Laura Bush to run for Senate

[Hoss]

It has long been rumored and the Prez even once joked how it would never happen, but there are reports/rumors from RNC insiders that Laura Bush will be running in 2008 for the US Senate seat currently occupied by John Cornyn. Cornyn was elected in 2002 but is thought to not be running again.

So, how will/would Mrs. Bush do? Will her popularity be able to hold off worries about her possible DUI/manslaughter as youth? Can she separate herself from her husband's failures? And what about the persistent innuendos about her college roommate/sorority sister that is now a major Lesbian activist?

[Valmore]

I'm assuming she's running in Texas. If so, it's not like they'll care.

[Hoss]

I'm assuming she's running in Texas. If so, it's not like they'll care.


You think? Could be true. But Laura so far has gotten a pass because she isn't center stage. Rumors of lesbianism can really derail a popular female politician in Texas.

[Paul McEnery]

I figure being Mrs. Bush will make her teflon on DUI and lesbian issues. And might actually win her some votes if she does the come clean thing.

OTOH, I don't think 2008 is going to be a good year for Bush's running for election.

[anthony!]

Er...they can? I lived most of my life in Houston and Dallas, and I don't seem to recall any major politician derailed because of a lesbian rumor. But then, I don't seem to recall all that many races where accusations of homoseuxality came into play.

[Michael P]

Er...they can? I lived most of my life in Houston and Dallas, and I don't seem to recall any major politician derailed because of a lesbian rumor. But then, I don't seem to recall all that many races where accusations of homoseuxality came into play.
Ann Richards.

[anthony!]

Ann Richards.

Ann Richards was a rumored lesbian? I don't seem to remember that being the big issue surrounding her reelection.

[Michael P]

Ann Richards was a rumored lesbian? I don't seem to remember that being the big issue surrounding her reelection.
Then you weren't paying very close attention.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=ann+richards+lesbian

[anthony!]

Huh. I googled. Interesting. Ah, well.

[Nick Soapdish]

I figure being Mrs. Bush will make her teflon on DUI and lesbian issues. And might actually win her some votes if she does the come clean thing.

OTOH, I don't think 2008 is going to be a good year for Bush's running for election.

How many are going to be running?

Dubya can't run for anything.

Jeb has repeatedly stated that he won't (presumably to help lay the groundwork for his son).

Neil?

[Clint Barton]

Source for all these rumors and innuendo???

Didn't think so.

[Michael P]

Source for all these rumors and innuendo???

Didn't think so.
The DUI thing is fairly common knowledge among the politosphere.

As for the lesbian thing, this is the first I've heard of it. Then again, I don't care what she did or didn't try in college.

[Dreadstar]

As for the lesbian thing, this is the first I've heard of it.

There's a reason for that. Anyone with a modest insight into CBR history will see it immediately.

[cactusmaac]

.

So, how will/would Mrs. Bush do? Will her popularity be able to hold off worries about her possible DUI/manslaughter as youth? Can she separate herself from her husband's failures? And what about the persistent innuendos about her college roommate/sorority sister that is now a major Lesbian activist?

Is lesbianism contagious? :confused:

[Sean Walsh]

Then you weren't paying very close attention.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=ann+richards+lesbian

Or - like me - he was just too young or (blissfully) ignorant to know how dirty and filthy politics has always been.

[Paul McEnery]

Or - like me - he was just too young or (blissfully) ignorant to know how dirty and filthy politics has always been.
Ah, more equivalentism.

No, that wasn't about how dirty politics has always been. That was about how Karl Rove has fouled the stables since his rancid face showed up. The man has done more to destroy democracy in this country than any number of commies, nazis and "islamofascists".

And smearing Ann Richards to the Texan bible belt with the L word was his first major effort. It's been all downhill from there.

Really, you should hold people like him more accountable than the equivalentist shrug.

