[bestcigsnick]

Not the piece I was expecting... A very interesting piece, though.


Patrick Bibb, a 19-year-old from Dallas, glanced at his cell phone. He was in the middle of his economics class at Texas Christian University on a February morning. His caller ID read withheld. He decided not to answer. When class ended, he checked his messages and found that George W. Bush had been trying to reach him.
The sophomore listened to the voice mail. He heard the former president of the United States thank him at least four times. Bush was happy that the teenager had been selling welcome home george & laura signs for $20 to people all over Bush's neighborhood in Texas. "I hope this message is sufficient" to show appreciation, Bibb heard Bush say. Bibb dutifully listened, hung up and went to his other classes.

Bibb, a budding entrepreneur, had decided to make and sell the signs after he learned that the former president would be moving close to his parents' house. The placards went up all around the exclusive Preston Hollow neighborhood in North Dallas, which is studded with homes worth $5 million to $20 million. Bibb used some of the profits to pay his tuition and decided to donate the rest to a nearby elementary school.
He settled into accounting class. His phone rang again. Bibb decided to pick up. "Excuse me, I need to go to talk to the president," Bibb wisecracked to a pal as he left the room. It was Bush again.
He began thanking Bibb, repeatedly, for making the signs. Bibb listened patiently. He didn't mean to be rude, but he finally said: "I'm really sorry, Mr. President. I'm in the middle of class." He needed to get off the phone. Bush replied: "No problem, that's where you're supposed to be."
Weeks later, the undergraduate was still wondering about his chat with the man who, only a short time ago, was arguably the most powerful man on the planet. "I had just wanted him to know that people still cared about him, despite the public-opinion polls," says Bibb.

Full story: http://www.newsweek.com/id/197811/page/1

[triardwonvada]

I think I vomited a little in my mouth.

I couldn't read more than 2 or 3 pages.
Is this article trying to draw sympathy for the man?
sad.

[bestcigsnick]

I think I vomited a little in my mouth.

I couldn't read more than 2 or 3 pages.
Is this article trying to draw sympathy for the man?
sad.

Sad is the word I would use, but in a different way. It's like the guy is lost. Like he has been defeated by opinion polls. Like he has no interest in defending his legacy... Unless perhaps it wasn't really HIS legacy...

Which may explain why Dick Cheney is the one doing all of the interviews.

I just thought it was a really intriguing piece. And yes, a little sad. I think he's a man living with regret. But I have no evidence of that. Just my feeling.

[Effopsytupt]

Yes. Regret that the Presidential term is only 8 years.

[Zpxbawtz]

Sad is the word I would use, but in a different way. It's like the guy is lost. Like he has been defeated by opinion polls. Like he has no interest in defending his legacy... Unless perhaps it wasn't really HIS legacy...

Which may explain why Dick Cheney is the one doing all of the interviews.

I just thought it was a really intriguing piece. And yes, a little sad. I think he's a man living with regret. But I have no evidence of that. Just my feeling.

He has a lot to be regretful about.....

[mvjvz]

Sad is the word I would use, but in a different way. It's like the guy is lost. Like he has been defeated by opinion polls. Like he has no interest in defending his legacy... Unless perhaps it wasn't really HIS legacy...

Which may explain why Dick Cheney is the one doing all of the interviews.

I just thought it was a really intriguing piece. And yes, a little sad. I think he's a man living with regret. But I have no evidence of that. Just my feeling.

BINGO!!

[lopesmili]

Sad is the word I would use, but in a different way. It's like the guy is lost. Like he has been defeated by opinion polls. Like he has no interest in defending his legacy... Unless perhaps it wasn't really HIS legacy...

Which may explain why Dick Cheney is the one doing all of the interviews.

I just thought it was a really intriguing piece. And yes, a little sad. I think he's a man living with regret. But I have no evidence of that. Just my feeling.

I think Cheney is doing all the interviews to sell his book. Cheney, as usual, seems to be the more ambitious of the two.

I don't know about regret. I think he's just tired of all the complexities involved with government. I think he's a relatively simple man who wants to go back to a relatively simple life. (BTW, I don't mean "simple" as in stupid.)

[UnmariKam]

Sad is the word I would use, but in a different way. It's like the guy is lost. Like he has been defeated by opinion polls. Like he has no interest in defending his legacy... Unless perhaps it wasn't really HIS legacy...

Which may explain why Dick Cheney is the one doing all of the interviews.

I just thought it was a really intriguing piece. And yes, a little sad. I think he's a man living with regret. But I have no evidence of that. Just my feeling.

I wish I had never watched Oliver Stone's W. I've felt sorry for him ever since. I think it actually upset me when the Obama inauguration crowd sang "Na Na Hey Hey" as he walked to Marine One.

It's like one gigantic tragedy. And not just his story, but the fact that the American people allowed someone of such unfathomable ineptitude run this country for 8 years.

He may be gone, but his legacy is far from over. We'll be paying the price, both literally because of the exorbitant wartime spending, and from the standpoint of foreign and domestic policy, for the rest of my lifetime. Of that I have no doubt.

[sleelverrex]

For much of the last year I was of two minds about Bush. I didn't vote for him, I can't say I ever really liked him, and I disagreed with a lot of his policies, but at the end I began to really feel sorry for him. I agree with Charlie that in a lot of ways he seems like a simple man. The guy fighting for his father's affection, but even winning the presidency, he was still kind of the screw up. I've never thought thinking it was the right thing was good enough reason for him to make all of the decisions he did, but I generally do believe he thought it was the best decision he could make. And more and more it sounds like his advisers used that to their advantage. On the other hand, overspent on the budget during years of growth, made difficult relationships with countries abroad and he committed war crimes. I am outraged that it happened, but at this point I don't think I can muster the ability to be angry at him that it happened.

I think it is probably difficult for anyone to adjust to life after the presidency, but I can see why he has particular trouble. (Also, I am not a fan, but I would have totally cut class (or now work) to have a conversation with him...)

I wish I had never watched Oliver Stone's W. I've felt sorry for him ever since. I think it actually upset me when the Obama inauguration crowd sang "Na Na Hey Hey" as he walked to Marine One.

I haven't had a chance to see the movie yet, but I seem to remember that he also had to leave early because one of his stops had a massive pile of shoes that people had thrown in the streets to show their displeasure at him.

[lopesmili]

(Also, I am not a fan, but I would have totally cut class (or now work) to have a conversation with him...)

Most definitely! I thought that was bizarre.