Audience member to Bush: “I hope you have the humility to be ashamed of yourself.”
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Uh-oh. Looks like someone told the Emperor he has no clothes:
A man who identified himself as Harry Taylor rose at a forum [in Charlotte, NC] to tell Bush that he's never felt more ashamed of the leadership of his country. He said Bush has asserted his right to tap phone calls without a warrant, to arrest people and hold them without charges and to revoke a woman's right to an abortion, among other things.I don't care how resolute Bush sounded, this exchange was bad, bad, bad for a President with a 36% approval rating.He was booed by the audience, but Bush interrupted and urged the audience to let Taylor finish.
"I feel like despite your rhetoric, that compassion and common sense have been left far behind during your administration," Taylor said, standing in a balcony seat and looking down at Bush on stage. "And I would hope from time to time that you have the humility and grace to be ashamed of yourself."
Bush defended the National Security Adminsitration's surveillance program, saying he authorized the program to protect the country.
"You said would I apologize for that?" Bush told him. "The answer is absolutely not."
heard the exchange on the Ed Schultz show. Bush sounded so utterly out of touch, went directly to the talking points and defiant at the end. Humility is not in his vocabulary.
Honestly, The only leader I've heard so defiant lately was Saddam Hussein at his trial.
I had a little different take. I thought Bush sounded controlled and even magnanimous – before going to the talking points.
I also don’t think that what the man said hurts Bush much. The story of Bush’s shameful presidency is out now (thanks, partly, to the dogged work of people like you) and the public gets it, by and large. Only the drooling (36%) base is impervious to the reality of it, conditioned to respond to only the GOP bell. The boos (and cheers, and money, and rhetoric) tell you that even if Bush betrayed the American people and the Constitution (as if), his approval with that group is independent of his conduct or character.
This looks bad for the press. The traditional press is now, officially, being led by the public at large.
Yep, it's official:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002313066