Special Report
Get Off His Back (Updated)
SPECIAL WEEKEND POSTING: A few truths about George Bush, New Orleans, and the media. UPDATED — “More Mysteries of Katrina” — Sunday, Sept. 4, 2005, 2:13 p.m.
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UPDATE: Sunday, Sept. 4, 2005, 2:13 p.m.:
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More Mysteries of Katrina:
Why is it that the snipers who shot at emergency rescuers trying to save people in hospitals and shelters are never mentioned except in passing, and Mr. Bush, who is turning over heaven and earth to rescue the victims of the storm, is endlessly vilified?
What church does Rev. Al Sharpton belong to that believes in passing blame and singling out people by race for opprobrium and hate?
What special abilities does the media have for deciding how much blame goes to the federal government as opposed to the city government of New Orleans for the aftereffects of Katrina?
If able-bodied people refuse to obey a mandatory evacuation order for a city, have they not assumed the risk that ill effects will happen to them?
When the city government simply ignores its own sick and hospitalized and elderly people in its evacuation order, is Mr. Bush to blame for that?
Is there any problem in the world that is not Mr. Bush’s fault, or have we reverted to a belief in a sort of witchcraft where we credit a mortal man with the ability to create terrifying storms and every other kind of ill wind?
Where did the idea come from that salvation comes from hatred and criticism and mockery instead of love and co-operation?
About the Author
Ben Stein is a writer, actor, economist, and lawyer living in Beverly Hills and Malibu. He writes “Ben Stein’s Diary” for every issue of The American Spectator.
Adam D| 12.29.08 @ 3:20PM
Well, Ben, you've written this piece years ago but I figure I can comment on it at this time anyway. The reason people dislike Bush is not just a hurricane. The reasons are slightly more complex:
1) His 'disconnect' from the American people. Regardless of who chooses to blame who else over the failure to lead during the crisis of Katrina, it took four days of death and mayhem before it was declared a 'national' emergency. Obviously there is something wrong with that picture.
2) Clear manipulation of 9/11 and the American people to get a war started on false pretenses. The war was not, and has not yet, been justified. It's been public knowledge for years now that Saddam had nothing to do with the terrorist attacks. Yet the person supposedly in charge of those attacks, Bin Laden, is still at large. For one who advocates to get him "dead or alive", Bush certainly fell short. Furthermore, remember those WMD's we were told were an imminent threat? ... Yeah. That was just a bald-faced lie. Again, public knowledge as well.
3) The economy. I know the economy is a pretty complex system and the President solely cannot be attributed to it's well-being. However, put simply, it goes something like this: The year 2000 - Surplus, economy booming, things are looking great. The year 2008 - Largest deficit in the history of the U.S., people talking about the economy as the next great depression, things are looking grim. Is it a coincidence the eight years that Bush has been in office have also been the economy's great downfall? I think not.
4) Pretty recent poll numbers suggest Bush has the lowest approval rating ever achieved since the history of polling presidents. That's lower than Nixon. Even hardcore conservatives don't want to be associated with him. And that's saying something.
So it blows my mind that a man supposedly well educated and well known like you would defend the lame duck President. I can figure two possible solutions: Either you do it for monetary gain and/or public attention which would not surprise me, or you're not as smart as I once thought you were.
webgames| 10.10.09 @ 1:03PM
I really think he wants to be the Queen of the US, and avoid any of the hard work the Prime Minister has to do.
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The Rube| 9.22.11 @ 4:14AM
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Pete| 1.4.09 @ 2:12PM
So sad, Adam D.. You and other anti-Bush maniacs along with the press continue to ignore all the facts and only look at the various situations through warped lenses.
Your man lost in 2000. GET OVER IT!
Your man lost in 2004 again. GET OVER IT!
Your darling won in 2008. What will your excuses be now? LOL!
