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ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

         President Bush is scheduled for Monday at the Republican Convention.  He is NOT an orator.  The date works out nicely, because a lot of people will miss it completely, or be under the calming influences of beer and bbq.  I don't really want to watch, but I will, on the off chance George Bush will say the words that could tip this whole thing to them.  "I should have listened to John McCain."  That much mea culpa could do the trick.

     What are the chances?

• "John McCain was right about spending being out of control"
• "John McCain was right about the 'surge'."
• "John McCain was right about the required troops needed initially for Operation Iraqi Freedom."
• "John McCain is right about serving a cause greater than oneself."

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ORIGINAL: celticlord2112
Things I can see him saying that would not boomerang on McCain:

• "John McCain was right about spending being out of control"
  
• "John McCain was right about the 'surge'."
  
• "John McCain was right about the required troops needed initially for Operation Iraqi Freedom."
  
• "John McCain is right about serving a cause greater than oneself."
  

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ORIGINAL: TheHeretic
.... I don't really want to watch, but I will, on the off chance George Bush will say the words that could tip this whole thing to them.  "I should have listened to John McCain."  That much mea culpa could do the trick.

     What are the chances?

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As important as the legacy is he leaves the party is, I bet that pales in comparison to the personal legacy he wants to leave therefore I'd be surprised if he admitted any of the above. When have you ever seen a politician give credit to another politician for them being wiser on certain issues?

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ORIGINAL: cyberdude611

May not even happen if the hurricane stays on track. Perfect excuse for Bush to not be at the convention.

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The rest of the world hasn't forgotten the comic talent and timely delivery of President Bush.

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ORIGINAL: celticlord2112

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The rest of the world hasn't forgotten the comic talent and timely delivery of President Bush.

Which he used so very well against John Kerry, as I recall....

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ORIGINAL: kittinSol

The rest of the world hasn't forgotten the comic talent and timely delivery of President Bush.

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ORIGINAL: celticlord2112

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ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

        President Bush is scheduled for Monday at the Republican Convention.  He is NOT an orator.  The date works out nicely, because a lot of people will miss it completely, or be under the calming influences of beer and bbq.  I don't really want to watch, but I will, on the off chance George Bush will say the words that could tip this whole thing to them.  "I should have listened to John McCain."  That much mea culpa could do the trick.

    What are the chances?

Hard to say. 

Bush is not known for admitting error, but he's in a different role now.  This is the moment for "passing the baton".  Regardless of what happens in November, at 12:01PM on 20 January 2009 he is officially "Former President Bush".

There is one thing that gives me hope for his speech, and that is the assessment Bush had during his 2000 campaign not only of Al Gore but of the Clinton Administration as a whole: "their guide, the nightly polls; their goal, the morning headlines; their legacy, the fruitless search for a legacy." 

If Bush remembers that now is one of the moments where he can shape his legacy, he might stand up, take many or most of the negatives of the Bush Administration onto himself, with phrasings such as "John McCain was right" and "John McCain is right." He has to be careful what he says--saying he should have listened to John McCain on taxes could boomerang on McCain--but a speech acknowledging where McCain's judgement was superior would be a memorable speech indeed.

Things I can see him saying that would not boomerang on McCain:

• "John McCain was right about spending being out of control"
  
• "John McCain was right about the 'surge'."
  
• "John McCain was right about the required troops needed initially for Operation Iraqi Freedom."
  
• "John McCain is right about serving a cause greater than oneself."

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CL,you can't for a minute actually imagine any of this happening,this would be the single highwater mark after 8 years of bumbling...All of a sudden this guy develops a deeper understanding of the world around him.Not likely!!!!

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ORIGINAL: DomKen

The best thing that could happen to Obama is for Bush to speak in prime time Monday night.

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ORIGINAL: celticlord2112

Of course, acknowledging that George W. Bush is anything other than a mental defective is a heresy that would result in excommunication from the Holy Democratic Church.

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ORIGINAL: celticlord2112

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CL,you can't for a minute actually imagine any of this happening,this would be the single highwater mark after 8 years of bumbling...All of a sudden this guy develops a deeper understanding of the world around him.Not likely!!!!

Well, if there actually were 8 years of bumbling, you might possibly potentially have a sliver of a point.

But only a sliver.  Bush need not call his Administration a failure merely to acknowledge errors.  He does not go out as a popular President; it is intuitively obvious that Obama will attempt to join McCain to Bush's unpopularity.  Giving McCain space to move apart and distance himself would be sound strategy at this point.

Of course, acknowledging that George W. Bush is anything other than a mental defective is a heresy that would result in excommunication from the Holy Democratic Church.

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ORIGINAL: slvemike4u

<snip> George <snip>