The country awoke to surprising news that President George W. Bush had flown off to visit Iraq in a sort of farewell tour of the place that drove his presidency. With an early report, Reuters gave a few backhanded slaps at Bush that we are sure to see grow throughout the Old Media as the day progresses.
In its very first sentence, Reuters reminded us all, as if we didn't already know, that the war in Iraq is the "unpopular Iraq war" that Bush has bequeathed to Barack Obama. Even as the war has rebounded in approval ratings among the American people over the last year, Reuters is still stuck on portraying the war as troubled.
President George W. Bush made an unannounced farewell visit to Baghdad on Sunday, just weeks before he leaves office and bequeaths the unpopular Iraq war to President-elect Barack Obama.
Later on, Reuters gives us this gem of a non-sequitur.
The brief visit was meant to showcase recent security gains in Iraq but was also a stark reminder of how heavily the war will weigh on the Republican president's foreign policy legacy.
How this visit serves as a "stark reminder of how heavily the war will weigh on the Republican president's foreign policy legacy" is unclear except in the minds of those that insist on coupling this visit with their own thoughts on Bush's foreign policy legacy.
Next, Reuters unleashes what is not quite a truthful exposition of the facts.
It will now be left to Obama, a Democrat and early opponent of U.S. military involvement in Iraq, to sort out an exit strategy after he takes office on January 20.
This is not necessarily so. Obama could easily simply allow the already agreed upon withdrawal to occur and do nothing else. It is NOT necessarily "left to Obama" to figure out how to remove U.S. troops from Iraq because there is already an agreement between the U.S. and Iraq in place.
Now, Obama can certainly attempt to revisit this agreement, but it is NOT "left to Obama" to create one.
A little farther down in the article, I was struck on how this piece refutes its own earlier statement. Remember above where I note that the piece says that this visit "was also a stark reminder of how heavily the war will weigh on the Republican president's foreign policy legacy"? Well, close to the end we get the following:
U.S. Gen. David Petraeus said last week that violence in Iraq in the past few weeks had fallen to its lowest level since mid-2003 and that security gains, while still at risk of reversal, were less fragile than before. Car bombings and suicide blasts are still common.
Wait a minute. If things are so incredibly better, how will this "weigh heavily" on Bush? It would seem rather the opposite if the facts are considered. In fact, since it seems such a success at this time, it should rather vindicate Bush, not "weigh heavily" on his legacy, wouldn't you say?
Yes, this is just the earliest of many such Old Media attacks as Bush makes his last victory lap around Iraq today. Expect many more to come.
(Photo credit: The New York Times)
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December 14, 2008 - 10:52 ET by iveseenitallThe song from the play "Wicked" is P-O-P-U-L-A-R-I-T-Y. That's the main thing to these immature, adolescent "liberals". Our personal safety and the fight for freedom from oppression mean nothing to these fools.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
MSM Lexicon
December 14, 2008 - 11:00 ET by northoneThe current lexicon used by the MSM. It doesn't matter what the story is.
Bush bad. Obama wonderful.
Bush a moron. Obama an intellectual.
Bush a pawn. Obama a leader.
Bush = pessimism. Obama = hope and opportunity.
Bush inept. Obama skilled and adept.
And in a few short weeks
December 14, 2008 - 11:05 ET by sublight68And in a few short weeks the war will be relabled as a startling success as Obama is given credit for bringing peace to the region and establishing a democratic foothold in the middle east.
History reboots January 20.
Fantastic analysis! And
December 14, 2008 - 11:30 ET by motherbeltFantastic analysis! And not just because I was just thinking the same thing.
Don't forget that Clinton
December 14, 2008 - 12:39 ET by kgDon't forget that Clinton turned around the whole economy less than a week after getting sworn in even though nothing changed.
"Forget change, I want improvement!"
Yup, and he'll get the Nobel
December 14, 2008 - 12:06 ET by Dave DYup, and he'll get the Nobel prize for it. Actually given that they announce it in October I'm thinking they'll wait until 2012 to help in his re-election campaign.(Of course it'll be hard on them, the committee really wants to give it to him next year but you know, helping him get relected is more important.) You heard it here first.
The AssPress' Jennifer
December 14, 2008 - 12:06 ET by semolina_filcherThe AssPress' Jennifer Loven's take on this is more of the BDS variety..."remarkably unpopular, lack of WMD evidence, on and on.." instead of recognizing the fact that her and millions of other American families have largely remained safe from further terrorism attacks under Dubya.
Reid's legacy
December 14, 2008 - 12:08 ET by acumen"The decision to land in broad daylight reflected confidence that Baghdad was more secure this time than in Bush's last visit to the capital in 2006 when sectarian violence was raging."
2006. Wasn't that around the time Senate Leader Harry Reid D-efeat proclaimed to the world we had lost the Iraq war?
That was April 20,
December 14, 2008 - 14:23 ET by motherbeltThat was April 20, 2007.
Listen to Dingy Harry bragging that he told "George Bush" what he needed to hear, not what he wanted to hear.
Good thing "George Bush" didn't listen to you, Harry!
But now we know
December 14, 2008 - 13:46 ET by 10ksnookerObama lies
He isn't very good at it
He will do anything and say anything, to please the audience that is there at the time.Yet has no intention of doing what he says when he says it. In other words, a pathological liar.
