --Politex, 8/28/00

Bush Tangles Tongue on Tax Tally of Trillions. 8/23/00

Troubling News About the Bush Charter School Program. 8/10/00

Troubling News About George P. Bush. 8/10/00

Can a Jew Go to Heaven? George W. Bush Answered "No." 8/8/00

Bush's KISS Playbook. 8/1/00

Bush Smoking Gun? Kids' Money and Tax Cuts. 7/27/00

How Mary Cheney Outed Her Father. 7/26/00

Stories About Midland, Texas and Bush

--Midland is the Rape Capitol of Texas. 8/12/00
--Sign in a West Texas Restaurant Window--"No Mexicans or Dogs Allowed." 8/9/00
--Questions Still Surround Laura Bush's Midland Tragedy 8/7/00
--Midland Is a World of Millionaire Oil Bosses with Eastern Family Connections 8/6/00
--"The words 'nigger' and 'mescan' fly wildly to this day in Bush's Midland, Texas." 8/5/00
--In Midland Opportunity for All Isn't True for Everyone 8/4/00
--Bush Claims He Wants to Model America After Midland, Texas 8/3/00
--(letters invited)

THE TRUTH BEHIND BUSH'S SPEECH

At the start of the GOP Convention, the New York Times editorialized that it was time for Bush to provide some specifics to make sense of his vague stump-speech generalizations, and that his address to the GOP Convention offered the proper opportunity to do so. Unfortunately, it was not to be. Vague generalizations were still the order of the day. What follows is a summary of the issues and policies that Bush presented in his speech last night and our analysis of the specifics that need to be discussed. Naturally, without specifics, Bush is asking the American people to give him a blank check. Perhaps that's why he asked us to trust him several times during his speech. Trust a politician with a blank check? Sure, right. In particular, Bush's Texas record of broken trust indicates he has not earned it. For example, click on "Health Care" below. --Politex, 8/4/00

From S&L to S. S. hasn't junior learned anything from poppy's savings and loan scandal? Bush's Mushroom Management bush robs peter (budget) to pay paul (tax cuts), then he stonewalls the poor to balance budget. BUSH DOES THE "RIGHT THING" (FOR SELF) BUSH FEEDS NAACP "BABY FOOD" HEALTH CARE AND THE LADY LOBBYIST IS BUSH A DIFFERENT KIND OF RACIST? Bush Stiffs Kids and Lies Bush Threatens Church-State Divvying Up the Prez Spoils garlic on cheney

today
wednesday, august 30

houston pollution Level Red Ozone Warning...Unhealthy. 4:15 p.m.
houston pollution Level Orange Ozone Warning...Unhealthy. 3:15 p.m.
bushnews, 32 stories Was Bush Drunk in the Wedding Video? 8:00
wizard of whimsy No Drinking Problem for Bush. It Goes Right Down. 6:00

tuesday, august 29

houston pollution Level Orange Ozone Warning...Unhealthy. 3:15 p.m.
bushnews, 29 stories Bush Trying to Get Out of Three Prime-time Debates." 8:20
cunningham The Hot Air Express. 8:20

monday, august 28

quote/unquote Ralph Nader, A Citizen in Full. 10:05
bushnews, 41 stories George W. Bush and the Iran-Contra Affair. 8:05
tom tomorrow Soft Money, Firm Bowel Movements. 8:00

sunday, august 27

wizard of whimsy Texas Drag Queens. 1:10 p.m.
bushnews, 31 stories Sunday School: Bush Blames God and Distorts Jesus. 9:30
thadeus and weez Gore-Tex Fight Over Values. 9:30

saturday, august 26

bushnews, 36 stories Bush Texas Kids Insurance Program Closes Doors. 10:05
thadeus and weez Gore-Tex Fight Over Values. 10:00

friday, august 25

houston pollution Level Red Ozone Warning...Unhealthy. 3:15 p.m.
houston pollution Level Orange Ozone Warning...Unhealthy. 1:15 p.m.
bushnews, 30 stories Bush Reeling From Strategy Disaster. 8:00
thadeus and weez Laura and Tipper Go Back to the 50's. 8:00

