Bush in the bunker: Reduces access, rarely speaks to father

[CatWoman]

http://tinyurl.com/bulk7

President Bush feels betrayed by several of his most senior aides and advisors and has severely restricted access to the Oval Office, administration sources say.

The president's reclusiveness in the face of relentless public scrutiny of the U.S.-led war in Iraq and White House leaks regarding CIA operative Valerie Plame has become so extreme that Mr. Bush has also reduced contact with his father, former President George H.W. Bush, administration sources said on the condition of anonymity.

"The atmosphere in the Oval Office has become unbearable," a source said. "Even the family is split."

But sources close to the White House say that Mr. Bush has become isolated and feels betrayed by key officials in the wake of plunging domestic support, the continued insurgency in Iraq and the CIA-leak investigation that has resulted in the indictment and resignation of Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff.

The sources said Mr. Bush maintains daily contact with only four people: first lady Laura Bush, his mother, Barbara Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Undersecretary of State Karen Hughes. The sources also say that Mr. Bush has stopped talking with his father, except on family occasions.

[HereSince1628]

1. Well I feel safer knowing Dame Barbara is on the job.

I suppose Bush feels good about being fought over by the two main competitors in the old Texas game of "Find the Elgin Sausage."

[creeksneakers2]

2. A spoiled child

who, in adulthood, is given power and has his every whim catered to, will create a fantasy world that revolves around him. Eventually, he'll regress to infancy. Its telling Bush only associates with his mother or mother figures now. He'll turn on them too, if he doesn't get his way.

[ProfessorGAC]

39. Petulant Little Brat

A small man with a small mind.
The Professor

[montanacowboy]

3. JUST LIKE IN THE OMEN

HE HAS SURROUNDED HIMSELF WITH THE NURSE DOGS!!!!!!!!!!! OMG

[driver8]

34. I firmly believe that if you shave shrub's head, you will find the

words, "I suck" on his skull.

[punpirate]

4. So helpful of the Moonie Times...

... to portray Bush as feeling "betrayed" by his staff, oh, nothing to do with George, it's those miscreants in the White House, it was the cook, and the strawberries, why, uh.... {sounds of marbles clacking}

[Arugula Latte]

53. Yes -- He's either Popular Leader or Victim.

Nothing is ever Dubya's fault nor will it ever be.

[MADem]

5. Well, what a great group of advisers

Toothy McNitwit, Sounds like Witch Bar, Dime Bag, herself, and the woman the Jordanians described as RUDE and tactless!!!

All women, too. I used to think this meant he actually had one thing right, and believed in equal opportunity; now I am wondering if he FEARS testosterone-laden argument and opposition.

[DS1]

22. Ok, can you translate that for me?

I got the Toothy part, but the article listed for and you listed 5

[MADem]

44. No, I listed only 4

Toothy=Condi
Sounds Like Witch Bar=Mommy (she referred to Geraldine Ferraro as something that sounds like 'witch'--after which she chuckled, evilly)
Dime Bag, herself=Laura (who supplemented her stash by being the Go-To gal for dime bags while in college)
And bringing up the rear, the rude, tactless one=Karen Hughes (so called by the Jordanians in a recent news article)

[DS1]

45. Oh, it was the extra comma in Dime Bag, herself, that threw me off

[KharmaTrain]

6. Fun Freeper Flame Bait...Who Really Cares...

I've seen a couple thread...one on how Poppy has been shunning Junior or visa versa in recent weeks...and the other on the Clintons appearing in Jordan. Tons of freeper goodies there to keep them distracted and spinning.

A sidebar...a couple weeks ago Poppy was missing from the Astros/White Sox game. Supposedly he'd had some kind of oral surgery that kept him from the game...but lately, the old man's not looking so well. He's 80 and all that jumping out of planes and having to deal with a battle axe and messed up kids has to take a toll on a guy.

Certainly all these "negative vibes" surrounding asshat booosh is affecting his relationships with others. What good news has this doofus really had in recent months? The usual tricks aren't working and the ways to distract are getting limited.

Poppy doesn't have to talk to Junior to get "updated"...he still gets his daily security briefings and I'm sure Mr. Crashcart always takes his calls and has him on speed dial.

[CatWoman]

9. up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?

[KharmaTrain]

30. Not Yet...I'm Working On It...

Aw c'mon...:rofl:

I was hoping we could get a good troll of two to bite...or at least some good threads on the topic.

