GW Bush has no sense of shame whatsoever

[Michchamp]

This really takes teh cake. The only thing that could make it worse would be if he brought along his "Mission Accomplished" banner.

 

[biggunsbob]

Damn That is really bad... Come on GWB do it for free!!!!!

 

[byco42]

This really takes teh cake. The only thing that could make it worse would be if he brought along his "Mission Accomplished" banner.

Or raised $2,500,000 for his appearance?

 

[Michchamp]

Or raised $2,500,000 for his appearance?

still, why ask for anything in return?

 

[byco42]

still, why ask for anything in return?

I don't know. The charity did not pay ultimately. The $100,000 was underwritten by a private donor. You could say that he could have donated that amount to the charity, but it's hard to ignore the outcome of $2.5M raised.

And I contend that Bill and Hill are the vanguard of the "No Shame Club" when it comes to public-speaking fees.

 

[Michchamp]

I don't know. The charity did not pay ultimately. The $100,000 was underwritten by a private donor. You could say that he could have donated that amount to the charity, but it's hard to ignore the outcome of $2.5M raised.

And I contend that Bill and Hill are the vanguard of the "No Shame Club" when it comes to public-speaking fees.

I can't really defend the grift they have going, but in comparison to GWB, I guess you could say at least they don't charge speaking fees to wounded veterans who they are responsible for sending to combat in the first place. That really took some nerve from him.

 

[tomdalton22]

I can't really defend the grift they have going, but in comparison to GWB, I guess you could say at least they don't charge speaking fees to wounded veterans who they are responsible for sending to combat in the first place. That really took some nerve from him.

I wonder how the wounded veterans feel about him and what they did? My guess is they are probably not offended at all.

 

[byco42]

I can't really defend the grift they have going, but in comparison to GWB, I guess you could say at least they don't charge speaking fees to wounded veterans who they are responsible for sending to combat in the first place. That really took some nerve from him.

The charity did not pay. Speaking and traveling fees for the former President were paid by the charity, but the amount was underwritten by a private donor, the charity?s lawyer told ABC News.

Bill and Hill just charge speaking fees in return for donations to their foundation and for other boonies. I think that takes a brand of hubris that you'd agree GWB cannot even consider.

 

[Michchamp]

bottom line: George W. Bush walked away with $100K for speaking at a charity for wounded veterans.

 

[byco42]

bottom line: George W. Bush walked away with $100K for speaking at a charity for wounded veterans.

And the bottom line of the charity was $2.5M higher than before he spoke there.

 

[Spartanmack]

The bottom line is there is no tidbit you won't cherry pick, no fact or circumstance you won't ignore to paint Republicans in general and Bush in particular in the worst possible light you can.

 

[tinselwolverine]

And the bottom line of the charity was $2.5M higher than before he spoke there.

George W. Bush should be as entitled as any former president to get paid for personal appearances; all his recent predecessors have done so and I'm sure his successors will too.

But I can see in this case it would be a fitting gesture, after having helped raise the $2.5M to donate the $100 K to that charity too.

It's not like the guy left the White House broke like the Clintons were.

Besides that now that the guy's tax cuts have expired $100 K doesn't buy quite as many pretzels as it used to anyway.

For business groups or whatever, fine, go get paid until the cows come home; all former presidents do it....

 

[byco42]

^^^^^ I'm just telling to tell the whole story rather than 1/10 of the story. ^^^^ Sure, GWB should have donated the 100K and maybe he did to a different org. Maybe that was the deal from the beginning.

 

[tinselwolverine]

^^^^^ I'm just telling to tell the whole story rather than 1/10 of the story. ^^^^ Sure, GWB should have donated the 100K and maybe he did to a different org. Maybe that was the deal from the beginning.

There's this vet on your former employer, CNN right now, Sgt. Eddie Wright, joining in the voices of vets who are being critical of Bush for taking the money.

And he's claiming that a lot veteran support organizations are exploiting the vets for self-serving interests, beyond the Bush appearance.

He didn't completely bash Bush for everything that happened while Bush was president; more to the effect that he agreed with some of the things Bush had done and also disagreed with some of them.

 

[byco42]

There's this vet on your former employer, CNN right now, Sgt. Eddie Wright, joining in the voices of vets who are being critical of Bush for taking the money.

And he's claiming that a lot veteran support organizations are exploiting the vets for self-serving interests, beyond the Bush appearance.

He didn't completely bash Bush for everything that happened while Bush was president; more to the effect that he agreed with some of the things Bush had done and also disagreed with some of them.

I'm not a fan of this decision by GWB, either. He should have done it gratis.

 

[Thumb]

Or raised $2,500,000 for his appearance?

And the bottom line of the charity was $2.5M higher than before he spoke there.

False.

$2.5 million was what was raised the whole year that Bush spoke. (2012) The $2.5 million was double what the charity earned the next year, and no mention of what the earnings were the previous year.

You are making the false assumption that the $2.5 million was because of Bush, or that it was all earned after he spoke. The charity does not even claim this, only saying Bush's appearance "raised significant funds".

Also the year before (2011) Laura Bush spoke to the same group, was paid $50,000 and no mention of how much the charity earned that year is mentioned.

He was paid for a speaking engagement, and I really don't care that he was, but let's not go overboard and pretend that the total $2.5 million raised was because of it.

 

[Michchamp]

The bottom line is there is no tidbit you won't cherry pick, no fact or circumstance you won't ignore to paint Republicans in general and Bush in particular in the worst possible light you can.

it's not about me...

this was a pretty low move from Bush, no? Are you trying to defend it?

 

[byco42]

False.

$2.5 million was what was raised the whole year that Bush spoke. (2012) The $2.5 million was double what the charity earned the next year, and no mention of what the earnings were the previous year.

You are making the false assumption that the $2.5 million was because of Bush, or that it was all earned after he spoke. The charity does not even claim this, only saying Bush's appearance "raised significant funds".

Also the year before (2011) Laura Bush spoke to the same group, was paid $50,000 and no mention of how much the charity earned that year is mentioned.

He was paid for a speaking engagement, and I really don't care that he was, but let's not go overboard and pretend that the total $2.5 million raised was because of it.

I make no assumptions. I read. This, from the Dallas Morning News.

?We are proud that President Bush attended the 2012 Helping A Hero Gala,? the charity posted to Facebook on Wednesday. ?His presence helped us raise an unprecedented amount of funds to build specially adapted homes for wounded heroes.?

According to the charity?s yearly reports to the IRS, it raised about $2,450,000, after expenses, from the 2012 gala where President Bush spoke, ABC News reported. The report said the following year, the gala netted the charity substantially less, about $1,000,000.

 

[TheVictors]

I have seen Collin Powell speak so many times I don't attend anymore when he's on the docket. Seen Condi Rice, Newt, Bernanke, Bill Bradley, Simpson/Bowles and ....GWB.

I think half the reason people seek public office is to be in the speaking circuit following. In the case of Bradley and Gingrich, it was clear it was mostly schtick they'd done so many times, the jokes were all planted and repeated.

It's just for the money..