tuursday, august 24

bushnews, 31 more stories Bush Camp Says He Needs to be Scripted, Sleep a Lot. 8:10
negative spin Bush Denies Texas Kids School Lunch. 8:00

wednesday, august 23

bushnews, 34 stories Bush Stumbles and Funbles Through Tax Explanation. 8:40
wizard of whimsy Blufflic Speaking. 8:30

tuesday, august 22

bushnews, 25 stories Bush Turns Speech Into "Linguistic Massacre." 8:00
cunningham Cyber-Bush or Cypher-Bush? 8:00

monday, august 21

bushnews, 25 stories Bush Plan Will Harm U.S. Economy. 4:10
houston pollution Level Orange Ozone Warning...Unhealthy. 2:15 p.m.
bushnews, 47 stories Gore Now Leading in Various Polls. 9:00
tom tomorrow Stickup at the Social Security Corral. 8:10

thursday, august 16 through sunday, august 19

bushnews, 25 new stories each day Election 2000 Headlines.

wednesday, august 16

bushnews, 25 stories Lieberman to Speak This Evening at DemCon 2K.
wizard of whimsy Shallowman.

tuesday, august 15

bushnews, 43 stories GOP and Dems Are Two Minority Parties With No Political Talent. 8:00
cunningham When Clinton Talks, Bush Listens. 5:400

monday, august 14

bushnews, 45 stories Congressional Budget Director Explains Bush Plan Will Produce "Chronic Deficit." 7:20
tom tomorrow Keepsakes From the GOP Convention. 5:10

sunday, august 13

houston pollution Level Orange Ozone Warning...Unhealthy. 12:15 p.m.
bushnews, 35 stories Bush is a Narcissit Who Stands Only for Himself. 9:35
thadeus and weez CNN Talks to Al About Bill. 6:40

saturday, august 12

houston pollution Level Orange Ozone Warning...Unhealthy. 4:15 p.m.
houston pollution Level Red Ozone Warning...Unhealthy. 2:15 p.m.
quote/unquote Midland is the Rape Capitol of Texas. 9:55
bushnews, 34 stories Bush Had His Chance. He Did Not Lead. 9:35
mo paul Poppy Gets Tough. As a Person and a Human Being. 9:30
oliphant Don't Touch Him. You Don't Know Where He's Been. 9:30

friday, august 11

houston pollution Level Orange Ozone Warning...Unhealthy. 2:15 p.m.
bushnews, 35 stories Bush Backs Texas Law Making Being Gay a Crime. 8:00
tom tomorrow This Purposeful World. 8:00

thursday, august 10

houston pollution Level Red Ozone Warning...Unhealthy. 3:15 p.m.
houston pollution Level Orange Ozone Warning...Unhealthy. 1:15 p.m.
bushnews, 40 stories Bush "Jesus Day" Was an Abuse of Power. 8:15
toon gallery Let the Lieberman Toons Begin." 8:10

wednesday, august 9

bushnews, 48 stories Bush Aide Says Criticizing Lieberman Not Anti-Semitism. 7:45
letters Sign in a West Texas Restaurant Window..."No Mexicans or Dogs Allowed."
parody Bush Tells Hispanic Crowd, "Ich Bin Ein Beaner." 5:40
wizard of whimsy Bush Tells Jewish Crowd, "Ich Bin Ein Yiddisher." 5:40

tuesday, august 8

bushnews, 40 stories Bush Lead Disappears After Gore Veep Pick. 8:20
cunningham Republicans Send Welcome Wagon to Lieberman. 6:20
parody GOP Speaker Admits "Exaggerations." 6:15

monday, august 7

bushnews, 22 stories Bush Talking About Cutting Back Debates With Gore. 6:20 p.m.
bushnews, 28 stories Bush Can't Claim Credit for Reported Education Results. 8:20
tom tomorrow Where's Karl Rove When Ya' Need 'Em? 6:35

sunday, august 6

bushnews, 42 stories Powell Would Consider Cabinet Position--In Gore's Cabinet. 11:00
thadeus and weez Throw the Long Ball, Al. 8:00

