comment #1

Mr. Muckle says ...

I don't think you can fairly judge Nixon (even positively) by how Frank Langella portrays him. Langella is an attractive man while Nixon was an ogre through and through. Probably Nixon only said those things because he thought they would make him look better. And Nixon's prosecution of the Vietnam war killed a lot more people than Bush's war, so far, and for just as little reason. Even so, in a just world Bush would have been executed years ago, whether the ignorant little prick apologized or not.

comment #2

great scott says ...

I'm no Bush fan but I give him a pass on "sitting in that classroom like a chump after hearing about the WTC attacks." What should he have done? Should he have jumped up in front of a bunch of little kids and started shouting "Let's go find out who did it and kill these mutherfucking cocksuckers. Nobody fucks with this country." Everything else Jeff said is right on the money.

comment #3

Ray says ...

LOL Jeff it's funny you bring this up. I was just saying something similar today myself while going over the new Times list of worst Presidents of all time:

http://therecshow.com/2008/10/29/worst-president-ever/

Bush actually believes that history will vindicate him, much like James Buchanan did on his deathbed after allowing the country to lapse in Civil War.

I, for one, think history will be much harsher on Bush than he even realizes. You'd think someone handed the most important job in the world would have taken more care to secure a positive legacy for himself.

comment #4

DarthCorleone says ...

This brings to mind that moment in W. when the WMD evidence (or lack thereof) is finally put on the table and what's-his-name - after apologizing - states he has no choice but to resign. There's this pregnant moment of expectation in the room; if resignation is the right thing, who else at this table that might have been just as accountable for the decision should be resigning? And then W. and staff go right back to business with a discussion that is completely sans humility. As sympathetic of a portrait as I think the film is, I found that to be a notable and damning moment in the story as Stone tells it.

comment #5

errolmorrisfan says ...

You forgot "torturing human beings" and "spying on Americans without a warrant."

comment #6

Teacher's Pets says ...

Great Scott: When you're done punching that straw man, be serious and tell me you seriously think it was acceptable for him to sit there vacantly for seven and a half minutes. He didn't have to scream and yell; he did have to excuse himself calmly and go lead the country.

I tell you what...the next time someone tells you that someone keyed your car out in the parking lot or that your kid fell done and sprained his ankle out in the park, sit there silently for seven and a half minutes and see how people react. Now multiply that by several orders of magnitude.

comment #7

great scott says ...

Teacher's Pets: What does "fell done" mean? And given where Bush has "calmly led the country", it's too bad he didn't just sit there for the next seven and a half years, let alone seven and a half minutes

comment #8

p.Vice says ...

Thank you, Muckle. You're not the only one who's not quite ready for the Nixon sentimentalists to start re-writing history.

comment #9

D.Z. says ...

scott: "I'm no Bush fan but I give him a pass on "sitting in that classroom like a chump after hearing about the WTC attacks." What should he have done? Should he have jumped up in front of a bunch of little kids and started shouting "Let's go find out who did it and kill these mutherfucking cocksuckers. Nobody fucks with this country."'

Well, he basically said that when we were in Afghanistan, before forgetting about it, so sure.

"And given where Bush has "calmly led the country", it's too bad he didn't just sit there for the next seven and a half years, let alone seven and a half minutes"

You have a point, but at least he could've actually pretended to know what he was doing-like Reagan.

comment #10

Bubyubb says ...

Bush will go to his grave not saying that because he doesn't BELIEVE that. Basically, you're wishing he'd turn into you, because then he'd say what you think. But that ISN'T what he thinks.

comment #11

SaveFarris says ...

Global Warming my ###: have you seen what the temperature is? Plus, it would have been tough for Bush to enact Kyoto, what with the Senate voting against it 98-0.

comment #12

Jack South P.I. says ...

What should he have done? Should he have jumped up in front of a bunch of little kids and started shouting "Let's go find out who did it and kill these mutherfucking cocksuckers. Nobody fucks with this country."

What should he have done? Are you kidding? Bush should have done exactly what he did do seven minutes later:stand up, politely excuse himself, and start dealing with the attacks. Anyone (and I mean you, great scott), who says his only option was to jump up, start screaming, and scaring children is a fucking idiot.

comment #13

Bubyubb says ...

Too sensible, Jack. Remember, the correct answer is that Bush should have leaped up and immediately deployed... an apology.

comment #14

televisiontears says ...

"Global Warming my ###: have you seen what the temperature is?"

I hope to God that you're kidding. This is by far one of the laziest and balls-out dumbfuck arguments about anything in the history of anything. In February, I got a haircut and the stylist said (without a hint of irony), "Everyone's talking about global warming, but I don't know. It's been so cold lately." How seriously fucking stupid and damaged do you need to be to rationalize this argument?

Again, if you're kidding, my sincere apologies.

comment #15

D.Z. says ...

Farris: It's been 80-90 all week here in Cali; and we're at the end of October, so...