Sophia| 1.12.11 @ 2:57PM
It seems as if people are always complaning about the person who is in charge rather than themselves attempting to implement the changes or fixes that need to be made ...leaving poor "Joe the boston plumbing guy" to suffer ...
ahabers| 1.7.09 @ 10:07AM
Adam - why did you bother to comment? You address none of the very valid facts in the article and simply rehash the same old (and largely untrue) "Bush is bad/Bush lied" talking points. Mr. Stein wrote a very well thought out, sensible article full of facts - none of which you bothered to discuss. This article was specifically about the media and the left blaming Bush for things that were clearly not his fault and which he clearly had NO control over. The Katrina failure rests solely on the democratic "leadership" in New Orleans and in Louisiana.
Of course, anyone still carting out the "Bush lied because he wanted to start a war" nonsense is obviously a fool that cannot be reasoned with. Go take a look at the video of Kerry, Gore and Clinton on the floor of the Senate talking about how we KNOW Iraq has WMD and what a grave danger Saddam Hussein is. There's lots of it . World consensus at the time was that there were weapons of mass destruction and that Iraq was a danger - and now the left thinks somehow George Bush should have been the one person that knew better? That is hypocritical at the very least.
K3| 1.21.09 @ 7:57PM
Ahabers, others, you should not be shocked when leftists like Adam D and others ignore well-thought out and factual supositions in order to rehash talking points that are based on half-truths and full-lies. The fact is, they live a world of their own imagining. They view everything through the lens of their desire, greed, or ignorance. The fact is a lot of people in this country refuse to wake up, take responsibility for themselves, and use their brains.
Ben Stein doesn't need our defense. He has been abley defending himself against fools for, I would imagine, most of his life. In the battle wits, Ben Stein is most certainly armed and dangerous and can take care of himself.
The one thing you would do well to take away from interactions with people like Adam D, is not a hatred for the left, or the people who support that agenda. It should be a warning about looking at the world around you with your brain turned off. Don't let yourselves become like them. Evaluate everything from an unbiased position, lest you make the same mistakes they do, albeit for the right's agenda. We have a real opportunity in the coming years to show how we are different from the rest of the people in this country. I would hope that we would work for the good of this country and for the ultimate success of Obama in the defence of our country. Until the time comes when the government is too far gone to salvage, we have a responsibility to work and cooperate with each other for the sake of our country. That is what seperates us from them, in my humble opinion. We are realistic about what this country is about, and about the need for people to work towards our future whereas they will say or do anything to gain power for themselves.
Well written article, but it is just saying what people should already have known in the first place.
well...| 2.4.09 @ 4:46PM
Actually, Gore didn't lose in 2000. President Bush and his cronies stopped the recount in Florida and even without the recount Gore won the popular election. I know the electoral college chooses, but they are 'expected' to vote with the popular vote.
And you can't very well expect me to respect a C average student who is our president? The guy is a moron
Nick| 9.26.09 @ 5:31AM
To the guy who just wrote "well..." in place of his name--no doubt you supported John Kerry in 2004 and it might not hurt to be reminded that he was no better a student in school than George W. Bush. Both were C students.
Al Gore, by the way, spends all his time diverting attention from actual environmental issues in order to sell his "carbon offsets" business so he can profit off the gullibility of the otherwise (I'm sure) well-intenioned Green Movement. By the way, carbon dioxide doesn't contribute much of anything to global warming--the culprit you're looking for is otherwise harmless water vapor.
American Gov't 101| 11.9.09 @ 3:29PM
The members of the Electoral College are expected to vote with the popular vote for THE INDIVIDUAL STATE THEY REPRESENT. So, your statement is partially correct. However, the statement as a whole is false because it indicates that though at a national level, Gore had more popular votes than Bush. One of the reasons for Electoral College voting is to avoid (to use a term mostly reserved for the crying masses of fools) disenfranchisement of lower population states.
The recount in Florida was not stopped by Bush or his cronies as you so eloquently stated - check your facts. The US Supreme Court weighed in at multiple junctures in accordance with State of Florida and Federal Laws. The Supreme Court took stands that prevented actions afoul of the guidelines established by the Florida Constitution.
shannen| 3.11.09 @ 6:58PM
Funny, you mention the c average student as President, now we have a fake, filthy, nasty liar who has done nothing but protect radicals and those who want a handout. He also has blackballed the American people - you who voted for him, you don't even know who/what you voted for but, so soon we have found out. He's a scam artist who looks like a deer caught in headlights if he does not have his "teleprompter" with him. God Bless President Bush !!!
