-
Judge Pryor Gains New Post, Respect
June 12, 2013 | 2 comments
-
D-Day Reflections
June 6, 2013 | 4 comments
-
Not Just the Media: First Amendment Under Attack
May 22, 2013 | 3 comments
-
Curl is Right: Don’t Dismiss Benghazi
May 22, 2013 | 2 comments
-
Artur Davis Says Scandals Are Real
May 19, 2013 | 3 comments
The Spectacle Blog
Barbara Bush is spouting off about this being the “worst” Republican primary season ever because of the negativity, etcetera. Her point was that the negativity is too “ugly.” (Never mind that the vast bulk of the negative campaigning now, as it was in 2008, is coming from the campaign of Mitt Romney, whom she and her husband has endorsed in part because establishment types like them have wanted to see a Romney for president for 44 years now.) The lady doth protest too much. Maybe she forgets 1988, where Bob Dole snapped that her husband should “stop lying about my record” — something Dole did because the elder Bush was indeed lying about Dole’s record.
Maybe she forgets the 1980 campaign in which her husband came to be despised by a number of the other candidates. Again, the most significant exchange was with Dole (not captured by microphones, but reported in the magisterial Rendezvous with Destiny, Craig Shirley’s account of the 1980 campaign). As Bush tried to block all the other candidates but Reagan from competing in the now-famous debate in Nashua, New Hampshire, and as Reagan invited the others onto the stage, all of them were livid at Poppy Bush. At some point during the near-melee, Dole “leaned into Bush and loudly whispered, ‘I’ll get you some day, you f—-ing Nazi!’”
In public, Dole compared Bush to the “Gestapo” and “Hitler’s Germany.” Candidate Phil Crane also made Nazi references about Bush, complaining about “shades of the beer halls.” And William Loeb of the Manchester Union Leader editorialized that Bush looked “like the little boy who thinks his mother may have dropped him off at the wrong birthday party.”
People forget that the patrician elderBushes were perfectly willing to countenance hardball politics, as long as they could leave the nastiness to cut-throat operatives so they, the Bushes, could pretend to keep their own hands clean. (Again, shades of Romney.)
Then again, I must admit to being secretly sort of thrilled, even though in retrospect I should not have been, when the now-holier-than-thou Barbara Bush in 1984 said there was a word for Democratic VP candidate Geraldine Ferraro that “rhymes with rich.” Mrs. Bush always had a salty temperament, which is not necessarily a bad thing and can indeed be a virtue at times. It just seems strange that she now should complain about how tough things are for her chosen boy Mitt.
View all comments (26) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Quin Hillyer
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/03/06/barbara-bush-has-a-short-memor
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
Current Issue
- Gabby Giffords Poisons the Well
- The Mole in Don Draper
- Walk the Line
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
mjs_pa| 3.6.12 @ 11:34AM
Maybe if Barbara's husband and son hadn't left the party in such shambles there would be far less bickering and nastiness!
Casey Abell| 3.6.12 @ 1:20PM
"Never mind that the vast bulk of the negative campaigning now, as it was in 2008, is coming from the campaign of Mitt Romney, whom she and her husband has endorsed in part because establishment types like them have wanted to see a Romney for president for 44 years now."
Well, at least Quin didn't remind us of that asinine non-pledge pledge of his, even as he was breaking it for the fourth, fifth or whatever time. Guess he has a short memory, too.
But it is kind of funny when Quin reprints verbatim Santorum's harshly negative attacks on Romney, then complains about Romney getting too negative.
But anything unkind about his beloved Rick is too much for Hillyer to bear. Get over it, Quin. Politics. Beanbag.
Dai Alanye | 3.6.12 @ 2:42PM
The difference, of course, is that Romney attacks Santorum by grossly distorting the record, while Santorum attacks Romney by stating plain facts.
Mitt turned "conservative" in 2006, coincident with his preparing to announce a presidential run. Rick has been a conservative from the get-go.
