Arkansas Blog

the reporter may be blind, but it
is bush that can't see the mess
he's made of things. bush was
stupid and cruel.

good thing the reporter didn't have
a wheelchair.

God forbid Bush try to be a little fun and razz someone. Its a shame he didn't know the man was blind, but its obvious that there was obviously no malice intended.

With all of your criticism of Asa making money off of his guv'ment work, why not criticise your boy Bill:

"http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/06/14/D8I84K8O5.html

ARKBLOG: What office is he running for?

Axis Ann Coulter will be writing a book next year saying the stupid blind traitor was wearing those dark glasses to get public sympathy for himself and the Democratic Party. She will go so far as to chide the President for not taking off his shoe and beaning the Mo Fo for being a bad blind terror supporting disgrace to this country. Go Ann Go Go Holt Go

Bill 'I feel your pain' Clinton just raked in $7.5 million in speaking fees for 05. I guess this will help him identify more with the 'little' people.

ARKBLOG: Again, what office is he running for?

The President patterns his joking style after that of the Governor of Arkansas.

Why does it matter whether somone is running for office again?

Isn't Bill subject to the same criticism as Asa, they both are making money on influence.

ARKBLOG: Actually, it's completely different. In the first place, Clinton's money was drawn from speaking fees, not lobbying and penny stock deals. Second, there are laws governing contributions to political candidates, and Asa is skirting them with his side deals. If Asa was not running for anything, he could try to sell his influence without raising ethical questions.

ARKBLOG: What office is he running for?

Hillary's First houseboy.

If that doesn't work out, he can always head the UN. They don't do anything anyway.

ARKBLOG: Again, what office is he running for?

Again, co-president or houseboy whatever he can negotiate with Hillary.

I realize that the AT and the Clinton News Network are major 'rah, rah' sections for the Clintons but you didn't get your nose out of joint when he was pointing fingers at past republican administrations who weren't running for office.

If you're going to complain about objectivity in news, please don't come around here quoting "Breitbart."

GW, the unmerciful bourgeois, is America's metaphor.

"He who blinded by ambition, raises himself to a position whence he cannot mount higher, must thereafter fall with the greatest loss." Niccolo Machiavelli

What does "legally blind" mean in this case? I've been legally blind since the 8th grade but with my glasses I see fine.

ARKBLOG: Quoting ThinkProgress (http://thinkprogress.org/2006/06/14/bush-reporter-shades):

"Wallsten is legally blind. Wallsten tells us he has a rare genetic disorder called Stargardtâ?Ts Disease. The disease is a form of macular degeneration that can be slowed 'by wearing UV-protective sunglasses and avoiding exposure to bright light.'"

So what is your point, AT? Are you saying that Bush intentionally put this guy down because he was blind?

ARK. BLOG No, the point is that he's cocky blowhard who does dumb things.

If Asa was not running for anything, he could try to sell his influence without raising ethical questions.

AT, you are suffering from selective memory again. Let's go back to the closing days of the Clinton administration and remember some of the pardons that he gave.

ARK. BLOG Excuse me. When did Clinton announce for governor? Two wrongs make a right is not exactly a ringing defense of your man. You're going to have to do better in answering Asa's obvious ethical shortcoming here by citing someone who left office six years ago and is not seeking office in this election. YOu might as well invoke Hitler and Mussolini. We'll stipulate that Asa is probably preferable.

How and why did Rex side step GW's stupid attempt to be funny and turn this post into a fist fight about Bill Clinton while promoting Asa.

Just more typical Repug political crud.

How do we know whether Bill is selling access to Hillary? Money to a candidate's spouse is fair game for discussion and criticism.

YOu might as well invoke Hitler and Mussolini.

Clinton---what's the difference? I am not invoking Asa, I'm challenging your selective memory that targets those you don't agree with and forgets those who you do agree with but yet do exactly the same thing that you condem. Ann Coulter has your number as well when she talks about the media.

AT, I'm still waiting for an answer to my question about what you point is about Bush and the blind reporter. Cat got your tongue?

Excuse me. When did Clinton announce for governor?

HELLO, AT. I was referring to Clinton's term as President and the interesting Pardons that he issued at the very last minute of his term.