saturday, august 5

bushnews, 44 stories Bush Claims in Speech Don't Meet Truth Test. 4:40
letters A Citizen from Midland, Texas Begs to Differ With Bush. 1:00
mo paul A New Kind of Elephant Gift? 12:45

friday, august 4

bushnews, 29 stories Bush Wants to "Tear Down Wall" With Vouchers, Religious Welfare. 8:20
cunningham Remember the Shouts Out of the Audience During the Quiet Moments Last Night? 6:45

tuursday, august 3

houston pollution Level Orange Ozone Warning...Unhealthy. 4:15 p.m.
bushnews, 31 more stories Tonight's Bush Speech Features Attack on Clinton, Who Is Not Running for President. 3:10
advertisement Help Us Out With a Purchase of The Boogie Blade. 10:30
bushnews, 31 stories Cheney's Gotten $3.2 Billion from Feds in Five Short Years. 9:10.
veep watch Cheney Defends Use of Chemical Weapons Over the Objections of President Bush." 8:00
wizard of whimsy Daughter Mary Comments on Daddy Dick. 8:00

wednesday, august 2

bushnews, 38 more stories Bush Lied to Us Re His Military Drug Testing. 3:20
bushnews, 33 stories Cheney Given CEO Job by Company to Which He Awarded Millions. 7:45
wizard of whimsy Colin Rallies the Troops. 5:30

tuesday, august 1

houston pollution Level Red Ozone Warning...Unhealthy. 4:15 p.m.
bushnews, 40 stories Poppy to Clinton--"Lay Off My Kid!" 2:50
bushnews, 33 stories Gays Blast Lynn Cheney's Denial of Daughter. 8:20
quote/unquote Why Dick Cheney's Wife Is Called "Mrs. Godzilla." 7:00
cunningham We're White and We're Male, But Our Height's Diversified. 7:00

Scandals... ...bush beds... coke... uncle duke... funeralgate... bushwater... secret memo... dietgate... microgate... lotterygate... awol...

OUR TAKE ON BUSH'S ISSUES

Tax Cuts...Education...Health Care...Environment...Housing...Welfare...Character Ed... Foreign Policy... Social Security...

SITE MAP

Bush Watch... Gore Watch... McCain Watch... abortion... april fool... archives... autobiography... books... brasin's beat... bush bedrooms... bush league... blacks... blurbs... bushisms ... bush speak... bush whitewater... california... catholics... cartoons... character ed... charter schools... cocaine... comedy... compassion... culture... debates'99... debates jan.... debates 2000... de lay... dirt... driver's license... drugs... education... elian... the english patient... endorsements... environment... executions... exploitation... family... faith-based institutions... faq... foreign policy... free speech... funeralgate... gays... gipper vs. dubya... guns... health care... his heart... indians... insider trading... iowa... jews... justice... latinos... letters... links... lotterygate... missing in action... media... millions... negative politics... oil-gate... our birthday... parody... pat... personality... poems... pollution... press kit... primaries... principles... quizgate... rankings... reformer... religion... st. patrick... schedule... skull... soft money... songs... taxes... texas record... tobacco... welfare... women... end...

latest columns by...Ivins... Will... Herbert... Oliphant... Krugman... Safire... Brownstein... Dowd... Conason...and...

daily briefing... ap breaking... election 2000 ... today's houston air... bush web o' wealth...

music to listen to us by... daily feed... mojotoons.com...

Bush Watch is a daily political internet magazine, a non-advocacy site paid for and edited by Politex, a non-affiliated U.S. citizen.
Based in Austin, Tx., publication began on February 1, 1998, prior to any other official or unofficial G. W. Bush site.
(c) 1998-2000 Politex. Permission of author required for reprinting. The duration of the working links is not under our control.
Bush Watch has not reviewed all of the sites linked to our site and is not responsible for the content of any off-site pages
or any other sites linked to our site. Your linking to any other off-site pages or other sites from our site is at your own risk.

Send all e-mail to Politex.