CNN had Laura Bush on today and the former First Lady weighed in on Obama's speech to public school students [full text of Obama’s speech here]. Here is what Laura Bush had to say:
"I think there is a place for the president ... to talk to schoolchildren and encourage" them, she said. Parents should follow his example and "encourage their own children to stay in school and to study hard and to try to achieve the dream that they have."
Bush indicated that she didn't think it was fair for Obama to be labeled a "socialist" by critics and expressed her disappointment with the intensely polarized nature of contemporary American politics.
Part of the reason for the polarization, she said, was the increase in the number of congressional districts dominated by either strongly conservative or liberal voters.
"We've seen that for the last eight years, certainly, and we're still seeing it," she said. "That's just a fact of life."
Bush conceded that after her husband was elected president, he was unable to replicate his success as governor of Texas in reaching across the aisle to Democrats.
"He was disappointed that that was not the way it worked out in Washington," she said. "I'm sure President Obama didn't expect it to be that way [either]. ... All of us need to do what we can to come together on issues."
Laura Bush is correct about that there is a place for the president to talk to schoolchildren. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I do think future presidents should make addresses to children on television where they can be viewed at home with their parents. Presidents addressing students at school away from parental supervision opens the door for politically motivated teachers to indoctrinate and the Department of Education’s original lesson plan made it easier for them to do just that. This is the issue that Laura Bush misses.
For a real world example of teachers pushing an agenda, take a look at Adrienne Ross of Motivation: Truth blog. She details the not so subtle Obama push that went on at her school during the campaign season.
Laura Bush’s comments on Obama as a socialist and her bemoaning the lack of bipartisanship, pretty much echoes why her husband got tarred and feathered by the left over the last 8 years. The left had zero interest in being bipartisan with the Bush administration. It was in the left’s political interest to oppose Bush at every turn and thus they went about accusing him of every problem the nation faced both real and imagined. It was the Bush administration’s “take the high road at all cost” attitude that allowed so much of its agenda to be undermined. From Laura Bush’s remarks, they still have not learned their lesson.
Via: Memeorandum
Via: CNN
Via: Hot Air
H/T: Motivation Truth
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4 comments:
Clifton, I have to disagree with you on this one a little bit. With much love of course! According to most conservatives, Bush didn't see a piece of legislation he didn't like. He reached across the aisle too much for the comfort of most on the right. I think Laura's comments are appropriate. She is not a spokesperson for the republican party and is not a politician. I do think there are positions like being the first lady, where it is all about diplomacy. Someone has to be Switzerland and it doesn't bother me that she has taken on that role. Not everyone in public life has to take a contentious side. Sometimes there are no sides for people who just want to make a difference, and this is clearly the philosophy of Laura Bush.
As for the speech, I sent my son to school and told him to be respectful. This is life, he may as well learn now how to express himself and learn to listen to those with whom we disagree. We will have a dialog about it as a family and reaffirm our values. I have faith in my son to be intelligent enough to separate our value system from the one Obama is trying to portray. Conservatives going crazy over every little thing, like this speech, is soooo like a democrat. At some point we have to pick our battles better and say, great! tell the kids to stay and school and work hard, cool message, now back to that worthless health care bill. Just a thought. :)N
Nikki, I have to disagree with you a bit on your counter argument. Sure Laura Bush is playing diplomat, but the left aren't diplomatic. You miss the point that the democrats had no interest in being biparisan no matter what Bush put on the table and he pretty much signed anything and everything that came his way including their own leftist agenda. His response to his unpopularity with the left was to over extend his hand and earned the disdain from that right. Had he been eligible to run for a 3rd term, he would had lost badly because by then he disillusioned so many voters that nobody wanted to touch him. Just look at the Republian senators that did nothing to further his agenda because it would mean certain defeat at the next election which happened anyways (every single Republican lost). Playing diplomat didn't work with the left and it never will. The left are as radical as they come and they don't care about biparisonship, socialist agenda even, or the health of the body politics. They only care about the party and nothing else and that's why Laura Bush and most likely her husband still haven't learned their lesson even thought Bush did more for liberal causes than any other predsident (still early with BO), they still hate him simply because he didn't have D next to his name.
madmath1, I think you just repeated what I said. Bush was too friendly to the left and it was a mistake...BUT what makes us all think that Laura is a republican?? She is pro-choice and very moderate on a lot of issues. Just because she is married to George does not make her a slave to the party. I have never bought her as a republican. Supportive to George, yes, a republican, I doubt it. There is no loyalty for the party from Laura IMO. So her diplomacy may just be towards us conservatives. But I do agree, don't appease the rabid lefties. It was a big mistake for George, no argument there. :)N
Nikki:
You are always free to disagree on ABC, Nikki. I do disagree with you on a few points.
1. You are correct that sometime one must play Switzerland. However on certain issues, the Democrats are playing death match and Republicans are still playing by the Marquis of Queenbury rules. That will get their teeth bashed in. Obama is a straight up socialist and it doesn't do anyone any good pretending he is not.
2. Obama's speech to children was never the issue, it was what teachers and the Dept of Ed was up to that was the problem.
3. Your solution to the problem is correct. Family discussion! Get YOUR values in there.
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