"To what purpose are powers limited, and to what purpose is that limitation committed to writing,
if these limits may, at any time, be passed by those intended to be restrained?"
-- Chief Justice John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison, 1803

It’s In The Hole
by West Virginia Rebel

Oh, the sacrifices one must make for one’s country:

For the first time, Bush revealed a personal way in which he has tried to acknowledge the sacrifice of soldiers and their families: He has given up golf.

“I don’t want some mom whose son may have recently died to see the commander in chief playing golf,” he said. “I feel I owe it to the families to be in solidarity as best as I can with them. And I think playing golf during a war just sends the wrong signal.”

Bush said he made that decision after the August 2003 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, which killed Sergio Vieira de Mello, the top U.N. official in Iraq and the organization’s high commissioner for human rights.

“I remember when de Mello, who was at the U.N., got killed in Baghdad as a result of these murderers taking this good man’s life,” he said. “I was playing golf — I think I was in central Texas — and they pulled me off the golf course and I said, ‘It’s just not worth it anymore to do.’”

Well, I’m sure that every service member over there will be thinking of Bush the next time they get to hit a golf ball.

Posted by West Virginia Rebel on 05/13/08 at 03:20 PM (Discuss this in the forums)

Comments

Posted by on 05/13/08 at 05:55 PM from

This post is a fair example of how Bush just can’t win with some people.

Posted by Para on 05/13/08 at 06:08 PM from

Yeah, he gave up golf 5 years ago, and didn’t say a word about it until when recently asked, and somehow, that makes him worse in WVR’s eyes?

Blind hate.

Posted by West Virginia Rebel on 05/13/08 at 07:18 PM from

Right, because of all the things Bush could have done to show real solidarity with the troops, he decided...not to play golf.

Para and zoomzoom: Blind loyalty.

Posted by Thrill on 05/13/08 at 07:35 PM from

You know, I remember when the press would show Bush 41 playing golf during Desert Shield. It never really sat well with me at the time, for some reason. Considering how Michael Moore mocked the current Bush for playing golf before the Iraq War, I would say it was a good choice.

Oh, WVR, this post really is standard BDS crap. Apparently, since Bush is not leading a patrol in Baghdad right now, he just doesn’t care or something? You had absolutely no point in writing this. Very dull.

Posted by Manwhore on 05/13/08 at 07:35 PM from

Right, because of all the things Bush could have done to show real solidarity with the troops, he decided...not to play golf.

What did you do?

Para and zoomzoom: Blind loyalty.

How so? It’s an act meant to acknowledge that not everything is fine. You seem as content in dismissing it as some find it sincere. Who has blind faith?

One might point out that some hatreds are beyond rationale:

This post is a fair example of how Bush just can’t win with some people.

There you go.

Posted by on 05/13/08 at 07:53 PM from

Right, because of all the things Bush could have done to show real solidarity with the troops, he decided...not to play golf.

You imply this is the only thing he’s done to “show real solidarity with the troops,” which is just plain wrong. I can think of dozens, if not hundreds of times he’s gone out of his way to do something for or show his support. Giving up golf is just one small way. This whole thing shows Bush understands his responsibility as the CiC.

To put the final nail in your position, turn the tables around. Don’t you think if Bush kept on playing golf, some critic would, at some point have used that against him. The fact that he did the opposite and yet you still sarcastically mock him shows the “blind hate” Para mentioned.

Posted by on 05/14/08 at 08:00 AM from

Right on, WVR...Just another example of how out of touch our president and many other politicians are.

Posted by on 05/14/08 at 09:13 AM from

I can think of dozens, if not hundreds of times he’s gone out of his way to do something for or show his support.

Kind of like the time he waxed all philosophical about how “envious” he was of the “romantic and dangerous” job the troops were doing while getting shot at in Afghanistan?

Yeah, romanticizing war and giving up golf. He really has his finger on the pulse of the country and the troops, doesn’t he? I really hope those ungrateful troops realize the deep and meaningful sacrifice he’s making by giving up golf while they’re busy living a life of romance, danger, and excitement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

*rolls eyes*

Posted by on 05/14/08 at 09:33 AM from

I hope that the next time a foreigner threatens to defeat Tiger Woods on the combat fields of the Buick Open, Mr. Bush will encourage that foreigner to “Bring it on!”.

Recollects a classic from The Onion.

Posted by dwex on 05/14/08 at 09:37 AM from