[moebius]

I don't find the lesbianism thing or the manslaughter thing (wasn't it her ex-boyfriend?) to be particularly compelling reasons not to vote for her.

How about: she's completely unqualified for high public office? Libby Dole I can respect as someone who did national level work for a long time before she ran for office, and Hillary is Hillary. Laura Bush is a trained librarian who's basically been a housewife the last 25 years. Like her husband, she's never earned her way into a position of authority.

Not to mention being the anti-thesis of Clinton as First Lady. Good God, whatever you do Laura don't have an opinion!

[Justin D.]

The only thing that would interest me about Laura Bush running for office is seeing how the same pundits who screamed about Hillary Clinton running for Senate will react. If Laura actually runs for Senate in Texas, then that would take some of the heat off since a lot of the flack Hillary Clinton received was for running in New York. Still, many cited she ran on her husband's coattails and I'd be curious if those same people would say the same thing about Laura Bush.

Other than that, I don't care.

Has anyone outside of Texas looked at the political climate here in Texas lately? Just the four different gubernatorial candidates vying for office. quite make it quite a political whirlpool at the moment.

[phoenixrising]

How about: she's completely unqualified for high public office? Libby Dole I can respect as someone who did national level work for a long time before she ran for office, and Hillary is Hillary. Laura Bush is a trained librarian who's basically been a housewife the last 25 years. Like her husband, she's never earned her way into a position of authority.

Not that there's any real "qualification" for higher office - but I agree with you. I mean, most members of the Senate have extensive backgrounds in law, government, military or public works - that's why they are in the Senate and not the House. She has no background except "Mrs. George Bush" - smiley housewife with no opinions.

What could she possibly bring to the table except an R next to her name? At least Hillary clinton had a pretty extensive career before she ran for Senate...

[Valmore]

How many are going to be running?

Dubya can't run for anything.

Jeb has repeatedly stated that he won't (presumably to help lay the groundwork for his son).

Neil?

Dubya can run for something - Texas Senate or Congress. He just can't run for President or Governor of Texas.

I doubt Jeb runs for anything now, since George ruined any chance he had.

[cactusmaac]

I really doubt any campaign is in the offing. She seemed quite happy at the prospect of the 2004 campaign being the last one Dubya (and herself) would be directly involved in.

Why would she want to spend even more time in Washington?

[Slam_Bradley]

There's a reason for that. Anyone with a modest insight into CBR history will see it immediately.


Nicely done. And spot on.

[Nick Soapdish]

Dubya can run for something - Texas Senate or Congress. He just can't run for President or Governor of Texas.

I doubt Jeb runs for anything now, since George ruined any chance he had.

Technically yeah.

But it's awfully rare for anyone to stay inside the political arena (or at least the elected part of it) after the presidency.

[Valmore]

Technically yeah.

But it's awfully rare for anyone to stay inside the political arena (or at least the elected part of it) after the presidency.

True, true. Though when Clinton left office a lot of people were encouraging him to run for some sort of office.

[Nick Soapdish]

True, true. Though when Clinton left office a lot of people were encouraging him to run for some sort of office.

Also true, but I think it's significant that he didn't.

[Ontir]

Well, she can't be any less intelligent, or less qualified than her dolt of a husband, so I'd say her chances are decent.

[Clint Barton]

We need more librarians in govt.

[Valmore]

Well, she can't be any less intelligent, or less qualified than her dolt of a husband, so I'd say her chances are decent.

Bill Clinton is a very smart individual. He lacks a bit in the common sense area, but I wouldn't call him a dolt. And he's got a lot more charisma than Hillary - he's got more in his pinky finger than she has in her entire body and the 10 hairdos she left behind while in the White House.

And if we're talking Bush - he's not nearly as dumb as you think. It's an act. And if we want to bring it to something else, "smart" guy John Kerry had a worse GPA at Yale than Dubya did.

