Comments on: 10 Take Aways From the Bush Years http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/01/10-take-aways-from-the-bush-years/ Macro Perspective on the Capital Markets, Economy, Geopolitics, Technology, and Digital Media Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:08:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: bondjel http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/01/10-take-aways-from-the-bush-years/comment-page-1/#comment-142158 bondjel Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:44:59 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=17165#comment-142158 I've lost respect for Bob Woodward over his opportunistic coverage of the Bush administration. He certainly seemed to lean toward a positive view of the Admin in his earliest books, when it was fashionable to do so. Woodward seems more concerned about maintaining his reputation and staying close to the consensus so as not to alienate too many readers. He went on a very long time insisting that there was no there there in the Valerie Plame case, long after it was clear to many others that something of importance had occurred. I’ve lost respect for Bob Woodward over his opportunistic coverage of the Bush administration. He certainly seemed to lean toward a positive view of the Admin in his earliest books, when it was fashionable to do so. Woodward seems more concerned about maintaining his reputation and staying close to the consensus so as not to alienate too many readers. He went on a very long time insisting that there was no there there in the Valerie Plame case, long after it was clear to many others that something of importance had occurred.

]]> By: highside http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/01/10-take-aways-from-the-bush-years/comment-page-1/#comment-142150 highside Wed, 28 Jan 2009 09:35:04 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=17165#comment-142150 Sorry people but if you want to understand how all Presidents, Prime Ministers etc of any political colour operate you need to read Niccolò Machiavelli. People don't like what he had to say (funny how people never want to hear about the real world) but the reason "The Prince" is still going strong after 500 years is he hit the nail square on the head. Sorry people but if you want to understand how all Presidents, Prime Ministers etc of any political colour operate you need to read Niccolò Machiavelli. People don’t like what he had to say (funny how people never want to hear about the real world) but the reason “The Prince” is still going strong after 500 years is he hit the nail square on the head.

]]> By: Blackhalo http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/01/10-take-aways-from-the-bush-years/comment-page-1/#comment-142104 Blackhalo Wed, 28 Jan 2009 04:15:25 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=17165#comment-142104 "I’ve no idea whether his presidency is going to be a success but you could hardly say this is an “average” guy." Some men are more average than others. O' taking down Clinton was quite a feat IMHO beyond his other accomplishments. I for one have low expectations for a Democratic Prez and Congress as I expect the infighting and backbiting to result in mostly ineffectualism, but I can still hope for the best. “I’ve no idea whether his presidency is going to be a success but you could hardly say this is an “average” guy.”

Some men are more average than others. O’ taking down Clinton was quite a feat IMHO beyond his other accomplishments.

I for one have low expectations for a Democratic Prez and Congress as I expect the infighting and backbiting to result in mostly ineffectualism, but I can still hope for the best.

]]> By: SaneInSF http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/01/10-take-aways-from-the-bush-years/comment-page-1/#comment-142033 SaneInSF Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:31:10 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=17165#comment-142033 AGG, So, where's your proof that he's a crook and a traitor? Your comment probably says more about you than anything about GWB. Yes, I'm laughing at you. AGG,

So, where’s your proof that he’s a crook and a traitor? Your comment probably says more about you than anything about GWB. Yes, I’m laughing at you.

]]> By: Mark A. Sadowski http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/01/10-take-aways-from-the-bush-years/comment-page-1/#comment-142013 Mark A. Sadowski Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:33:25 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=17165#comment-142013 @flipspiceland, I'm not sure that Bush has lips. Hmmmm. Now things are beginning to make sense. @flipspiceland,
I’m not sure that Bush has lips. Hmmmm. Now things are beginning to make sense.