Casey Abell| 3.6.12 @ 2:49PM
"The difference, of course, is that Romney attacks Santorum by grossly distorting the record, while Santorum attacks Romney by stating plain facts."
The real difference, of course, is that you (and Quin Hillyer) like Santorum and don't like Romney.
Look, I have no problem with Santorum ripping Romney, as he's been doing for months. I have no problem with Romney ripping Santorum, as he's been doing for months.
It's what politicians do. They attack each other. You might say it's what they get paid to do (I'm assuming they get paid for something.)
But I can't help smiling when Quin actually assists Santorum's negative attacks, and then is shocked, shocked that anybody would attack in return. Not even Hillyer can be that naive, and the pose just looks silly (as it did in Casablanca).
Biggy G| 3.7.12 @ 12:00PM
Yeah, Santorum is the kind of "conservative from the get-go" who as Senate majority whip repeatedly pushed through unconstitutional bills "for the team." What is a "conservative from the get-go" whose oath to uphold the Constitution is a lie?
Quin| 3.6.12 @ 3:15PM
Casey,
Now that you mention it, I should NOT have included the parenthetical about Romney. Clearly, this was not a post ABOUT the intraparty race (it was about countering the hyperbole about how nasty this campaign supposedly is), which is why it didn't break my pledge. But when I added the bit about the "vast bulk" of negativity coming from Romney, that did technically break my pledge. Sorry about that. Thank you for your correction.
Casey Abell| 3.6.12 @ 3:19PM
Oh, Quin, come off it. Nobody cares about that dumb pledge, and you've been breaking it since you made it. You've been carrying just as much water for Santorum after "pledge" as before "pledge."
Which is fine. You're a Santorum guy. But the constant excuses for breaking that silly pledge are getting sillier by the post.
Casey Abell| 3.6.12 @ 1:39PM
Some of the really positive things that Santorum said yesterday, which Quin approvingly transcribed for the Spectator...
"What you have with Governor Romney is someone who simply is not the genuine article. People... just don't trust Mitt Romney to not do what is the fashionable thing at the moment ....Governor Romney [is] uniquely unqualified to take on this president on the most important issue of this election."
All this is just swell because Rick said it. But if anybody says a negative thing about Santorum, Quin's knickers get into a twist.
Yeah, right. It's politics, Hillyer. At least you've finally forgotten about that idiotic pledge nobody cared about, anyway.
Biggy G| 3.7.12 @ 12:01PM
Yes, as the Senate majority whip who pushed through Medicare Part D (*admittedly* unconstitutional $17 trillion unfunded obligation), Santorum is uniquely qualified to argue against Obamacare. Uh-huh. Doh.
W| 3.6.12 @ 2:23PM
This is a really smart move to attract more voters to the Republican nominee and to attract more women voters: attack Barbara Bush.
Tarr| 3.6.12 @ 3:10PM
Slavishly mimicking the Left narrative a la Fluke. What handout are your hoping for????
W| 3.6.12 @ 3:34PM
Get a brain, Tarr, or use the one you have.
Tarr| 3.6.12 @ 3:41PM
Very ungenerous remark from a cavalier (albeit, self anointed) defender of womanhood.
Tarr| 3.6.12 @ 3:41PM
Very ungenerous remark from a cavalier (albeit, self anointed) defender of womanhood.
Derek Leaberry| 3.6.12 @ 2:40PM
One of Ronald Reagan's worst mistakes was the choice of George W. Bush as Vice-President in 1980. The Bushes could have been confined to the Houston country club circuit then rather than wreck havoc with the Republican Party.
AMC | 3.8.12 @ 3:31PM
AMEN!!!!!
Dai Alanye | 3.6.12 @ 2:46PM
Let's not overlook Barbara's snide and wholly gratuitous attack on Sarah Palin. I think it's fair to question ANY of the Bush family, including Lauren. With the exception of Dubya, hypocrisy runs rampant among them, and Babs is the worst.