[Ontir]

Bill Clinton is a very smart individual. He lacks a bit in the common sense area, but I wouldn't call him a dolt. And he's got a lot more charisma than Hillary - he's got more in his pinky finger than she has in her entire body and the 10 hairdos she left behind while in the White House.

And if we're talking Bush - he's not nearly as dumb as you think. It's an act. And if we want to bring it to something else, "smart" guy John Kerry had a worse GPA at Yale than Dubya did.

Bill Clinton's wife is (based upon GPA's) better qualified than he; but both of them ARE qualified, and very obviously, I was speaking of the cretin currently in the Oval Office (when he's not on vacation). As to the 2nd part, the difference between Kerry and Bush's GPAs, is that we know John Kerry did his own work. I've yet to see much evidence that George W. Bush has ever done much of anything, aside from drugs, drinking, clearing brush, and slaughtering the English language at every conceivable opportunity.

[Valmore]

Bill Clinton's wife is (based upon GPA's) better qualified than he; but both of them ARE qualified, and very obviously, I was speaking of the cretin currently in the Oval Office (when he's not on vacation). As to the 2nd part, the difference between Kerry and Bush's GPAs, is that we know John Kerry did his own work. I've yet to see much evidence that George W. Bush has ever done much of anything, aside from drugs, drinking, clearing brush, and slaughtering the English language at every conceivable opportunity.

Actually, we don't know if Kerry did his own work. And if he did, it wasn't very good. Maybe Bush paid Kerry to do his work and Kerry was dumb enough to give Bush the better papers.

[Chiasm]

Oh joy another unqualified person is going get elected by running on the coattails of their more famous relative.

Any Kennedy - John F Kennedy
Elizabeth Dole - Bob Dole
George W Bush - George H Bush
Jeb Bush - George H Bush
Hilary Clinton - Bill Clinton

I'm sick to death of the American sheeple voting for people because of name recognition rather than merit.

[Gilda Dent]

And what about the persistent innuendos about her college roommate/sorority sister that is now a major Lesbian activist?

I can understand why her being a lesbian would be an issue with some voters--it's idiotic, but I get it on an intellectual level--but what on Earth does the sexuality of a former roommate from decades ago have to do with anything? Why would anybody, even the moron homophobes who would care if she were homosexual, care about someone she knew all those years ago?

Gilda

[Ontir]

Actually, we don't know if Kerry did his own work. And if he did, it wasn't very good. Maybe Bush paid Kerry to do his work and Kerry was dumb enough to give Bush the better papers.

Kerry was involved in campus politics and social work. Bush was partying. There are witnesses who can and will come forward to testify to Kerry's actions and activities, as well as documentary footage. Bush has files with many missing pages (as compared to similar files with similar alleged histories), and a lack of people to corroborate his location for a good deal of his adult life. When you hear the two speak, it's hard to imagine that there's any way Bush could, under his own steam, ever surpass Kerry at anything.

Also, if Bush's dumb-ass persona is a deception, then he's a far greater and more insidious liar than we already know him to be.

[Valmore]

Kerry was involved in campus politics and social work. Bush was partying. There are witnesses who can and will come forward to testify to Kerry's actions and activities, as well as documentary footage. Bush has files with many missing pages (as compared to similar files with similar alleged histories), and a lack of people to corroborate his location for a good deal of his adult life. When you hear the two speak, it's hard to imagine that there's any way Bush could, under his own steam, ever surpass Kerry at anything.

Also, if Bush's dumb-ass persona is a deception, then he's a far greater and more insidious liar than we already know him to be.

Still doesn't prove Kerry did his own schoolwork - or that Bush didn't do his.

Got any solid proof besides your own biases?

[Ontir]

As much as you.

[Magneto_X]

*thought America wasn't supposed to be a monachy*

P.S. I'm sick of the White House being owned by either a Bush or a Clinton. They're not royalty!

[Novaya Havoc]

Laura Bush is a robozombie. I don't think she really has opinions, let alone a keen mind to, like, legislate and stuff.

