Bush: Wall Street Has "Hangover"
President Makes Unguarded Comment At Houston Fundraiser; Says Economy Must "Sober Up"
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President Bush speaks about the economy during a press conference at the White House, July 15, 2008. (CBS)
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He made the comment at a political fundraiser in Houston last Friday after asking members of the audience to turn off their video cameras. Someone obviously ignored his request and a snippet wound up on a blog Tuesday by Miya Shay of ABC affiliate KTRK in Houston.
Bush clearly was in a good mood as he addressed a crowd in a private home. Members of the media were barred from the appearance.
"There is no question about it. Wall Street got drunk," the president said. "That's one reason I asked you to turn off your TV cameras."
"The question is, How long will it (take to) sober up and not try to do all these fancy financial instruments?"
He segued to problems in the housing market but said they weren't an issue in Houston. "Evidently not in Dallas because Laura's over there trying to buy a house today." Bush has six months left in office and is expected to return to Texas.
Bush expressed his fondness for Crawford, where he owns a ranch. "Unfortunately, after eight years of asking her to sacrifice I am no longer the decision-maker," he said, amid laughter from the crowd. "She'll be deciding - thanks for the suggestion."
He said he reminded her, "Honey, we've been on government pay now for 14 years. Go slow."
White House spokesman Tony Fratto said Bush simply was describing the stock market the way many observers have.
"The president has made this point before," Fratto said. "Markets were dealing with very complex financial instruments, and it's clear to everyone that the markets didn't fully understand the risk those instruments posed."
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
- Wall Street may be hungover, but Bush was too drunk to fix it.
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- He said with blurred eyes and a slur.
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- hypnotoad72 said: "Wall Street HAS been as drunk as a Mastercard-carrying sailor in a brothel. "
Bush cut taxes to increase investment money. Bush and Greenspan loosened credit to increase mortgage money, which also increased investment money. Neither of these moves was attended by any attempt to reign in govt spending or increase the publics fiscal responsibility. Essentially, BUSH GAVE WALL STREET THE MASTERCARD IT GOT DRUNK ON! Now, the smart money is pulling out of dollars, American homes have been revealed to be worth half what they were, and Wall Street is bracing for the real possibility that SOMEONE in government is soon going to move to PAY THE REAGAN/BUSH DEBT OF $10 TRILLION, as well as the pending $20 trillion Boomer Retirement.
Bush force-fed Wall Street alcohol to get re-elected, and is now complaining that Wall Street got drunk before he left office. But, dont listen to me. I''m just a whiner. - Reply to this comment
- Speaking of Bush, if anyone ever had any doubts that he and his administration are evil, read below. January can not get here soon enough.
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Political appointees at the Department of Labor are moving with unusual speed to push through in the final months of the Bush administration a rule making it tougher to regulate workers'' on-the-job exposure to chemicals and toxins.
The agency did not disclose the proposal, as required, in public notices of regulatory plans that it filed in December and May. Instead, Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao''s intention to push for the rule first surfaced on July 7, when the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) posted on its Web site that it was reviewing the proposal, identified only by its nine-word title.
The text of the proposed rule has not been made public, but according to sources briefed on the change and to an early draft obtained by The Washington Post, it would call for reexamining the methods used to measure risks posed by workplace exposure to toxins. The change would address long-standing complaints from businesses that the government overestimates the risk posed by job exposure to chemicals - Reply to this comment
- So nice to get the straight scoop.
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- The Bushwacker''s alcoholism has turned his reality into the only terminology he can related to: the bottle.
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- If Wall Street''s been on a drunk, George W.''s turn at steering this nation has been D.W.I.
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- Thank you Jesus!! The nutbag is going back to Texas and the rest of us can sleep sound tonight knowing he is not coming to our state!
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- Yeah Mr. Bush - the state of the economy is absolutely hilarious. HAHA.
This from the same political party who called us a nation of whiners. Gotta love those Republicans! - Reply to this comment
- Welcome home Mr. President.
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