ARK. BLOG You invoked Clinton to counter criticism of Asa's whoring. It's irrelevant. Simple enough for your simple mind?

arkansas is a wonderful state.
i just don't understand why so
many of your bloggers will defend
bush no matter what he does.

get a clue will ya-bill clinton isn't
president. he raises a ton of money
for a variety of worthwhile causes
including aids, hunger, katrina and
the tsunami victims.

he raises a ton of money
for a variety of worthwhile causes
including aids, hunger, katrina and
the tsunami victims.

He also raises a ton of money for his number one favorite cause---Billy boy.

You invoked Clinton to counter criticism of Asa's whoring. It's irrelevant. Simple enough for your simple mind?

Yes, and I also told you I could care less about Asa. Try to be a little less obvious than a train coming through someone's living room about you lack of objectivity.

ARK. BLOG If you don't care, why try to defend him. And please, I don't need a lecture on objectivity from a Republican troll. We write opinions here. Get it? And if you write them, we just might point out some of the fallacies.

No, the point is that he's cocky blowhard who does dumb things.

Since Bush called this guy by name and appears to know him, isn't it also possible that he DOES know the guy is sensitive to sunlight, hence his comment "For the viewers, there's no sun."

It's likely he did know what was going on, and was giving the guy a hard time because he was wearing shades when the sun was not shining (not realizing that UV rays penetrate even through cloud cover).

It's likely that he did what all of us do throughout our entire lives. We do stupid things unintentionally that we kick ourselves about later. Even Bubba makes these kind of mistakes.

Was Peter offended?

I miss Saffa

Isn't this the same president who enthusiastically waved at Stevie Wonder at some event?

Just saw a clip of the presser and, as much as I dislike the man, the exchange sounded good-natured and jovial.

Doesn't mean he's not a blowhard who does dumb things.

Which I think is being kind.

OK, WJC!! Would you care to give out some reliable support to some of those statements you're making about Clinton and what he does with his money otherwise turn the hot air down a bit.
This issue reminds me of the Republicans looking for WMDs and I think the Democrats ought to avoid getting tripped up in similar phony hunts.
To cite the great philosopher Ray Charles:

"What'd I Say"

The Colonel

What does this mean:

I miss Saffa

Posted by: Anonymous | June 14, 2006 04:45 PM

I'm going to start tracking the number of replies to any Bush-related post before someone blames something on Clinton. In this case, we had 2 posts before Bill emerged.

Really, this obsession with Clinton is like something a stalker would do with a Hollywood star. Does an hour go by that you 30%ers don't think of him? Do you think about him while having sex with your wife, while eating dinner, while driving to work, while trying to sleep? You should skip the political discussions and get yourselves into therapy for your obvious obsessive-compulsive behavior.

Does an hour go by that you 30%ers don't think of him? Do you think about him while having sex with your wife, while eating dinner, while driving to work, while trying to sleep? Posted by: Roland

Excellent points, Roland!

Can you imagine how FDR, his social programs, his popularity, his election to 4 terms drove them crazy? They were still haunted by him decades later.

I expect to hear them still saying, "but what about Clinton" in 2030.

I expect to hear them still saying, "but what about Clinton" in 2030.

I might add that, though we've only had two Democratic Presidents in the last 30 years, Carter and Clinton have caused the Republicans absolute fits for most of my life! That's a great compliment to these two great men.

I was never a big fan of Bill Clinton unitll Bush came along. Now I have a lot more respect for him.

"LEGALLY BLIND" - what does that mean? I know a lot of people who are "legally deaf", but they still can hear pretty well, they just lean and say "EH" if they are in a noisy restaraunt.

Is this another one of those Michael Moore "truths but actually deceitful because it's not the kind of truth you think it is" things? Are we talking Stevie Wonder Blind, arkblog, or are we talking "i'm over 55 and have to squint sometimes" legally blind?

And I'm SURE you researched the extent of his "blindness" before you posted like a good journal-- oh, sorry, warwick - bloggers AREN'T journalists :(

Let us beat up on the gay people, the short people, the fat people and now the blind people.

You are next.

"LEGALLY BLIND" - what does that mean? I know a lot of people who are "legally deaf", but they still can hear pretty well, they just lean and say "EH" if they are in a noisy restaraunt.

Is this another one of those Michael Moore "truths but actually deceitful because it's not the kind of truth you think it is" things? Are we talking Stevie Wonder Blind, arkblog, or are we talking "i'm over 55 and have to squint sometimes" legally blind?