Really. Have I ever heard Lady Bush discuss an actual policy objective that wasn't the "soft fluff" to Bush's war drama, like "read to children," "I was a librarian and teacher," and "let's stop gangs!!!!!"?

No. It's a silly popularity run. She's not a policymaker nor is she a legislator. Whereas Hillary has strong opinions, objectives, and is a great public speaker (despite what you may think of them), Laura's head is just as vacant as most of Detroit.

[Magneto_X]

I can understand why her being a lesbian would be an issue with some voters--it's idiotic, but I get it on an intellectual level--but what on Earth does the sexuality of a former roommate from decades ago have to do with anything? Why would anybody, even the moron homophobes who would care if she were homosexual, care about someone she knew all those years ago?

Gilda

That's because the South is still a major voting block in politics today IIRC.

Sure there are plenty of non-racist, non-Hicks there but the "Good ol' Boy" mentality still exists*.

Plus, there's the infamous Bible Belt.

* that was my impression. If I'm mistaken, I apologise

[Gilda Dent]

That's because the South is still a major voting block in politics today IIRC.

Sure there are plenty of non-racist, non-Hicks there but the "Good ol' Boy" mentality still exists*.

Plus, there's the infamous Bible Belt.

* that was my impression. If I'm mistaken, I apologise

That would make sense if it were Bush who was a lesbian, and not some college roommate/sorority sister from decades ago. It would still be an idiotic reason not to vote for her, but it would be something I could understand.

What I'm not understanding is the roommate connection. Her rommate turned out to be a lesbian. And . . . what? Why would this matter to anybody, including homophobic morons?

I'm seeing a total disconnect between point A to point B.

Gilda

[Dan Apodaca]

That would make sense if it were Bush who was a lesbian, and not some college roommate/sorority sister from decades ago. It would still be an idiotic reason not to vote for her, but it would be something I could understand.

What I'm not understanding is the roommate connection. Her rommate turned out to be a lesbian. And . . . what? Why would this matter to anybody, including homophobic morons?

I'm seeing a total disconnect between point A to point B.

Because you're thinking logically. If those people thought logically, they wouldn't be homophobes.

You're trying to find the logic in bigotry. Good luck.

[moebius]

Oh joy another unqualified person is going get elected by running on the coattails of their more famous relative.

Any Kennedy - John F Kennedy
Elizabeth Dole - Bob Dole
George W Bush - George H Bush
Jeb Bush - George H Bush
Hilary Clinton - Bill Clinton


Jeb Bush is actually the smart Bush! Or smart-ish, anyway.

[phoenixrising]

Jeb Bush is actually the smart Bush! Or smart-ish, anyway.

Well most of that list was uninformed anyway. Elizabeth Dole and Hillary clinton were both more than qualified for their jobs. Of course, because they were women married to powerful men, their intelligence and experience doesn't matter.

As for the Kennedys - I don't really see that one either. I mean, they all had the same basic qualifications and experience except for Teddy (he was pretty young when he first got into the game), who, despite his personal issues became an effective legislator.

[Iangould]

Unless things change dramaticly in the intervening two years I somehow doubt the Republican Party will be particularly keen to have the Bush name on voters minds any more than they can help.

[Chiasm]

Well most of that list was uninformed anyway. Elizabeth Dole and Hillary clinton were both more than qualified for their jobs. Of course, because they were women married to powerful men, their intelligence and experience doesn't matter.

As for the Kennedys - I don't really see that one either. I mean, they all had the same basic qualifications and experience except for Teddy (he was pretty young when he first got into the game), who, despite his personal issues became an effective legislator.

So do you think Elizabeth Dole got appointed president of the Red Cross on merit or because her husband was a powerful US senator? And you think she was able to carpetbag her way into the senate seat of a state she hadn't lived in for 40 years because of qualifications rather than that people recognized her and her name because her husband ran for president?