I do get a little tired of stories that play on booosh's personality rather than his policies...giving some merit to the asshats who claim we "hate booosh" and attempt to dismiss our true argument.

Would you rather have this become a major story or continue to focus on the boosh regime's on-going corruption. Give the corporate media a distraction and they'll take it.

Cheers...

:hi:

[Skidmore]

7. Reduces access?!? Lobbyists ran out of money?????

Whazzup with that?

[godai]

8. He's turning into Nixon

I think that he intended to prove his father wrong about Iraq (Gulf War I) but now he must hear his father say "I told you so" everytime he sees him.

Further, the long vacation/disaster link must haunt him...Sept. 11...Katrina. The World Trade Center vanished on his watch and he will never get over that particularly since he knows that warnings were there beforehand.

[CatWoman]

12. welcome to DU, Godai

:hi:

very good analysis.

He tried his best to outdo his Dad -- that's why "re-election" was such a priority for him.

But at what cost. What terrible cost(s) to the world.

[catmandu57]

24. I believe Iraq was some kind of Oedipal struggle

between poppy and jr.* over the old bitchdog babs. Old georgie may have put it to the boy blunder*, maybe he took a shower with him.

[Sequoia]

10. Mama's Boy.

[buzzard]

11. Ok who will post this at freeperville I lost my privileges. Love to see

their responses.

[CatWoman]

13. damn, I forgot my account USERID over there

[Connie_Corleone]

15. The Insight article is already posted there.

They are claiming it's gossip, nothing more. Oh, and Insight is a liberal rag, which it isn't. It's conservative.

[CatWoman]

18. Connie - you have the link to FR?

[Connie_Corleone]

19. Here you go...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1522484/posts

[CatWoman]

21. thanks

funny how this story is viewed as "gossip", but the Kerry/Intern story was "investigative jounalistic genius at its best".

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. Fun, fun fun

[Peter Frank]

14. Your link doesn't seem to work... nt

[CatWoman]

16. try this

http://www.insightmag.com/ME2/Default.asp

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. Have we seen this somewhere before

Nah... my imagination.... but this is also coming from unamed sources....

Just thought I'd point this out

[MADem]

25. Well, this comes from the REV MOON crowd

Let's remember, REV MOON was Mr. Moneybags to old Poppy, so this could well be a Poppy offensive to shove his nutty son firmly INTO the bunker, so he cannot do any more damage.

I'm hearing stories about Rummy, trying to justify himself (in fact, he is on TV RIGHT NOW, whinging about "honest mistakes") whining about his "what could go wrong in Iraq" memo, trying desperately to distance himself, claiming that his main goal was to reinvent DOD, and the Iraq war was not "HIS" priority. I swear, the GOP elected leadership, and now the Cabinet outsiders, are looking to me like they are doing a bit of "cutting and running" themselves!!

The old "It was all HIS IDEA!!!" excuse. Or better still, "He MADE ME DO IT!!! Waaaaah!"

The bit I noted from the above cited work:
For the president, what triggered the break with his father was the interview given to the New Yorker magazine in October by Brent Scowcroft, who served as national security advisor in the first Bush presidency. In the interview, Mr. Scowcroft criticized the administration's handling of Iraq. The sources said the president is convinced that Mr. Scowcroft consulted with Mr. Bush's father prior to delivering the devastating critique of the president's Iraq policy.

The interview sparked a series of high-level criticism that Mr. Bush believes was coordinated by circles close to his father. Mr. Scowcroft and Mr. Bush's father have been regarded as being best friends.

Relations between Mr. Bush and his chief political adviser, Karl Rove, had also become tense in the build-up to the indictment of Mr. Libby. This is due to the fact the president believed his chief aide when Mr. Rove said that he had nothing to do with the leak of Mrs. Plame's identity. The prospect that Mr. Libby will turn state evidence in the Plame case is even more alarming for the White House.

"Bush is living from hour to hour," said a senior Republican source who visits the White House frequently....

[nadinbrzezinski]

27. Oh I know this is playing hard ball

it is just how many places we are starting to see this... from MULTIPLE places...

Maybe dad raelizes only way to stop his crazy son is to make sure he resigns, or if you believe in the powers that be (board of directors) theory, Corporate America needs the kid out... and are pressuriing Carlyle to get rid of the miscretant... but still you know why I said what I said.