And I'm SURE you researched the extent of his "blindness" before you posted like a good journal-- oh, sorry, warwick - bloggers AREN'T journalists :(

"LEGALLY BLIND" - what does that mean? I know a lot of people who are "legally deaf" Posted by: CheckYourFactsMoron

The level of blindness was spelled out by the blogger in the Tom L 03:51 PM post. Did you even bother to read before you spat forth your venom?

A person is considered "legally blind", in the USA, when their visual acuity is 20/200 or less in the better eye with best correction, or their field of vision is 20 degrees or less in the better eye. Coloboma of the macular and or optic nerve can cause legal blindness.

I just read it, professor, and I did a little research, and look what it says about the disease:

"STARGART'S:
Prognosis: : ********Complete blindness is a very rare event in the natural course of Stargardt's Disease."********* (http://www.medstudents.com.br/raredi/raredi4.htm)

"Wearing sunglasses to protect the eyes from ultra-violet (UV) and bright light may be of some benefit." (http://www.macular.org/stargardts.html)

!
Ouch, "readtheblogmoron", it must really suck to be such a tool.

Guess this was one of those "michaelmoorespinitoutofproportion" type "TRUTHS"

Fact is, he's NOT stevie wonder blind, but he DOES need sunglasses outside.

HUGE difference than the shrill tone implied by Warwick on the teaser page of the blog. Way to go, keep taking shots at him, Bush's poll numbers are just going up up up.

My own children (age 12 and 8) were embarrased to watch this exchange on the news tonight. The older said, "Mom, did he really DO that?"

I don't think Bush was being malevolent, but he's an idiot. He's not wanting to answer all the hard questions about Haditha, gas prices, secret trips to Iraq, etc. He's trying to create a little levity, but ends up making himself look like an ass.

Well, LiberalandProud,, at least all of us are godlike and never put ourselves in embarrassing situations. Whew!

And I'd be hacked about Warwick's Micheal-Mooreish lying more, but i'm pretty used to his slanted take on "truth", so i don't have the energy to get riled up.

It appears Bush's numbers are going up a bit thanks to the endless parading of the dead body of Al-Zarqawi. If some of you are questioning how blind Peter the reporter is, wait until how blind Bush suddenly becomes when our troops are slaughtered in droves as payback for parading Al-Zarqawi's pictures around for a week.

Our enemy has more goofy traditions about death and burial than any 10 Baptist's, Catholic's or Jew's. If you think BRING IT ON fired them up, wait till you see what killing and parading the dead Al-Zarqawi will do.

And to head you Coulter types off at the pass, I am hot a bit happy that more of our troops will be killed because the Bush ego had to be fed and something had to be done to get his numbers back up into the mid 30s, I am pointing out that Bush-Cheney never learns their lessons and when the ugly payback hits, it's the bodies of our sons, daughters, sisters and brothers that come back home in a flag draped coffin. You know the pictures that WE NEVER SEE!

Well, LiberalandProud,, at least all of us are godlike and never put ourselves in embarrassing situations. Whew!

And I'd be hacked about Warwick's Micheal-Mooreish lying more, but i'm pretty used to his slanted take on "truth", so i don't have the energy to get riled up.

(Hard questions about Haditha? Why should Bush answer anything?!?!? "Mr President, why did the soldier who saw his friend die take revenge on civilians?" yeah, because bush will definately have the answer for that individual's decision.

Keep it coming, liberal and proud, this is fun.

PLEASE GO TO THIS SITE: THIS IS "TRUTH" - NOT SOME SLANTED BIAS.

http://iraqthemodel.blogspot.com/

This is a blog of a Baghdad resident, a guy IN Iraq... it's SO WEIRD to read what he says... most Iraqis like Bush because he hasn't left them, but they don't love Bush. Sometimes he criticizes us, sometimes he praises us, but it's amazing to read his stuff on the big days, like december 14ish 2004 (capture of saddam), or earlier this spring, THIS is what life is like in Baghdad -- in general the people are siding with the US troops, and are afraid that we are going to abandon them. In general, the 'insurgents' are ticking off iraqis because they blow up mosques and kill muslims, too.

They care most about water and electricity, and he talks about the progresses AND the failtures the USA has had.... it's a shame most of you won't read these writers, it's such a different view of the "truth", whether that be our CNN or FoxNews.... you should try to take it

(that is, unless you are wanting us to fail, or unless you think we are infalliable, then, don't read it)

http://iraqthemodel.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the memory of Bush flagrantly waving at Stevie Wonder, that was a classic! Also loved when he walked into the door and couldn't get out. Any one else have fond memories?
Let's reminisce...