You think Hilary Clinton was chosen based on merit rather than because her husband was president? She is intelligent and saavy but lets be realistic, if her husband was an insurance salesman she'd never made it out of the primaries. She was an even worse carpetbagger than Elizabeth Dole was.

After JFK's assassination, Bobby Kennedy rode the groundswell of sympathy to what would have been a presidential nomination. And then of course when he gets killed, Ted Kennedy was going to get elected no matter what. Americans are fascinated with the Kennedy clan and the tragedy that seems to follow them. Which gets any family member a certain number of votes regardless of qualifications.

The American sheeple like the idea of a monarchy. Thats why Charles and Diana got so much play here in the states. Its why so many vote on name recognition. Its familiar and its comfortable.

Some of these people may be smart and have skills of their own. But there are lots of people with intelligence and skills. What allowed them to get elected was their last names.

[Valmore]

Well most of that list was uninformed anyway. Elizabeth Dole and Hillary clinton were both more than qualified for their jobs.

Technically, by all accounts there's only a few qualifications for office - a certain age, being an American Citizen and living here for so many years, and Natural Born if you want to be President.

So really, a 48-year old janitor from Montana is qualified to be President.

[moebius]

Technically, by all accounts there's only a few qualifications for office - a certain age, being an American Citizen and living here for so many years, and Natural Born if you want to be President.

So really, a 48-year old janitor from Montana is qualified to be President.

No, they're eligible to run for President...that doesn't mean they're qualified.

Would you want that 48 year-old janitor from Montana as your Senator? Would you want him dealing with Iraq policy when he can't find Iraq on a map? Would you want him debating the world's largest budget when his hardest financial decision has been "Girls Gone Wild 1, or 2?"

Just because any idiot can make decisions, doens't mean they should be allowed to.

[cactusmaac]

So do you think Elizabeth Dole got appointed president of the Red Cross on merit or because her husband was a powerful US senator? And you think she was able to carpetbag her way into the senate seat of a state she hadn't lived in for 40 years because of qualifications rather than that people recognized her and her name because her husband ran for president?

Elizabeth Dole worked in the Nixon White House for five years and was appointed as an FTC Commissioner by Nixon two years before she got married to Dole. She was a Cabinet member during both the Reagan and Bush I Administrations before she became president of the Red Cross.

She's probably more qualified than most men in the Senate.

[Hoss]

There's a reason for that. Anyone with a modest insight into CBR history will see it immediately.


Hi Dread,
I couldn't resist. :D

[Slam_Bradley]

As much as you.


So, basically, none. And you're talking out your ass based on political bias.

[Ontir]

Slam, aptly named, apparently, the schoolwork thing was a joke to start with, but it IS based on the odd state of Bush's Texas Air Guard record, which was missing for a long while, and subsequently someone came forward to say they witnessed the gathering of records awhile before the 2000 campaign, and the official version, which according to other TAG people is missing quite a bit of information, including any evidence of service. All of which is based upon him being moved into that branch 2 months before he was eligible for the draft. It is obvious to those who were in service there (as they've stated publicly, and if I can remember the name of the doc, I'll tell you), that he was moved in through political string-pulling. What isn't obvious, is any proof that he ever showed up, after induction/basic. Further, a retired Texas Air Guard Officer gave an example of his own, much thicker file (after 40 years of service), and another airman who served the same amount of time, Bush purportedly did, then compared the latter to what is available for Bush - which isn't much. He said that he believed Bush to have been AWOL, and that in normal circumstances, when someone got into the National Guard, as opposed to being in the other branches which were sent to Vietnam, their names were sent to the Selective Services, where they were moved to the front of the line. That didn't happen with Bush. He skated, partied, drove some businesses into the ground, and then suddenly was re-tooled into a governor, and then a pseudo-president. Sadly, I don't have a photographic memory, I wish I did. Nor do I cary a dossier around with me, but I do read, and I see a great many documentaries, and while I intensely dislike Bush, and consider him a traitor, it's not simply bias, it's based on looking at a great deal of material, and drawing a conclusion. You may not like it, or agree with it, and you're certainly not required to do so; but it's not just me talking out of my ass, thank you kindly.

