The excerpts from recently released “private” conversations are sure to confirm the worst fears of Bush’s opposition, though there’s really nothing new. Mr. Wead’s motives are curious and I can’t imagine them being well intentioned. “If I was on the telephone with Churchill or Gandhi, I would tape record them too.” says Wead….classy. What isn’t in doubt is the motives of the old gray lady.
For a Bush lover, like myself, I’m ever more endeared to the man.
One particular thing that caught my eye was Bush’s attitude towards gays. An old friend of mine, Jay, has his own blog up Seattle way called Nonfamous where he rants and raves about that dirty “Gaybasher-in-Chief” Bush. After months of reading his blog, its hard to fathom that such childish behavior is the product of an Ivy league mind like Jay’s. Of course, Bush isn’t a gay basher or even a gay hater – but don’t bother telling that to Jay – his mind is slammed shut tighter than a steel trap. Bush’s “off the record” comments about gays:
Early on, though, Mr. Bush appeared most worried that Christian
conservatives would object to his determination not to criticize gay people. "I
think he wants me to attack homosexuals," Mr. Bush said after meeting James
Robison, a prominent evangelical minister in Texas.
But Mr. Bush said he did not intend to change his position. He said
he told Mr. Robison: "Look, James, I got to tell you two things right off the
bat. One, I'm not going to kick gays, because I'm a sinner. How can I
differentiate sin?"
Later, he read aloud an aide's report from a convention of the
Christian Coalition, a conservative political group: "This crowd uses gays as
the enemy. It's hard to distinguish between fear of the homosexual political
agenda and fear of homosexuality, however."
"This is an issue I have been trying to downplay," Mr. Bush
said. "I think it is bad for Republicans to be kicking gays."
Told that one conservative supporter was saying Mr. Bush had
pledged not to hire gay people, Mr. Bush said sharply: "No, what I said was, I
wouldn't fire gays."
On drugs:
Mr. Bush, who has acknowledged a drinking problem years ago, told Mr.
Wead on the tapes that he could withstand scrutiny of his past. He said it
involved nothing more than "just, you know, wild behavior." He worried, though,
that allegations of cocaine use would surface in the campaign, and he blamed his
opponents for stirring rumors. "If nobody shows up, there's no story," he told
Mr. Wead, "and if somebody shows up, it is going to be made up." But when Mr.
Wead said that Mr. Bush had in the past publicly denied using cocaine, Mr. Bush
replied, "I haven't denied anything."
He refused to answer reporters' questions about his past
behavior, he said, even though it might cost him the election. Defending his
approach, Mr. Bush said: "I wouldn't answer the marijuana questions. You know
why? Because I don't want some little kid doing what I tried."
A perfectly reasonable position. Most grown ups, even serious Christians, don’t care that much about someone’s past if they feel that person has moved on.
Other topics covered:
Being a Christian:
Preparing to meet Christian leaders in September 1998, Mr. Bush told Mr.
Wead, "As you said, there are some code words. There are some proper ways to say things, and some improper ways." He added, "I am going to say that I've accepted Christ into my life. And that's a true statement."
Cockiness:
"It's me versus the world," he told Mr. Wead. "The good news is, the world
is on my side. Or more than half of it."
On the political shift in Texas:
"The top three offices right below me will be the first time there has been
a Republican in that slot since the Civil War. Isn't that amazing? And I hate to
be a braggart, but they are going to win for one reason: me."
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