By the way, we have this coming from all places, teh moonies, the rags and even the ahem "more respectable" news sources... it is starting to feel like Nixon and his last days

[MADem]

32. When he starts talking to the portraits in the WH we will know he is near

the end!!!

[nadinbrzezinski]

37. Will Drudge report this first? CHB, or the Globe?

maybe, even the NYT?

Sorry, I am just having a laught over this... the number of sources now saying that the work environment in the WH qualifies for a Toxic Site cleanup Project.

[CatWoman]

42. I can't believe this -- Drudge did post some of this story:

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash4.htm

[nadinbrzezinski]

43. Now it is coming from many sides

boy, grab the popcorn

[Panda1]

20. He's on a short leash

and out of range of the press. Maybe they're afraid he'll lose his short temper or blab off script. He's in cheeleader attack dog mode. No questions. He's probably upset that he's under closer scrutiny, crooks don't like to get caught. It's haaaaard work not answering any questions. It's a perfect time to be bizzy someplace else.
Dubya is severely dysfunctional. He can't be trusted in public without earpieces, prior arrangements, rehearsed questions, and there must be NO surprises. He might blow. ;)

[yellowcanine]

26. He only talks to Laura, Barb, Condi and Karen? Is he a girlie man, then?

It appears that Bush is afraid to talk to other men now. What's up with that?

[Stephanie]

28. MOMMY!

Everybody's being so MEAN to me!

[Supersedeas]

55. ahhhh, Daddy won't change pissy pants underoos

[Southsideirish]

29. Baby brat bunker boy Bush. It has a certain ring to it! n/t

[HughLefty1]

31. No shock...

Although I'm surprised Harriet Miers isn't included in his little clique. He probably feels betrayed by her after the humiliation of pulling her name out from the SC nomination.

GHWB must be very proud of his son. Of course I was never a fan of the old man but nonetheless could never, ever see him advocate torture the way this administration has done.

[newyawker99]

52. Hi HughLefty1!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[yellowcanine]

33. Why do the Freeps think Drudge wrote it? Does he write for Insight?

The Insight article did not have an author listed.

[CatWoman]

35. um,

they're morans?

:shrug:

[yellowcanine]

40. Well that's a given, just thought there might be more to it. Drudge COULD

write for Insight. Somebody must write their crappy moonie stuff and he is as good a suspect as anyone.

[CatWoman]

41. ok, ok

I just checked Drudge, and found this posted over there:

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash4.htm

[yellowcanine]

50. So Drudge cites the Insight article but the Freeps blame Drudge?

I guess it makes it easier for them to whistle past the graveyard if they think it is just a Drudge story.

[Norquist Nemesis]

36. That's one strong leader the Cons selected!

Where's all of that "leadership" and "able to make good decisions" (like FIRING people!).

[Junkdrawer]

38. The Sockpuppet-In-Chief doesn't give orders - he takes them...

and if he works better with Rice or Hughes giving him the orders, all the more time for the real powers to do their evil bidding.

[CoffeeCat]

46. Maybe we should start referring to the WH as the "Eagles Nest"...

...this pResident is becoming more frightening and pathological as each day passes.

History repeating itself?

[RamboLiberal]

47. So are some of you still pooh poohing

the stories in Capitol Hill Blues, Enquirer, Globe, etc.?

They may not be completely true, but I think these stories are not that far off. He may be on the sauce again and he is definitely cracking under the pressure.

I still remember those SNL skits in 2000, the one of him hunting with Poppy and the other of him in the Oval Office complaining how hard it was was the world burned around him.

[obreaslan]

48. Two comments....

One, I though he doesn't pay attention to polls. WHy would the fact that his domestic support is plunging make him take these drastic measures?

Two, should we be worried that someone with some sort of obvious mental disorder is sitting, hunkered down in the oval office, with his finger on the button, refusing to talk to all but a few individuals, one of those being his mother?

I just thought of a third thing. Bwaaaaahahhhaaahahahahah!!!!!:)

[Dulcinea]

49. He's surrounded himself with his fan club.

Adoring women everywhere. :puke:

[SpiralHawk]

51. Bush talks with his mother every day?

And he wants us to think he is macho?

Sounds to me more like the M.O. of a Connecticut preppy AWOL cheerleader...

[cassiepriam]

54. Bush seems to feel safe only with women who mother him.