[cactusmaac]

Bush got into and passed the Harvard MBA program, a tougher course than anything 90% of the posters here have ever seen.

He was remembered as an unpretentious, middle-of-the-road and good student by Prof Michael Porter, the world's leading academic on strategic management.

[Valmore]

No, they're eligible to run for President...that doesn't mean they're qualified.

Would you want that 48 year-old janitor from Montana as your Senator? Would you want him dealing with Iraq policy when he can't find Iraq on a map? Would you want him debating the world's largest budget when his hardest financial decision has been "Girls Gone Wild 1, or 2?"

Just because any idiot can make decisions, doens't mean they should be allowed to.

Actually, yes those are the only official qualifications for public office. Anything else is purely up to the whim of the voter. There is no clause in the Constitution that says, "Applicant must have Doctorate degree from Ivy League School. Experience at certain positions. Etc."

Theoretically, any schmoe can become a politician. In practice it doesn't work, because the schmoe must have a LOT money.

[Valmore]

So, basically, none. And you're talking out your ass based on political bias.

Damn, Slam and I are starting to agree on a lot of things here.

[Magneto_X]

Bush got into and passed the Harvard MBA program, a tougher course than anything 90% of the posters here have ever seen.

He was remembered as an unpretentious, middle-of-the-road and good student by Prof Michael Porter, the world's leading academic on strategic management.

Not all of Bush Jr.'s professors remember him through rose coloured glasses.

http://pages.zdnet.com/trimb/id233.html

[cactusmaac]

FWIW's his classmates said Tsurumi was being overly harsh since he disliked Bush clowning around in class.

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=503962

[Magneto_X]

Because Harvard was always known for letting students goof around. Ugh.

[phoenixrising]

So do you think Elizabeth Dole got appointed president of the Red Cross on merit or because her husband was a powerful US senator? And you think she was able to carpetbag her way into the senate seat of a state she hadn't lived in for 40 years because of qualifications rather than that people recognized her and her name because her husband ran for president?

You think Hilary Clinton was chosen based on merit rather than because her husband was president? She is intelligent and saavy but lets be realistic, if her husband was an insurance salesman she'd never made it out of the primaries. She was an even worse carpetbagger than Elizabeth Dole was.

After JFK's assassination, Bobby Kennedy rode the groundswell of sympathy to what would have been a presidential nomination. And then of course when he gets killed, Ted Kennedy was going to get elected no matter what. Americans are fascinated with the Kennedy clan and the tragedy that seems to follow them. Which gets any family member a certain number of votes regardless of qualifications.

The American sheeple like the idea of a monarchy. Thats why Charles and Diana got so much play here in the states. Its why so many vote on name recognition. Its familiar and its comfortable.

Some of these people may be smart and have skills of their own. But there are lots of people with intelligence and skills. What allowed them to get elected was their last names.

Nowhere in this rant do you note that any of these people were unqualified for their jobs. Do people recognize their names because of their family members/spouses? Yes. But does that make them any less qualified or suited for their positions? I guess I don't see what's bad about electing these people - regardless of their last names. I'll take anyone who seems to have a good head on their shoulders.

Minor point: Bobby Kennedy was one of the best lawyers in the nation at the time of his first major election and had been elected to his first public office before his brother's assasination...and so was Teddy, for that matter.

[TheTen-EyedMan]

No, they're eligible to run for President...that doesn't mean they're qualified.

Would you want that 48 year-old janitor from Montana as your Senator?


No...but can I vote for this one for president?

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a172/Drtzintzin/tZIN%202/poster87529935.jpg