Trinacria| 3.6.12 @ 3:21PM
"Barbara Bush Has a Short Memory"
Really, Quin, a 90 year-old woman has a short memory? And you just spent 5 paragraphs on it?
The hits just keep on comin'
Oldefarte| 3.6.12 @ 3:29PM
If though no doubt what Quin indicated is true, the fact remains that George H.W. Bush was/is an honorable man/person who tremendously served his country in war and in peace in numerous political positions [and especially as Reagan's VP]. Furthermore, he and the Bushes have also honorably KEPT THEIR GD MOUTHS SHUT concerning their subsequent presidents and mostly politics in general within retirement in a dignified/honorable fashion [unlike the sleezimess of the Kennedys, the Clintons, the Democrats in general etc]. This country has been disgraced and humiliated by numerous powerful politicians but that grouping has never to my knowledge included the Bush family. When a moving van backs up to the White House and numerous valuable antiques that belong to the citizens of this country are loaded onto same and stolen, the political mouthings of Barbara Bush pale in comparison to same!!!!!!!!!!
Dennis A. Rudz| 3.6.12 @ 8:01PM
Well said, Mr. O.f.
Biggy G| 3.7.12 @ 12:04PM
I'm sick of being told that it's "honorable" for GHW Bush to keep his mouth shut about his successors as president. GHW Bush ran in the 1980 primaries as the opposite of Reagan, and then when nominated as vp he became a clone of Reagan. He keeps his mouth shut because his only principle is self-advancement, and that's no longer an issue.
Kodiak Jack| 3.6.12 @ 9:26PM
This is somewhat a non-sequitur, but yesterday Fox's Five Dana Perino breathlessly introduced Barbara Bush in the first few seconds of the show and proceeded to give a 10 minute campaign spiel for Romney. This was despicable and shameless. I'll just watch some Rawhide reruns in that time slot.
JC| 3.6.12 @ 9:39PM
Well written. Don't stop writing no matter what they say about you!
Occam's Tool| 3.7.12 @ 10:30AM
My concern is that Romney will be more polite to Obama than he is to Newt and Santorum. THAT'S my worry.
Obama needs to go up against a filthy, vicious attack dog.
Oldefarte| 3.7.12 @ 11:33AM
OT, you're exactly accurate. I'd like to see Newt hired as a Romney political/debate advisor if Mitt becomes the Republican nominee!!!!
AMC | 3.8.12 @ 3:26PM
It is always the conservatives that compromise. Of course Barbara's husband and son were great at compromise! What did it get us? An electorate that were so hungry for change they voted for Obama. We new that RINO McCain was socialist lite, like GH and GW Bush, so why contiunue the disaster they had been.
Where has the left compromised? They locked out, We the People and the Republicans. in the Obama Care issue. No compromise there! 60% of Americans were against OCare, yet they passed it. Where did they compromise on the continued attacks on the Constitution? The world court trumps the Constitution. They attack Freedom of Religion, attacking the Catholic Church. No compromise there! They keep saying that the Constitution guarantees freedom from religion, Where?
Obama calls for civility. When Rush calls some woman a slut the left goes off the deep end and Obama calls the lady and apologizes. Where in the Constitution does it guarantee that you won't be offended in your life? It aint there! Where is the phone call to all the people offended by that Nancy Pelosi, J. Napolitano and others on the left that call the TEA Party: Astroturf and terrorists. How about an apology for calling Veterans, Christians, and Conservatives: terrorists. How about a public appology for TSA treating law abiding, tax paying citizens as terrorists: for illegal search and siezure without just cause... like, where's the warrant. A direct attack on our Constitutional rights. The left has a double standard. They demand that no one on the left can be offended, but they delight in intimidating and offending anyone that they disagree with. Well civility works both ways Obama!
Barbara Bush and her family can compromise all they wants, she can give up her right to free speach, freeedom of religion, the right to bear arms, if they wants. The rest of us aren't compromising any more. Our rights have been trampled by the Obama Administration. Enough is enough. NO MORE COMPROMISE.