Can't say I have a funny memory of Bush to relay, but I am projecting a future memory. One of him and Cheney, Condi and Rummy, Rove and Scooter being marched into prison cells.

I'd like to see them share cells with some Iraqis. Now that will be one sweet memory when it happens. And please Allah....let it happen soon.

Didn't Bush tell a guy sitting down he looked "mighty comfortable" and the guy sitting was actually in a wheelchair...
Bush isn't dumb as he seems. This mini-brouhaha distracts from the more important issues at hand.
I'd wager a dollar it was a planned Bush strategy from the start.

Rex...Clinton really thinks you are a prick.

AT, you hide behind name calling but you still persist in refusing to answer my question. What is your point behind Bush's not knowing that the reporter was blind? Are you accusing him of making fun of a blind man? You throw grenades and then run and hide.

you still persist in refusing to answer my question. Posted by: wjc

Hey, I agree with you wjc, but I saw their response to you yesterday afternoon, even before I read your first "answer my question" post. It's at the end of the post marked "Posted by: WJC | June 14, 2006 03:53 PM"

As someone who has macular degeneration and if the disease continues to progress, will someday be classified as "legally" blind -- I am appalled by some of the comments I've read here.

To give you an idea of what it's like to live with macular degeneration: take a good-sized dab of vaseline, smear it in the center of your sunglasses, reading glasses, etc. Basically, you have your peripheral vision, but you've lost your central vision. Which makes it very difficult to read or drive.

I'm lucky, its only progressed in one eye -- and its pretty frustrating -- I can only imagine how much more frustrating it is to have both eyes affected.

I'm sure the president knew this reporter was blind. He is usually vetted on which press will be present, and he did know who this reporter was.

Anonymous Liberal---I can understand why you choose to remain anonymous. Common Sense---a lost art to the liberal---dictates that no President would be stupid enough to make fun of a blind person in this day and age. Give me a break!!!!!!!!!

AT ANSWER:
"No, the point is that he's cocky blowhard who does dumb things."

So, AT, you never make mistakes and your singling him out for something that every living soul on this planet does. That is your idea of an answer?

When conservatives start attacking blind people because they aren't blind enough, it's a tragedy.

I know you all are trolling, but have you no shame anyway?

You want to talk about morals and ethics, but you have none.

I'm not a Bush supporter, but I don't see a story here - sorry. I've read the transcript here and several other places and do not get the impression W knew the reporter was blind at that moment. Heck if he had applogized for other grievances as quickly as he did this some of his self made problems would be no more.

Heck if he had applogized for other grievances as quickly as he did this some of his self made problems would be no more. Posted by: rrizzardi

Yes, Bush and his handlers have learned a thing or two in these many, interminable, years. No more "I can't think of any" when someone asks if he has made any mistakes. No more "bring 'em on". No more refusal to apologize when he needs to.

Now if they could just do something about the unfunny off-the-cuff banter, and that swagger.

Hugh Mann wrote: "Isn't this the same president who enthusiastically waved at Stevie Wonder at some event?" Starbuck wrote: "Thanks for the memory of Bush flagrantly waving at Stevie Wonder, that was a classic!" The "Bush waved at Stevie Wonder" urban legend was thoroughly debunked YEARS AGO. See http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/bushwave.htm. But we mustn't let the truth get in the way of a good story--eh, comrades?.

The only thing funny in this is how everybody (me included) automatically assumes the worst about an advesary. I was curious yesterday if anybody knew if the reporter was offended. Per CNN he wasn't. Why? Because he hadn't told anybody at the White House about his condition.

ARK. BLOG He didn't appear offended at the time. I found illuminating the entire sequence of events, with Bush blustering through a series of forced efforts at jocularity that came off mostly as insensitive, inappropriate or just dumb. He's a bully, that much is clear.

Call me slow but when I breezed through the transcript the first time I didn't catch on that the guy was blind or legally blind. Catching my attention was Bush's comment about the lack of sun and the reporter's reply, "It depends on your perspective." I thought the reporting was joshing about the proverbial dark clouds hovering above the presidency, i.e., nearly 3,000 dead in Iraq, low polls, a deserting base, huge deficits, and drunk twin girls (oops, sorry, that was uncalled for).

