Bush's Idea of Sacrifice

By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Wednesday, May 14, 2008; 1:12 PM



The nation is in despair over the war in Iraq and the toll it is taking on our troops and their families. But President Bush shows no outward sign of inner pain.

He is chipper in his public pronouncements. His weekly bike rides and daily workouts have put a perpetual spring in his step. He's always ready with a wisecrack. He just hosted his daughter's wedding at his multi-million dollar estate in Texas. He takes more vacations than any president in history. He has made clear that he doesn't lie awake at nights.

And yet now it turns out that Bush has indeed made a personal sacrifice on account of the war. According to the president yesterday, his decision to stop playing golf five years ago wasn't just an exercise in image control or a function of his bum knee -- it was an act of solidarity with the families of the dead and wounded.

Here's the relevant exchange in an interview Bush gave to Mike Allen of Politico:

Allen: "Mr. President, you haven't been golfing in recent years. Is that related to Iraq?"

Bush: "Yes, it really is. I don't want some mom whose son may have recently died to see the commander-in-chief playing golf. I feel I owe it to the families to be as -- to be in solidarity as best as I can with them. And I think playing golf during a war just sends the wrong signal."

Allen: "Mr. President, was there a particular moment or incident that brought you to that decision, or how did you come to that?"

Bush: "No, I remember when de Mello, who was at the U.N., got killed in Baghdad as a result of these murderers taking this good man's life. And I was playing golf -- I think I was in central Texas -- and they pulled me off the golf course and I said, it's just not worth it anymore to do."

This is the latest in a series of statements by Bush, the first lady and Vice President Cheney illustrating how far removed they are from the consequences of the decision to go to war -- and stay at war.

But giving up golf?

Not only is it a hollow, trivial sacrifice at best, Bush's story doesn't hold water. While he dates his decision to abjure golf to Aug. 19, 2003 -- the day a truck bomb in Baghdad killed U.N. special representative Sergio Vieira de Mello and more than a dozen others -- the Associated Press reported on Oct. 13, 2003, that he'd spent a "cool, breezy Columbus Day" playing "a round of golf with three long-time buddies.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...1401929_pf.html

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Now that's leadership by example! I'm sure nothing strikes fear in the hearts of the super wealthy and powerful political elite like giving up golf!!!

The exclusive country clubs will never be the same! I suggest all politicians follow suit by giving up golf. I know the troops will really appreciate it.

Speechless

This guy is simply apauling.Any of you who dissagree should look at the deathcount*of this war* and re-consider.

Well, I tell ya, if this guy was running for another 4 years, his giving up golf would definitely be a plus to me...

I readed it yesterday..i loled.

Next thing, he will sacrifice his...Nachos!

NOOOOO! not the nachos!!!!!!!
war takes sacrafices

But giveing up nachos is too big of one!


Hell, golf had to be hard enough.

I think Dick Cheney should give up shooting elderly lawyers and cage-released animals.

I'm glad I live in Australia right now... but I've spoken to Americans over the Internet before, and they didn't know this, so maybe you guys over in America might want to listen.

America dragged Australia and England into the Iraq war. (the following is my opinion) and I think that he may have made some kind of blackmail deal with our government with something like "If you don't fight this war with us, if you ever get in hot water, we're not going to be around to help." because, (and you can never be sure with politicians) I don't think John Howard was particularly in favour of it. Whenever people made him talk about it, to me he seemed... I dunno - a little more uncomfortable about the idea, if you will.

Seriously, golf??!!

What he really needs to give up is war and presidency.

As he tried with France, holding up the Second World War as blackmail (sanctimonious visits to Normandy cemeteries, etc).

Why would he not give up golf???

He never got an ace ... why this when he's king
He never got an eagle ... stands for freedom
He never wanted birdies ... afraid of Cheney and his gun
He was happy to even get a par which is better than he does at his own job

No he just kept hitting the ball and yelling mulligan ... story of his career.

He didnt give it up on his own...what a bunch of BS. I would bet a weeks pay that his handlers told him to stop golfing because it looked tacky to do so in the midst of a war when kids are being blown up on a regular basis. The fact that the guy takes weekends off after the mess he put this country into is a disgrace, let alone the amount of vacation days he has taken; a nearly record setting number of vacation days. If I screw up at my job, I get NO vacation, let alone months on end worth... it is ridiculous. The man wouldnt know a sacrifice if it kicked him in the ass.

the parodies of him,I thought always involved tacos XD.

because modern technology doesn't allow for him to be at his ranch and work at the same time...

the internet, faxes and the good old telephone exist in a reality beyond Bush and the Whitehouse, teleconferencing and playing host to officials exist in another dimension

I think it's more about the message he's sending by going on his ranch while all those soldiers are fighting for his cause. He really should have thought about that. Oh wait, he's not exactly the type of person who does a lot of thinking.