Bush supposedly in a....GET THIS..."book reading competition with Rove"

[Human Torch]

Bush, a “man of letters”
By: Steve on Wednesday, August 23rd, 2006 at 5:42 AM - PDT

Last week, we learned about Bush allegedly reading Camus’ "The Stranger." Apparently, it’s part of a new p.r. campaign to convince us of the president’s new-found appreciation for the printed word.

Maybe it was the influence of his wife, Laura, a former librarian, or his mother, Barbara, a longtime promoter of literacy. Or perhaps he was just eager to dispel his image as an intellectual lightweight. But President Bush now wants it known that he is a man of letters.

In fact, Bush has entered a book-reading competition with Karl Rove, his political adviser. White House aides say the president has read 60 books so far this year (while the brainy Rove, to Bush’s competitive delight, has racked up only 50).

The White House released a partial list of the books — there are some serious texts in there – and I feel comfortable saying there is absolutely no way on earth the president read all of these books. None.

– Guest Post by Steve Benen, The Carpetbagger Report



http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/08/23/bush-a-man-of-letters/

[rfranklin]

1. He didn't even read the Cliff Notes...

He learned a long time ago that he didn't even have to show up to get credit for completing the course.

[Clark2008]

2. ...

:spray:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

They cannot be series! They think anyone would BELIEVE this crap! This is hugh!!!

[Jacobin]

3. Um, that's something 10 year olds do in the summer

Or at least I did...a contest for the number of books I read at the local library.

Guess he figures more is better. :eyes:

What a fucking douchebag

[Demeter]

4. Isn't It a Little Too Late For That?

There isn't any book on how to get out of the mess Bush has made of everything, unless there's something about ritual suicide. Perhaps "Lord Jim"?
That's a nice, cheerful read, with a happy ending.

[Virginia Dare]

5. "MacBeth" and "Hamlet".....? GET REAL!!!

I dearly hope some savvy reporters start asking him in-depth questions about some of these works....:dunce: :rofl:

[havocmom]

Might be good to sneak in some Lit. teachers in place of the press

:evilgrin:

[WillieDee]

28. If I were a reporter...

I would ask him a simple question about Hamlet, such as "So what did you think about the death of Polonius?"

[Virginia Dare]

32. Ha!

I can see Dubya Chimp saying something like:

I'm deeply saddened by it. Polonius was a good man. We'll all miss him very much, and he's in our thoughts and prayers.

:D

Welcome to DU!!!

[WillieDee]

41. Bush on the death of Polonius

"Every life is precious and so the death of Polonius is a terrible tragedy. But it reminds us that the enemy is always looking to strike, to take innocent life, to generate chaos and fear."

[Virginia Dare]

6. Delete-dupe

[Torgo Johnson]

7. Make sure to color inside the lines this time, George

If he really wants to read some books, he should try these:

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
1984 - George Orwell
It Can't Happen Here - Sinclair Lewis
Johnny Hot His Gun -Dalton Trumbo

Somehow, I don't think these will appear on the reading list.

[Ravenseye]

8. yeah when I saw that list my first thought was 'no freaking way'

Some of those were pretty dense books too. Not exactly page turners which make you pour through 100+ pages in a sitting...at least if you're actually READING them. They might as well claim he has a photographic memory, it's that ridiculous. Why they couldn't have made it a reasonable claim, somethign that would still be impressive, but at least possible, I don't know.

[Ravenseye]

14. Wait....what if it's true

I just had a thought.

What if they ARE having a reading contest. What if those ARE the books on his list. What if he has himself personally checked off those books...Would anyone quiz him on the books?

Look at all the other things he does. How competetive he apparently is. His 100 degree club, how he gets stnotty when things don't automatically go his way because he's a spoiled rich brat. What if they did this and he comes in every few days and says "yup another one down, take that Karl!" and either hasnt' even cracked the book, or barely did, and just leafed through it.

Would anyone question him? No. Of course not. They'd say "Wow Mr President, you're sure a good reader."

I'm just saying...maybe it's not just pure spin...maybe it's just another example of Bush the liar, cheat and braggart?

[Kierkegaard]

9. Anyone else believe that a (poorly) trained chimp

who has so obviously NOT read 60 books in his whole miserable life, suddenly has the capacity to read 60 books in less than a year's time?

Maybe he's had someone read 60 books to him while he's busy rootin' for taters or pickin' his snout. Otherwise, I call bullshit.

