President Doofus #3

george w bush, the 43rd president of the United States (or "preznit", which is a term I use to indicate disrespect), was undeniably one of our MOST doofy executives. Even if he wasn't technically elected the 1st time, but rather appointed (Al Gore being the candidate who was actually selected by the people).

But, regardless of how he obtained the office (being appointed, cheating) he did serve 2 terms, during which (in addition to allowing terrorists to fly planes into the twin towers and ordering the illegal invasion of a sovereign nation based on lies) he also (quite frequently) did or said things that pointed to his being a total doofus.

Appearing silly is one thing (and all modern presidents appear on camera A LOT, so it's bound to happen), but take a gander at the expression on this doofus' face (see picture below). Can anyone deny that he looks like a total dumbass?

Image: Bush tackles challenge of malaria (article excerpt) The White House turned its attention Wednesday [4/25/2007] to preventing and eradicating malaria, a big killer of African children. But it wasn't all serious business: President Bush pounded on the drums for a West African dance troupe and had some fun [in] the Rose Garden event with... his wife, Laura [for the 1st time] marking Malaria Awareness Day alongside observances elsewhere in the world.

OK, so bush has SOME redeeming qualities, in that he did seem genuinely interested in comitting resources to saving lives in Africa. I could also commend him for his efforts to fight AIDS in that region of the world. Although, as CounterPunch points out, the "major contribution to fighting AIDS in Africa... an initiative begun in early 2003... just before the Bush Administration launched its war against Iraq [was likely done] to spit shine the image [by impressing] evangelical supporters – a key element to his constituency".

And then there's this.

When Bush was in office, PEPFAR [President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief] was little more than yet another boom for U.S. pharmaceuticals as the program required that the drugs be purchased from the pharmaceuticals holding patents, It was the shift to generics, encouraged according to some sources by Bill Clinton, has led to a significant extension of the program and $1 billion savings over a 5 year period. (The Real Story About Bush, HIV/AIDS and Africa by Rob Prince. CounterPunch 8/14/2013).

Regarding preznit 43's AIDS efforts, actor (and Democrat) Matt Damon said "I would kiss George W. Bush on the mouth". But bushie wasn't acting for purely altruistic reasons. It took a Democrat to reform the program (saving the taxpayer money in addition to expanding the program and saving more lives).

The main motivation was, as it was with bush's wars, enriching his cronies and well as himself. The bush family via the Carlyle Group and the Cheney family via KBR and Halliburton (The Inexplicable Enrichment of Bush Cronies and Bush Family War Profiteering). Proof that bush was a slime as well as a doofus.

Video: Former President George W. Bush invited a group of Africans to the White House's Rose Garden in 2007 to promote malaria awareness. There, he participated in an African tribal dance (text excerpted from 10/7/2010 Time article Top 10 Awkward Dances. entry for gwb is #8) (0:51).

Was bush thinking about how he fooled his evangelical base (as well as Democrats like Damon) when he danced his doofy dance? Maybe, maybe not, but getting to shovel even more taxpayer money to big business (as bush did re the Iraq war contractors) sounds like a reason for him to do a happy dance to me. Given the fact that Republican love transferring taxpayer money to the private sector (overpaying for things government employees could do for significantly less). Because they believe in socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor.

DSB #53

Donald Trump Suggests Hillary Clinton Should Be Assassinated If Elected

"2nd amendment remedies" ala Sharron Angle?

Speaking to a crowd in Wilmington NC, Tuesday [8/9/2016], Trump expressed concern about Hillary Clinton possibly picking Supreme Court justices and other judges. He then said, "If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is. I don't know". (Trump's Assassination Dog Whistle Was Even Scarier Than You Think by David S. Cohen. 8/9/2016 Rolling Stone).

What the hell is it with these 2nd amendment enthusiasts threatening those who disagree with them with DEATH? And, yeah, that IS what Trump was implying. Later Trump said he meant that he was suggesting that 2nd amendment people should vote for him. But he was talking about AFTER Hillary is elected, so that lame-o excuse is BS.

As for why "Trump's assassination dog whistle was even scarier than you think", it's because someone might take his call to do something about it (stop HRC from appointing SCOTUS judges) seriously and literally.

it's really irrelevant what Trump actually meant, because enough people will hear Trump's comments and think he's calling for people to take up arms against Clinton, her judges or both. Though most of the people hearing that call may claim he was joking, given what we know about people taking up arms in this country, there will undoubtedly be some people who think he was serious and consider the possibility. In other words, what Trump just did is engage in so-called stochastic terrorism. This is an obscure and non-legal term that has been occasionally discussed in the academic world for the past decade and a half, and it applies with precision here. Stochastic terrorism, as described by a blogger who summarized the concept several years back, means using language and other forms of communication "to incite random actors to carry out violent or terrorist acts that are statistically predictable but individually unpredictable".

Trump's comments, BTW, made in the context of his fearmongering re "Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the Second Amendment". A claim that is utter bullpucky (PolitiFact rates it false).

Video: Remember when Trump said that Megyn Kelly "had blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever"? This is another example of Trump speaking without thinking. We knew then what he meant, even though he didn't spell it out. Just like we know now what he meant, even though he didn't spell it out. (Before: menstruation. Now: assassination)(0:43).

SWTD Tags: 2016 Election, Donald Trump, Gun Nuttery, Hillary Clinton.

PE: Donald Trump, the GOP Presidential Nominee, Went There Today (8/9/2016).

Disaffected: Trump calls for "Second Amendment People" to assassinate Hillary Clinton (8/9/2016).

RNUSA: GOP Presidential Canmdidate Goes Beyond Overboard (8/10/2016).

DSB #52

Proof That Donald Trump Can Relate To The Common Man (Voter)

The following article excerpt via Wonkette. Although they're referencing a HuffPo story.

