The difference between us is mostly this. I thin the country is full of intelligent people. You think the country is full of stupid people.

...if "numskull" is an imprecise description of the president, it is not altogether inaccurate. Bush may not have been born stupid, but he has achieved stupidity, and now he wears it as a badge of honor. Richard Perle, foreign policy adviser: "The first time I met Bush 43 … two things became clear. One, he didn't know very much. The other was that he had the confidence to ask questions that revealed he didn't know very much."

“doesn't this guy have any curiousity at all about the big, wide world around him?”

There are all kinds of atrocities, and I would have to say that, yes, yes, I committed the same kind of atrocities as thousands of other soldiers have committed in that I took part in shootings in free fire zones. I conducted harassment and interdiction fire. I used 50 calibre machine guns, which we were granted and ordered to use, which were our only weapon against people. I took part in search and destroy missions, in the burning of villages. All of this is contrary to the laws of warfare, all of this is contrary to the Geneva Conventions and all of this is ordered as a matter of written established policy by the government of the United States from the top down. And I believe that the men who designed these, the men who designed the free fire zone, the men who ordered us, the men who signed off the air raid strike areas, I think these men, by the letter of the law, the same letter of the law that tried Lieutenant Calley, are war criminals. -- John Kerry, on NBC's "Meet the Press" April 18, 1971

I would be surprised if a single day of sightseeing in Beijing would cost the American taxpayer any less than my mortgage.

Come on, rich man, rich family, means and ability. I’m certainly not familiar with the places the president traveled to before he was elected, and I doubt I’m alone here.

no known prior foreign travel, considered going outside texas to be visiting another country.

“I'd be surprised if a couple of hours of meeting ordinary people costs the American taxpayer any more or any less than a couple of hours on his bike”

“…but no interest in speaking to the very people who have the most at stake if his notions are put to the test.”

“Um... wow, you're really reaching now. (I won't say where you're reaching...)”

So, your point is?

that he was elected gov. of texas and the u.s. twice merely proves that a not to bright person, backed by lots o' money, and telling the rubes what they want to hear, regardless of how ridiculous it is, can be elected.

When the outcome doesn't fit their warped outlook on life they chalk it up to the masses being "fooled" by politicians. Which is another way of saying "The citizenry is too stupid to decide for themselves so we should decide for them". Kind of sounds like the characterizations of Democrats that the Right(Wrong) Wing loves to spew. My, my who are the elitists now, PnBB?

I doubt the President would have an opportunity to talk to the folks who, as you put it, have the most at stake.

Could be, who knows?

As for his speech, that is pure west Texas

if you take it from that viewpoint, any act of violence in a war could be considered an atrocity.

"Willful ignorance" - Slate wrote about it way back when, but I can never find the link. Bush doesn't give a flying rat's patoutie about different cultures, different views. He never will, he's kinda proud of it, and it's a disgrace to our nation.

There is a difference between being interested in other culures, enjoying the differences, etc., and thinking that we should be letting them tell us what to do, worrying about their opinion, etc.

oh, he made a woman out of a spare rib of the man.

It is the pity the Demos choose to NOT do something helpful, instead of trying to play politics.

I have never suggested a test where we turn over our security to any nation. In fact, I've said the opposite: I will never turn the security of the United States over to any nation. No nation will ever have a veto over us. But I think it makes sense, I think most Americans in their guts know, that we ought to pass a sort of truth standard. That's how you gain legitimacy with your own country people, and that's how you gain legitimacy in the world. But I'll never fail to protect the United States of America.

I believe America is safest and strongest when we are leading the world and we are leading strong alliances. I'll never give a veto to any country over our security. But I also know how to lead those alliances. This president has left them in shatters across the globe, and we're now 90 percent of the casualties in Iraq and 90 percent of the costs. I think that's wrong, and I think we can do better.

MARSHALL ON TORA BORA: Josh, I think, nails the administration's current attempt to rewrite history on what really happened in Tora Bora. It's stuff like this that has undermined what confidence I had in the veracity of this administration. The gaps between what we know to be true and what they insist isn't just keep multiplying. I used to give them the benefit of the doubt. No reasonable person can any more.

But I also know how to lead those alliances.

But I think it makes sense, I think most Americans in their guts know, that we ought to pass a sort of truth standard.

Apparent: manifest to the senses or mind as real or true on the basis of evidence that may or may not be factually valid

There is a difference between being interested in other cultures, enjoying the differences, etc., and thinking that we should be letting them tell us what to do, worrying about their opinion, etc.