[Bozita]

10. Remember when he "read" that long, boring bio of Dean Acheson?

Book was so dull that not even historians read it.

[peacetalksforall]

11. George and Karl, here's an opportunity: Why not announce that you are

reading books on behalf of the millions of people in this country who can't read because they are working two jobs and trying to keep a family together? 110 books - that's 110 tired, worried grateful readers. It's more than compassionate. You could specify that you are reading on behalf of 110 of your conservative base, if you like the idea.

[Richard Steele]

12. I think he's actually in a "ridiculous propaganda" contest w/ Kim Jong Il.

Lil' Kim gets seven "Holes in One"/ B*sh lands on an aircraft carrier.

Rama-Lama-Kim-Jong writes the greatest movie script in NK history/ B*sh claims he can READ.

And so on, and so forth...whichever keeps a straight face longest wins.

[Cronus Protagonist]

15. Werd!

You hit the nail on the head there. :)




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[intaglio]

17. ROFL!

:toast:

[Vickers]

13. "the influence of his wife, Laura, a former librarian"

:eyes:

For how long, a few months?

[Jim__]

16. Why did they release a "partial list" of the books?

Couldn't they even come up with 60 titles?

[RufusEarl]

18. Comic books perhaps !

[Torgo Johnson]

19. My Pet Goat has to be on the list...

We all know nothing can make him put that book down.

[rock]

20. Oh what a big misunderstanding!

What they meant was that bush* has read the TITLEs of these books.

[C_U_L8R]

21. On the job learning

Frankly I'd prefer a President who read books in
college and actually comes to this job prepared.
There are more important things for a president to do than read Camus
(but I do hope a smartass reporter gives Bush a pop quiz on L'Etranger)

[MrModerate]

22. All fine and well (if true -- hah!), but . . .

These are the sorts of books that either salve the mind/help you understand human nature (the novels) or give one perspective (the histories).

At this point in his career, mind salve is a luxury no responsible person in his position would indulge in and perspective of the academic/historical sort much too attenuated to be useful.

He needs to be reading briefings, serious analyses, and battle reports so he has a frakkin' clue what his actions have spawned worldwide.

Another example of him indulging his own selfish whims at the expense of the country and the world.

[sinkingfeeling]

23. And if you believe this, I can show you where Harry Potter is hanging

out this summer.

[wicket]

24. NO way he made it through Shakespeare

n/t

[Cosmocat]

25. I read this string 10 minutes ago ...

and I am still chuckling about this ...

This freaks actually think people will buy this ??? AND, there ARE people who will buy it !!!

[OneBlueSky]

26. yeah, but how many Dr. Suess books are there? . . . n/t

.

[TlalocW]

27. In grade school reading programs

We got a gift certificate for a free personal sized pizza from Pizza Hut if we completed our list. Will the president at least get that?

TlalocW

[The Gunslinger]

29. Thats about 2 books a week. BS

What's he reading..... Little Critter books?

[no_hypocrisy]

30. Rove repeatedly reading "Mein Kampf" and "The Art of War"

doesn't count.

[Mad_Dem_X]

31. Reminds me of a quote from "A Fish Called Wanda":

"Apes don't read philosophy!"
"Yes, they do, Otto - they just don't understand it!"

[Stinky The Clown]

33. He read 60 books? C'mon. That's just bullshit, unless they count

comic books and magazines as 'books'.

He's a fucking intellectual lightweight and that's that. He and Pete Rose are buddies in the "I never read a book' club.

[11cents]

34. Someone inform the Office of Spin Control....

...that "book reading contests" are something that children participate in, not adults.

[Bretttido]

35. How about a contest where they read ONE book and see who understood it

Nah, lets go BULK!

[msanthrope]

36. Bush's Supplemental Reading List On Amazon--Rate it UP!!!!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/listmania/fullview/R3GAFLYIL20LGB/ref=cm_lm_byauthor_title_full/002-4546903-6158440

[SCDem]

38. That is a great list!

[frylock]

37. no way he's read 60 books in 7.5 months..

no FUCKING way! I consider myself an avid reader, and I get through 2-3 books a month.

[Javaman]

39. His wrists must be killing him from all the pop-up books he's gone through

:rofl:

[theanarch]

40. if this is a contest between Junior and KKKarl...

...the only way Junior can compete is if it's a book COLORING contest...