Melania Trump, model, businesswoman and wife of Donald Trump, doesn't cut corners when it comes to raising her son, Barron. When it comes to clothes, he dresses in suits like his dad. When it comes to skincare, he uses mom's caviar-enhanced skincare line. You read that correctly. The 7-year-old Barron uses Melania's Caviar Complex C6 moisturizer every night after his bath. "It smells very, very fresh", Melania, who launched the skincare line exclusively in Lord & Taylor this week, told ABC News. "I put it on him from head to toe. He likes it!".

On HuffPo the article is titled "Donald Trump's 7-Year-Old Son, Barron, Uses Caviar Moisturizer Every Night", while on Wonkette the title is "Donald Trump And His Wife Are Awful And Their Son Tastes Like Caviar". Wonkette adds commentary like "are you fucking kidding us?". And they poke fun at the name "Barron", saying it's a name that indicates he's the "spawn of rich assholes".

Hilarious, huh? Perhaps a little harsh, as this product is from Melania Trump's skin care line, so perhaps she gets it free. Or at a reduced cost. Still, the stuff costs $150 an ounce. A mom (writing for Daily News) says she tried it out... and that it cost 100 bucks to do her 18-month-old "head to toe". So that's probably at least $150 worth of the product that Melania uses on Barron... every day.

That's $54,750 a year to moisturize the skin of a child (she said she uses it EVERY night). Which means that the yearly cost of Barron's skincare regimine is roughly equal to the yearly household income of the typical American family, which is $53,657 (according to a 9/16/2015 CNN Money article).

Now, rich people, in general, likely spend more on everything than the average person. And many politicians are wealthy, so you'd probably be able to find examples of Democrats spending exorbitant amounts on their children. And you could say they also can't relate to the average voter. Yet, we're talking about 54k for skincare for a 10-year-old!

Image: Barron Trump (probable future "victim" of affluenza. If he isn't "sufering" from it already) with his parents.

DSB #51

President Doofus #2

george W. bush, often referred to as "President Doofus" (by me) was a liar who started an illegal war that led directly to the formation of ISIS. Explaining why history will judge him to be a war criminal (I predict. Or it certainly should).

The image below captures just one of the MANY moments in which 43 revealed his inner doofus. Although this time we only saw the results of one of his doofy moments, which was an injury below his eye.

Image1: Choking on Pretzel, Bush Faints Briefly (excerpt from a 1/14/2002 article) President Bush briefly lost consciousness Sunday [1/13/2002] after he choked on a pretzel while watching a football game on TV in his living quarters... After fainting, the president tumbled to the floor from a couch, bruising his lower lip and suffering an abrasion the size of a half dollar on his left cheek, White House physician Dr. Richard Tubb said. ... "He fainted due to a temporary decrease in heart rate brought on by swallowing a pretzel".

Image2: This meme explains what might have really happened, which is that the dry drunk stumbled and tripped while inebriated. Or, he was eating pretzels while drunk and forgot to chew. Either way, many people are convinced that alcohol was involved.

Regarding Walker (not Herbert Walker) being a dry drunk, this "is a slang term used by [AA] members and supporters... to describe the recovering alcoholic who is no longer drinking, one who is dry, but whose thinking is clouded. Such an individual is said to be dry but not truly sober. Such an individual tends to go to extremes".

An extreme such as lying about WMDs when Iraq weapons inspectors specifically said they weren't finding any; even though IAEA chief Hans Blix said he was confident the matter would be resolved in "a matter of months"? I say yes (SWTD #312).

btw, in regards to the explanation given by bush's doc as to the reason for him fainting? Well, prepare to LOL for awhile (also make sure you aren't eating anything, as you might choke), but, according to Tubby, the superhuman preznit has "a resting pulse rate of 35 to 45 beats per minute, which medical personnel consider extremely low even for a well-trained athlete [and that] Bush's slower heart rate made him more prone to fainting when a nerve was stimulated by the pretzel caught in his throat".

Yes, we know that bushie rode his bike a lot and was generally quite fit, but was he a "well trained athlete"? Unless he was secretly training for the Tour de France, I say his doctor's claim sounds like BS. Similar to how Donald Trump's doctor declared that DJT will be healthiest individual ever elected president.

As for what Dr. Dick Tubb said, while it is more believable than the BS Dr. Harold Bornstein wrote, it could have been a fib to cover up for bush falling off the wagon. Either way, choking on a pretzel (then passing out and hitting your head) sounds like exactly the kind of thing a doofus like gwb would do (drunk or not).

Video: gwb explains how he choked on a pretzel (0:52).

DSB #50

President Doofus #1

george W. bush (AKA "President Doofus") was surely one of our very worst presidents. Are we on the verge of electing someone with the potential of being even worse?

The image below, one you might be familiar with, captures just one of 43's MANY doofy moments. An incident that reminded me of a specific Far Side cartoon that concerned "gifted" people. Look at the expression on the former preznit's face in the picture below. Does he not look like he is "gifted" like the student in the Far Side cartoon?

Image1: gwb attempts to leave a 11/20/2005 news conference in Beijing via a locked door. Door thwarts quick exit for Bush (article excerpt) After answering just six questions from a group of US reporters, the president strode away heading toward the door. President Bush tugged at both handles on the double doors before admitting: "I was trying to escape. Obviously, it didn't work". [bush later blamed jet lag]. Mr Bush was in China in the latest stop of his East Asia tour.

Image2: Cartoon from The Far Side (1980-1995) by Gary Larson that reminds me of the gwb pic above.

Video: gwb attempts to leave a 11/20/2005 news conference in Beijing via a locked door (0:47).

See Also: Dervish Sanders' Image and Video Archive.

DSB #49