]]> By: AGG http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/01/10-take-aways-from-the-bush-years/comment-page-1/#comment-142012 AGG Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:27:55 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=17165#comment-142012 The whole article has a flawed premise; Bush had the best interests of the USA at heart. Not true. He is a crook and a traitor. He consistently made studied decisions based on the bottom line of his pals even if that caused the country pain in blood or treasure I guess if I wrote four books about a president and had special access to him, I would want to paint him as having good intentions and absolve myself of shilling for sadists and crooks. However, this isn't going to fly with the public. Bush is finished and so is Woodturd. Tom K. , The only mistake Obama has made is trying to negotiate with republican traitors who should be in prison rather than in congress. But don't worry, unlike Bush, Obama does learn from his naive mistakes. I hope you start learning as well. The whole article has a flawed premise; Bush had the best interests of the USA at heart. Not true. He is a crook and a traitor. He consistently made studied decisions based on the bottom line of his pals even if that caused the country pain in blood or treasure I guess if I wrote four books about a president and had special access to him, I would want to paint him as having good intentions and absolve myself of shilling for sadists and crooks. However, this isn’t going to fly with the public. Bush is finished and so is Woodturd.
Tom K. ,
The only mistake Obama has made is trying to negotiate with republican traitors who should be in prison rather than in congress. But don’t worry, unlike Bush, Obama does learn from his naive mistakes. I hope you start learning as well.

]]> By: MorticiaA http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/01/10-take-aways-from-the-bush-years/comment-page-1/#comment-142004 MorticiaA Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:16:04 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=17165#comment-142004 I'm with DeDude. I never, ever want this to happen again. I am guilty of being complacent with my government and CongressCritters, until I started watching the continual shredding of the Constitution. It was only then that I realized my complacency and lack of participation in the process contributed to the problem. I trusted Obama enough to vote for him; however, that doesn't mean I'm taking my eyes off of him or the rest of the crew in D.C., mainly because after Messrs. Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld, I can't afford to be complacent anymore. I’m with DeDude. I never, ever want this to happen again.

I am guilty of being complacent with my government and CongressCritters, until I started watching the continual shredding of the Constitution. It was only then that I realized my complacency and lack of participation in the process contributed to the problem.

I trusted Obama enough to vote for him; however, that doesn’t mean I’m taking my eyes off of him or the rest of the crew in D.C., mainly because after Messrs. Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld, I can’t afford to be complacent anymore.

]]> By: DeDude http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/01/10-take-aways-from-the-bush-years/comment-page-1/#comment-141982 DeDude Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:32:12 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=17165#comment-141982 This is not about hating or bashing the Bush. It’s about analyzing and understanding failures so you can avoid repeating them in the future. One of the biggest problems in this country is the misunderstanding that “putting something [bad] behind you” means ignoring it and quickly forgetting it ever happened. That is not putting it behind you, that is putting it back in front of you. In this case it is not just about understanding how a president can fail so spectacularly (and almost all his failures can be traced back to his inability to be a good leader and decider). Most of it is very applicable to any kind of large structure needing leadership. It has everything to do with economics and even investment. If you ever see a large company with these same type of problems in its leadership you know its time to sell its stocks (or short the heck out of them). To anybody who cannot see the difference between Bush and Obama with respect to pre-presidential accomplishments, leadership and character, I just hope that your daily life is not dependent on your ability to evaluate facts or human beings. And those who want to explain the last 8 years by saying that Bush was stupid and/or evil also have some serious problems. This is not about hating or bashing the Bush. It’s about analyzing and understanding failures so you can avoid repeating them in the future. One of the biggest problems in this country is the misunderstanding that “putting something [bad] behind you” means ignoring it and quickly forgetting it ever happened. That is not putting it behind you, that is putting it back in front of you.

In this case it is not just about understanding how a president can fail so spectacularly (and almost all his failures can be traced back to his inability to be a good leader and decider). Most of it is very applicable to any kind of large structure needing leadership. It has everything to do with economics and even investment. If you ever see a large company with these same type of problems in its leadership you know its time to sell its stocks (or short the heck out of them).

To anybody who cannot see the difference between Bush and Obama with respect to pre-presidential accomplishments, leadership and character, I just hope that your daily life is not dependent on your ability to evaluate facts or human beings. And those who want to explain the last 8 years by saying that Bush was stupid and/or evil also have some serious problems.

]]> By: Ritchie http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/01/10-take-aways-from-the-bush-years/comment-page-1/#comment-141962 Ritchie Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:51:44 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=17165#comment-141962 I love the smell of Republicans excusing Bush in the morning. I love the smell of Republicans excusing Bush in the morning.

]]> By: flipspiceland http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/01/10-take-aways-from-the-bush-years/comment-page-1/#comment-141957 flipspiceland Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:35:20 +0000 http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/?p=17165#comment-141957 If Bush has an I.Q. over 100, then chickens have lips. If Bush has an I.Q. over 100, then chickens have lips.

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