Except for ABC, Media Ignore George W. Bush's Mountain Bike Ride with Wounded War Veterans
If a 64-year-old former U.S. president rode 100 kilometers in the desert with more than a dozen wounded military veterans to raise awareness of and money for veterans charities, would it make headlines?
You'd think it would, but it didn't.
On Monday, April 18, the George W. Bush Presidential Center announced that the former commander-in-chief would ride with "fourteen United States servicemen and women who were seriously wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan" in a 100-kilometer mountain bike ride on April 25-27 in the Big Bend National Park:
The W100 will highlight the courage of US troops who have served their country honorably during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. It will also herald the significant contributions of organizations that support these heroes and their families while they are gone and when they return home. Organizations represented on the ride include the Challenged Athletes Foundation, Ride 2 Recovery, World T.E.A.M. Sports and the Wounded Warrior Project.
The bike ride will serve as the inaugural event of the Social Enterprise initiative of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. The Social Enterprise initiative highlights the work of those who find innovative ways to help others.
Yet despite the newsworthiness of the trek, it seems the mainstream media has all but ignored it, save for ABC News's George Stephanopoulos.
A search of Nexis transcripts found no mentions of the bike ride either CBS or NBC news programming. A search of "major newspapers" found no mention in the Washington Post or New York Times.
It seems even major Texas newspapers gave little coverage to the event.
For example, the Houston Chronicle simply ran a photograph and brief caption on page A2 of the April 27 edition:
Former President George W. Bush leads 14 servicemen and women wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan - including former Army Sgt. Bryce Cole of the Houston area - on Monday, the first day of the W100k mountain bike in Big Bend Ranch State Park. The purpose of the race is to show the bravery and strength of wounded veterans.
- Ken Shepherd's blog
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Comments
On the other hand, he doesn't
Submitted by Saint Zero on Fri, 04/29/2011 - 3:38pm.
On the other hand, he doesn't seem to have been bothered by idiots. Could be a plus being ignored in these uncertain times.
True. Although I suspect the
Submitted by Ken Shepherd on Fri, 04/29/2011 - 3:54pm.
True. Although I suspect the first major charity event Obama does as ex-president will be given full fanfare.
Ken..
Submitted by Gary Hall on Fri, 04/29/2011 - 4:05pm.
He'll be given full fanfare as an ex-president simply for getting out of bed in the morning. After all, he's had so much to deal with, he really needed the break.
(;~/ gary
he really needed the break, poor thing, sigh
Submitted by russedav on Sat, 04/30/2011 - 11:26am.
Oh truly he did. This is probably his 57th vacation in two years, the dear thing. All those wearying golf games can be hard on a guy, that strenuous workout, take it right out of him. Why if ol' Pelosi and Reid (both age 71) hadn't done all that burdensome legislative interference fo' the poh little guy (age 49) he'd have just died from exhaustion picking up that phone!
Gag! The party of asses; I was a Dem before I grew up to be an independent Washingtonian, rejecting political parties as he did: see http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Washington%27s_Farewell_Address#20 (paragraphs 20-25).
It can never be overstated that had Washington not been our founding President there's real reason to believe our republic could not have survived, especially thanks to his changing his mind to run for a second term without which there would have been unimaginably anarchic annihilation for those who know the unbelievably tumultuous nature of the times (the endless butchery, rapidly shifting loyalties and countless beheadings of the 1789 French Revolution were from this period). Thank God for this awesome Founder He appointed to save us!
Obama
Submitted by Tugboat Phil on Fri, 04/29/2011 - 4:13pm.
thinks Charity begins with a 1040 form.
Do you mean that The Dear
Submitted by Chris Norman on Fri, 04/29/2011 - 10:04pm.
Do you mean that The Dear Leader will one day be an "ex-president"? Oh, happy day. Although, I suspect there are many liberals out there hoping that his future title will be "President-for-Life".
Ken
Submitted by grundoon on Sat, 04/30/2011 - 3:48am.
You apparently don't know much about liberals, particularly this one. He won't be bothered with doing any charitable events when he's out of office. Read "Who Really Cares" by Arthur Brooks. To liberals, "charity" is the governments job.
LSM, more like TMZ
Submitted by Tomorama on Fri, 04/29/2011 - 4:34pm.
Well, with the Lindsay Lohan, Charlie Sheen fiasco, Donald Trump and his hair and the royals wedding there was no time for anything but TMZ news all week.
