Bush makes joke about failed WMD search

[RedWoods]

President George Bush sparked a political firestorm yesterday after making what many judged a tasteless and ill-judged joke about the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Mr Bush made the joke at a black-tie event for radio and television journalists in Washington on Wednesday night.

He narrated a slide show, described as the White House election year album, making hay of the administration's reputation for secrecy and strained relations with European allies. But it was the joke about the war in Iraq that drew attacks.

A slide showed Mr Bush in the Oval office, leaning to look under a piece of furniture. "Those weapons of mass destruction have got to be here somewhere," he told the audience, drawing applause.

Another slide showed him peering into another part of the office, "Nope, no weapons over there," he said, laughing. "Maybe under here," he said, as a third slide was shown.

John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat who will fight Mr Bush for the White House said the joke displayed a "stunningly cavalier" attitude.

"If George Bush thinks his deceptive rationale for going to war is a laughing matter, then he's even more out of touch than we thought. Unfortunately for the president, this is not a joke."

He added: "585 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq in the last year, 3,354 have been wounded and there's no end in sight. George Bush sold us on going to war with Iraq based on the threat of weapons of mass destruction. But we still haven't found them, and now he thinks that's funny?"

The statement from Mr Kerry also included a comment from an Iraqi war veteran, Brad Owens.

"War is the single most serious event that a president or government can carry its people into," he said. "This cheapens the sacrifice that American soldiers and their families are dealing with every single day."

CNN viewers emailed the network to vent their anger at the joke. "How can a thinking, caring human being joke about the lies that led to body bags and broken young men and women? I was appalled," wrote one viewer. Another said: "It was tasteless and childish. It shows the true man - or child in his case."

The defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, later declined to give an opinion at a press conference. "To know what I would think, I would have to be there," he said.

Mr Bush's skit poked fun of members of the administration, including Mr Rumsfeld.

When he showed another slide, the president joked: "Oops, this photo wasn't supposed to be in here. This is the skull and bones secret signal."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1178547,00.html

[RichmondVA]

Every year the Pres to make jokes about himself at that conference and every year the President makes a joke that the other side considers no laughing matter.

That said, I think joking about a war was probably going a bit too far and certainly not very smart to do in an election year where it's pretty important votes believe you about the existence of WMD.

[Fitz]

does he want to get reelected? i doesn't sound like it to me.

although if he does get reelected, then he has proven a very powerful point. sither that or spent a lot of money buying a lot of votes.

[lawdog]

Here's (http://www.thenation.com/capitalgames/index.mhtml?bid=3&pid=1336) a pretty good opinion piece from a journalist who was there. He didn't seem amused, but apparently some of those in attendance were.

I'm sure that lots of widows, orphans, and limbless, paralyzed American soldiers and Iraqi citizens thought it was hilarious too. :rolleyes:

[daemon]

I think what we're seeing is the true nature of the man. this is all a big game to him. how can anyone honestly and truly believe that this man is helping our country?

[DudeMan]

Originally posted by lawdog
Here's (http://www.thenation.com/capitalgames/index.mhtml?bid=3&pid=1336) a pretty good opinion piece from a journalist who was there. He didn't seem amused, but apparently some of those in attendance were.

I'm sure that lots of widows, orphans, and limbless, paralyzed American soldiers and Iraqi citizens thought it was hilarious too. :rolleyes:
President Bush was poking fun at himself, not making light of the sacrifice of the troops. Was it in poor taste? I thought it was kinda funny, but humor is in the eye of the beholder.

Kinda curious that a full moon leftie like David Corn was there in the first place, yucking it up with powerful journalists while children are starving in Africa and the ozone layer is being destroyed by Halliburton?

Finally, if we stipulate that President Bush was making a cheap joke that belittled and cheapened the sacrifice of soldiers in Iraq, then you also have to agree that Kerry was similarly belittling and cheapening the sacrifice of the soldiers in Iraq by rather cynically using the opportunity to make political hay by speaking out against President Bush's remarks on the campaign trail. So, it's about even there.

[mikeatthemadfro]

Originally posted by RichmondVA
Every year the Pres to make jokes about himself at that conference and every year the President makes a joke that the other side considers no laughing matter.

That said, I think joking about a war was probably going a bit too far and certainly not very smart to do in an election year where it's pretty important votes believe you about the existence of WMD.


yeah, it was too far...

and bad timing for him.

[Bronzetree]

What you don't hear in all these press accountings is that he also closed his speech with a tribute to the troops and the job they're doing overseas.

It's plainly obvious he was poking fun at himself, not the sacrifice of those abroad. However, I do agree that it wasn't the smartest joke to make. He's done a number of things over the last coupe months that make you wonder if he's trying to throw the election, but his approval rating hasn't really wavered. Frightening that Americans are watching this knucklehead make faux pas after faux pas and they still intend to support him at the polls come November.

[RichmondVA]

Why? Maybe Kerry is genuinely concerned that the President isn't taking the war seriously enough. Kerry's not playing with their lives-- he's trying to get them out of there.