BB| 3.26.09 @ 1:26PM
C Student? How about the frist President with an MBA, from Harvard, no less.
(And for those of you that will say his Daddy got him the MBA, George HW was head of the CIA when W was in school. He was reviled by the leftist intellectuals at Harvard.)
I wish I could tell you how well Barry O. did in school, but his transcripts are sealed. As head of the Law Review he never submitted one artcle for publication.
I really think he wants to be the Queen of the US, and avoid any of the hard work the Prime Minister has to do.
Mr. Morbach | 7.20.09 @ 8:47AM
I find it funny that Mr. Stein closes this portion of his letter by renouncing "salvation comes from hatred and criticism and mockery instead of love and co-operation", and THIS is what follows. several posters above resorted to the same tactics Bush's detractors did, and it was unnecessary.
And even though I doubt anyone will see it (much less Adam) I feel like pointing some things out he seems to have missed:
1) "...it took four days of death and mayhem before it was declared a 'national' emergency." A decent point, however, the President is tasked with overlooking a country. Overlooking CITIES is what a Mayor is for. I also recall many buses that were unutilized during the storms. Why didn't Nagin, I don't know...utilize them (I point this out because the busses I saw were in N'Orleans)?
2) "Clear manipulation of 9/11" Yeah, mostly by people like Michael Moore who need a quick buck or want attention. Bush said himself Saddam had nothing to do with 9/11. You can probably YouTube it. What you CAN'T find (what I haven't found) is anything where he clearly and openly states the contrary. The idea that Bush blamed Hussien is some random internet chump's assumption or lie to feed his and others' hate. As far as the WMDs go? Remember that these are weapons that, even in the 90's, we knew Saddam had. There was a list. Add in the 4-6 months Iraq kept us out BEFORE inspections, satellite photos of trucks leaving Baghdad in that time, and that Saddam could not provide evidence the weapons had been properly disposed of, it makes Bush's case seems a lot less flimsy from a "deductive reasoning" standpoint.
3) "Largest deficit in the history of the U.S., people talking about the economy as the next great depression" As I recall, the economy was taking a downturn in the closing days of the Clinton administration. Is it unreasonable to veture that maybe Clinton's economic plans weren't meant to last? And as far "next great depression"? That's buzz-talk. Things people say to get themselves heard because they want attention. Like a Seth MacFarlane cartoon.
4) "...Bush has the lowest approval rating ever..." I bet YOUR numbers would be low, too, if you were villified and treated like garbage by everyone for the sake of ratings and some cheap, redundant gags people put too much stock in. Let's be honest, you don't think people embellish, ESPECIALLY when talking about someone they don't like or otherwise resent? It gives them an outlet and distraction from their own mundane lives. I'm not saying he was the greatest President, nor am I saying he was without fault. But all the hype against him is not to be believed, if only because it's far too convenient, sir.
It blows my mind that someone who leaves out/ignores facts insults a man's intelligence for the outrageous "sin" of disagreement.
Thank you, good day, and God bless.
JoeT| 7.31.09 @ 12:58AM
mr. Morbach, Well I read it. very well done. It is amazing that when it comes to the economy people fail to acknowledge the 9-11 attacks. Do we really not remember the immediate economic impact on wall street? As far as currently, there are certainly greedy bankers and financiers to blame, but letting the individuals abusing their own access to credit off the hook is fool hardy and paramount to pimping for votes.
If there is anything the latest election cycle should prove," informed voter" is an American oxy-moron.
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fallen earth chips | 11.2.09 @ 2:30AM
God bless all of those dear people who are suffering so much, and God bless those helping them, starting with George Bush.
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JCP| 4.20.10 @ 10:37AM
Why are you defending George Bush??
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Susan| 7.1.10 @ 4:24AM
He has blackballed the American people - you who voted for him, you don't even know who/what you voted for but, so soon we have found out.
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