Christ, Mooooochelle spoke at a school for Bring your child to school day and it was all over my local news.
Someone doing something for the troops and the someone being Booooooooosh, nah, nothing to see here.
Say, was that one of the Kardashians over there, GET THE CAMERAS, GET THE CAMERAS.........
Bike riders: You make the call...
Submitted by MidAmerica on Fri, 04/29/2011 - 7:49pm.
GWB
BHO
MA
Submitted by well99 on Fri, 04/29/2011 - 9:22pm.
Are those training wheels on the back of the Chosen One bike?
He's not in the Bush league
Submitted by MidAmerica on Fri, 04/29/2011 - 10:37pm.
If I remember right he has one of his daughters behind him on a trail-a-bike. I'm a long time cyclist and when I see obama riding I just cringe. He's fit to the bike all wrong and has his feet positioned like a real novice. I thought maybe the picture I linked above was perhaps an impromptu fluke until I found another picture of him riding in Martha's Vineyard and in it he again shows his lack of cycling knowledge. He rides like a nerd.
Hmm...Obama: Lousy cyclist,
Submitted by Jer on Sat, 04/30/2011 - 3:09am.
Hmm...Obama: Lousy cyclist, lousy POTUS.
Bush: Outstanding cyclist, lousy POTUS.
Is is fair then to conclude there is absolutely no correlation between cycling skills and presidential performance?
Jer
C'mon, Jer---
Submitted by matthewdean on Sat, 04/30/2011 - 4:17am.
When have liberals ever concluded anything as being even remotely fair when it came to Bush; in office, or now?
MD
Hey jer...
Submitted by MidAmerica on Sat, 04/30/2011 - 7:31am.
I wasn't making any correlation between his presidential skills and his biking skills. I just think if he is going to do something like biking in public he should at least have someone show him the basics so he doesn't look foolish.
I know, MidAmerican...
Submitted by Jer on Sat, 04/30/2011 - 3:54pm.
just kidding around with ya.
Jer
Come on, Jer,
Submitted by UpNorth on Sat, 04/30/2011 - 7:16pm.
the TOTUS rides a bike, like he throws a baseball. NO athleticism, at all.
Well, UpNorth...I guess that settles it.
Submitted by Jer on Sun, 05/01/2011 - 6:38pm.
Impeach the bastard! ;-)
Jer
Jer
Submitted by well99 on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 4:44pm.
If your going to impeach him do it for this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcSIwBWiPoU&feature=related
Have to agree with you, well99...
Submitted by Jer on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 5:16pm.
If I voted my conscience, it would be "Obama, you're outta here!" Embarrassingly lame.
Jer
MA
Submitted by well99 on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 4:46pm.
lol nice one...
Fly
Submitted by grammajane on Fri, 04/29/2011 - 8:33pm.
But all the evening bias news reported "The One" when he swapped a fly off his nose. That, of couse wouldn't compare to Bush caring for and respecting the GREAT MILITARY
This is not the time.
Submitted by pbthinker on Fri, 04/29/2011 - 11:55pm.
You just can't go around making George Bush look good, Barack is still going to have to bash him to win the next election and you'll make it too hard to bash a nice guy. The press knows this and they know what their job is.
Oh, I can't wait
Submitted by HockeyKid on Sun, 05/01/2011 - 6:35pm.
if Odumbo's handlers encourage him to frame the GOP candidate in 2012 as "Bush all over again"! At this point, America is longing for the days of Bush every time they go to the gas pump.
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
yeh well
Submitted by Patriot II on Sat, 04/30/2011 - 10:50am.
If oblahma "ran over" vets, the media would say he was creating jobs!! You gullible idiots!!!
androgynous males preferred... except
Submitted by wizardjr on Sat, 04/30/2011 - 11:27am.
when they're Russian.
Did you notice how helmet boy was given plenty of free photo space and so was Putin? Yet President Bush out using a chain saw, or swining an ax, or riding a horse (without a helmet) got page 37 below the fold, if ever.
BTW, has helmet boy graduated from a girl's bike yet? Or is he too worried about his non-existent man berries?
funny how this good man-who i question-
Submitted by JIMMY1660 on Mon, 05/02/2011 - 4:53pm.
does things without fanfare.
GWB is was a progressive like his daddy.
however he has a good heart and for the most part loves America.
BHO has followed GWB every move-and gets a big round of A+-GWB was always fighting for D-