He is also not very good at 'thinking', brain too small. errr, uhhh, ummm -- what did you say?
I also think he is much happier 'being President' than he is 'doing President' -- Like all tyrannical dictators throughout history.
Pay to play, it's the Obama thug way.
Bush Visit Swiped by MSM
December 14, 2008 - 14:25 ET by 1611LilacLadyI voted for the Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin.
Final tally of 3rd Party votes on Election Day '08
swiped isn't the right word.
December 14, 2008 - 16:33 ET by mizflame98Apparently an Iraqi journalist decided to express his opinion of Pres. Bush. I have a feeling that he's not going to come out of this with just a slap on the wrist.
Perfect Demotivator for the Obama Administration
http://www.despair.com/government.html
If that shoe had been thrown at the Messiah in America
December 14, 2008 - 18:41 ET by Jnoble...the MSM wouldn't have found it so amusing. In fact, they would have taken it upon themselves to parachute lawyers and journalists into that guy's neighborhood to root through his trash and personal history and maybe even see if someone in his family tree had ever voted for a Republican before having him drawn and quartered
What I would like to do
December 14, 2008 - 21:35 ET by BobAnthonyIs through my shoe AT EVERY MEMBER OF THE CORPORATE FASCIST MEDIA FOR THEIR CLEAR SUPPORT OF A MAN WHO ISN'T EVEN QUALIFIED TO BE PRESIDENT!
For the record, I am NOT RECOGNIZING BARRACK HUSSEIN OBAMA ODINGA AS
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES! I would like to become part of a
secession front!
I too have declared him NOT
December 14, 2008 - 21:38 ET by Clear thinkerI too have declared him NOT MY PRESIDENT!
Eco-Hippies Cry Over Dead Tree
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
I think I'm going to set up a BARRKY FACE DART BOARD
December 14, 2008 - 18:59 ET by Jaykein my basement. In the spirit of reaching across the isle I feel compelled to show as much disrespect to the democRAT president as they have to President Bush. I will always call him BARRKY to show how much contempt I hold for him. He will most definitely NOT be the president of all. History will show him to be the biggest FRAUD to ever make it to the White House.
Jayke...Barky works for
December 14, 2008 - 19:14 ET by bigtimerJayke...
Barky works for me...not sure about the correct spelling, but I was listening to Tammy Bruce's show the other morning...and that is what she calls him too.
I will not address him as Prez until I believe he is a legal citizen of this country.
Period.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
I spell it BARRKY in honor of his grandmother
December 14, 2008 - 19:28 ET by Jaykewho was "silenced" before she could tell the world where he was really born and who his real father is. She called him Barry. I think Tammy just uses one R. But, hey, disrespect is disrespect no matter how you spell it.
Hey Jayke... I'm going to go
December 14, 2008 - 19:36 ET by bigtimerHey Jayke...
I'm going to go back and edit my comment above...
I hope all who know me, know I meant I WILL NOT address him as Prez...until...
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
The War is Over - kinda
December 14, 2008 - 19:50 ET by astonrickenbachWar in Iraq ends for International Forces 11-28-2008
http://www.timesonli...
Anybody see this picked up in the US Media?
Bush getting mushy?
December 14, 2008 - 20:56 ET by nkviking75Anyone catch the Washington Post article by Dan Eggen today? (Hat tip to Drudge.) Apparently the President is getting all soft and sentimental, talking a lot about love and his faith. Eggen quotes a Harvard psychologist who claims that Bush is hiding his failues behind religious language:
"Having failed by every secular standard, Bush is trying to convince
the remaining people who will listen that he has succeeded by an
inscrutable divine one," [Steven] Pinker said in an e-mail, adding: "These are,
no doubt, the emotions he's feeling, but it also can't hurt to frame
his presidency in touchy-feely terms rather than a hardnosed accounting
of successes and failures."
Welcome to the era of unity, you racist!
Here Is The AP Attack
December 15, 2008 - 04:29 ET by KalihiwaiBeachhttp://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081215/ap_on_re_as/bush
Bush: Iraq war is not over, more work ahead
By JENNIFER LOVEN, AP White House Correspondent Jennifer Loven, Ap White House Correspondent
her key points:
the whole 1st paragraph - specifically: "reminder of his unpopularity"
then a few lines about his near size 10 shoe disaster that "thudded against the wall behind him" [dammit she thought] & how he is dancing around the Mideast spreading the word that victory is on its way however:
"In many ways, the unannounced trip was a victory lap without a clear victory."
and REMEMBER:
"Polls show most Americans believe the U.S. erred in invading Iraq in 2003. Bush ordered the nation into war against Saddam Hussein's Iraq while citing intelligence claiming the Mideast nation harbored weapons of mass destruction. The weapons were never found, the intelligence was discredited, and Bush's credibility with U.S. voters plummeted."
opinionated isnt she? she didnt hear about the yellowcake Canada bought from us transported from the warzone - or did she?
Please critique the rest as you guys are the pros
The last sentence pointing out how the WH "released false schedules detailing activities planned for Bush in Washington on Sunday." is classic.
Aloha from a soggy Hawaii
Mark