Taking a swing at ‘sacrifice’

I thought it was unbelievable what came out of President Bush’s mouth during a recent interview concerning his “sacrifice” and his sympathy for the troops and their families (5/15, A-2, “The Buzz: That was a mulligan!”).

Bush claims that he was playing golf when he was informed of the death of a U.N. ambassador in Iraq back in August of 2003, and he was so upset that he would no longer play golf to show sympathy to the fallen troops and their families. Mind you, that was in August.

Then in October, two months later, he was reported to be playing, you guessed it, golf!

I’m sorry, but I see neither the sympathy nor the “sacrifice.”

Barry Jackson
Kansas City

Comments

[jack]

I don't recall any of the other Presidents saying publically they were giving up golf to show support for the troops. This isn't about golf. It's about hypocrisy.

[Bill]

I'll be voting for Bob Barr come November. I'm disgusted with the current examples of the Republican party -- they've strayed so far from conservatism it's not even funny.

John "Maverick" McCain's now voting against benefits for veterans, and George "I managed to duck out of Vietnam" Bush touts "giving up golf" as his "sacrifice" for our troops who've died in Iraq due to his bungling (and he didn't even give it up when he said he did).

Let's send a message to the Republican party that it needs to return to its conservative roots and vote for Barr!

http://www.bobbarr2008.com

[katman]

Pretty slim pickings today guys. Other than HST and FDR, I believe every President since has been a golfer. George H Bush and Bill Clinton play almost every opportunity. I imagine you consider golf an elitist endeavor since you don't play.

I believe every President needs vacation time and a past time he enjoys. With today's communication, they are never out of touch.

I think you are scraping the bottom of the barrel when you criticize Bush's golf. Get a life!

KATMAN

[jack]

The point is Bush claims to have given up golf as his "sacrifice" in support fo the troops.

BTW: With Bush saying he "used to be" an alcoholic, do you really want to give him a beer?

[stone]

lots of people do business on the golf course. Maybe if Bush invited some foreign policy foes over for a round or two, he might actually accomplish something. I can see more being accomplished over a round of golf and a case of beer than in a closed door room surrounded by reporters waiting for your exit (and if it isn't a positive outcome from the beer, at least we could get to hear about a good ol drunken brawl)

[jack]

FDR, Carter and Clinton did not publically claim they were giving something up as "support" to the troops, then went and did it.

This does show two things about our President.

First, he thinks "giving up golf" is a way to sacrifice for the troops ("I'm fighting terrorism by going to Walmart!")

Second, he doesn't care enough about the troops to even stand by this "commitment" to them.

By the way, it's not "reports". It's on film.

[katman]

Thanks for your comment. I never thought of George W. as a golfer. I have more recollections of Bill Clinton playing golf between visits with Monica.

And, what was Jimmy Carter doing for 444 days while 54 American hostages were imprisoned in Iran?

On a much more serious note, did you you FDR sat in his wheelchair while the Holocaust was going on -- and he knew about it?

KATMAN