AT, I think that your readers are echoing the 'much ado about nothing' syndrome that you are so inclined to pursue.

You might be right that Bush is a bully, insensitive, or dumb. But this little episode proves none of those things. The only thing it proves is that you are looking for the worst in Mr. Bush regardless of what he does.

ARK. BLOG And finding it. Watch the video; it's a portrait of a mean man with the world's biggest bully pulpit finding personal ways to rag others in public. It's not gracious, it's not funny, it's not sensitive. Imagine if roles were reversed and a reporter opened with a wisecrack about Bush's tie. What Would Ann Coulter Say?

The only thing it proves is that you are looking for the worst in Mr. Bush regardless of what he does. Posted by: Anonymous

On that front, one doesn't have to look far and one doesn't have to look deep. There's something there every time he opens his mouth, and many times when he just stands there in silence. Ask Jon Stewart. George W. Bush has been a gold mine for the Daily Show.

The Daily Show sucks. Imagine if a camera followed you around 24 hours a day (president, senators) and recorded every move you make.

Jon finds the most humiliating clips and plays them to his pre-screened audience, then makes "googly eyes" or "blank stare face" and we all chuckle along.

What the daily show REALLY does is this: it is creating a generation of young people that are Arrogant-HolierThanThou-SelfRighteous-etc about politics... every night a few hundred thou. people watch jon and think to themselves "wow the president is an idiot" "man congress is stupid" "gosh the republicans are all corrupt" "wow the democrats are all wimps"

Every night. After a while the attitude of "I AM SMARTER/BETTER/MORE INFORMED THAN MY GOVERNMENT" sets in, which is a bad thing.

I find it amusing that people get their NEWS from a COMEDY show, and then sit back and think "oh my gosh every leader we have is a fool"

Imagine if a camera followed you every minute of every day.

Or, instead, keep on watching the daily show, and keep feeling so Smug and Self-important, because the GOP and its mantra of Guns God and Gays will beat you every time.

Bush is an idiot. Why does this misstep surprise anyone?

For the record, not everyone in Arkansas supports Bush. No one I know does, but maybe that's just Northwest Arkansas for you.

Well, if not everyone in Arkansas supports Bush why should that surprise you? Not everyone in Arkansas supports the Clintons. Not everyone in Arkansas is a Democrat. Not everyone in Arkansas lives in Little Rock. You need to think out of the 'LR box'. The rest of Arkansas does not think like LR. You need to get out in your state and check this out.

I might add that the AT needs to change its name to the Little Rock Times. It would be more reflective of its thinking.

Anonymous, the sad truth is that The Daily Show provides often accurate information to a segment of society that is accused of apathy. It is instead possible that the apathy is a sense of disenfranchisement because they may be smarter, better informed, and more competent than the elected officials. The possibility cannot be ignored.

AT, congratulations on being enough of a gadfly to be inundated with trolls. As the "LR Native" who has co-opted that call sign demonstrates, we can already see what the talking points for November will be. The AT is, and has been, a fine example of journalism and critical writing. I may not always agree with your positions, but rest assured you will have faithful readers so long as you continue to provide quality work for the public.

After a day to reflect on this blind man incident, the real story here is in the whole tape, which shows Bush going from reporter to reporter cracking jokes, using nicknames, feeling his oats.

The man with a grade D mind liked that flying into Baghdad under cover. He liked that waltzing around the Green Zone feeling like a cowboy surrounded by his troops. Bush came home feeling frisky and was boppin along in his press conference. It really doesn't matter if he was messing with a blind reporter. The story here is that King George had been to the fair, had too much cotton candy and Coke and was buzzing when he faced the cameras.

In his pea brain everything is going just fine in Iraq. Why, everyone there told him that. He got to fly in like a super hero minus his cape and he got away from that nagging Laura for a day. What does it all count for? NOTHING? What does it mean? NOTHING? Did it help one freaking thing? NO!

A million dollars to fly that stooge to Baghdad just to perk him up a little. A million dollars for him to shake the hand of the future dead President of Iraq. Look him in the eyes indeed. Now Bush knows his heart and we're out a million bucks and I just came in from changing my lighted death toll sign to 2500, and I know I'll have to go up the numbers tomorrow. Drop King George in a parachute somewhere other than the Green Zone and listen to him holler all the way down.

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