Okay, I don't believe Kerry is so heart-felt either. But both sides play the manipulation game.

My problem with this, as usual, is that Bush either doesn't have a clue or doesn't care about how he or America appear to others.

Yes, there's a bit of mud-slinging go on. No, I don't believe that Bush isn't so cold-hearted he thinks people dying is funny. But with a minimal amount of thought, you could have figured out that the WMD joke was a bit in poor taste, or at least could be offensive to the families of those that have died. So why say it?

[Bronzetree]

Originally posted by RichmondVA
So why say it?

Because he apparently doesn't have an internal shut-the-fuck-up-ometer, or at the very least somebody talking in his ear saying, "Dude, I don't think that'd be smart."

[Smoker29]

Sure, the President was poking fun at himself.

I think we here on the WOXY boards know better than most that you have to find humor in everything. Humor is the great healer. I think it shows a lot about a person when they're able to poke fun at themselves. Sure, it's OK for everybody else in the world to poke fun at Bush, but when the man himself does it, it's wrong? Give me a break.

I don't even know why I argue, because both sides use the same tactics. Man, the older I get, the more I despise politics.

[classicgrrl]

Originally posted by Smoker29
Man, the older I get, the more I despise politics.

yep.

[RichmondVA]

I think it's okay for Bush to make fun of himself. That's traditionally what's done at the press club function.

I don't think he views Iraq as a joke, and I think his salute to the troops was genuine-- if for no other reason than conservatives are generally more pro-military and also the fact that he sent them there and feels some obligation.

But there's just some things you don't joke about. War being one of them. If he had made fun of something he did during 9/11 that would also be in poor taste.

I don't know if it's okay for other countries to laugh at us or not. But it's not okay for other countries to get the impression that you are a buffon or insensitive. Just not good diplomacy especially when nothing is at stake.

I'm with Bronzetree on this one. I don't think Bush's joke makes him an evil bastard (or at least not more than before :p). But the fact that he apparently doesn't know when to shut up and makes such silly gaffes does make me wonder whether I really want this guy leading me.

[The Mad Hater]

democrats take any opportunity they can to be offended or appalled by the President's actions. it's politics. I don't think it was that big of a deal. to me it was a reassurance to his supporters. we righties are wondering where the hell these weapons are, too. I thought it was funny, for him at least. he was letting his supporters know that he hasn't forgotten what all this was about in the first place, and because it's an awkward situation between Bush and Republicans/war supporters, he made light of it. it's natural.

[RichmondVA]

Yeah, but see you "righties" have been insisting all along the WMD are obviously there.

Don't even try to front. If Kerry made some joke or comment about how Bush found no WMD you'd be all up in arms. When Bush does it, it's cool?

Look, I'll play fair. Any GOP supporter that wants to step and say they never gave a crap about WMD and didn't care whether we found them or not, step up now.

Anyone who backed Bush's stance that of course there were WMD, and now he's making fun of that statement and you still back him-- well, you look like tools. And yes, I will be checking your back messages and you can check mine.

[AngelV]

C-SPAN has footage from the dinner on their website. Watch here (rtsp://video.c-span.org/15days/e032404_dinner.rm)

The "skit" starts at 29:30 into the footage.

This will also air on C-SPAN TV tonight at 8pm (Eastern).

[Duemellon]

well, after seeing it in concext it is stupid. Cute and all. Nah, I don't take incredible offense at it. Politicians sure ain't funny.

yeah, the Dems are working too hard to get upset about something.

[mikeatthemadfro]

I would just like to see diplomacy in the white house...

a leader who people across the globe look at with respect and might work out compromises to make the world a bit safer that's all...

that's the biggest problem with joking the way he did, it affects people around the world.

[JSpaceman]

Originally posted by AngelV

The "skit" starts at 29:30 into the footage.



Wow, it's like a really unfunny version of Dennis Miller's "Big Screen..." :rolleyes:

[The Mad Hater]

Originally posted by RichmondVA
Yeah, but see you "righties" have been insisting all along the WMD are obviously there.

Don't even try to front. If Kerry made some joke or comment about how Bush found no WMD you'd be all up in arms. When Bush does it, it's cool?

Look, I'll play fair. Any GOP supporter that wants to step and say they never gave a crap about WMD and didn't care whether we found them or not, step up now.

Anyone who backed Bush's stance that of course there were WMD, and now he's making fun of that statement and you still back him-- well, you look like tools. And yes, I will be checking your back messages and you can check mine.


chillllll. I insist only that they existed. have they been destroyed? have they been hidden? I don't know. I do know that there was ample time, during attempts at diplomacy and UN intervention, to do either.

don't even try to put words in my mouth, or thoughts in my head. I couldn't give a shit less what Kerry says or does, and until he's elected President I won't care. if Kerry were to joke about WMD's not being found, I would be just as un-offended as I am about Bush's comments.

if you're going to attack my opinions, don't be so presumptuous. you don't know me.