C.J. Hurlbert – 2/3/06

This page was last updated on February 5, 2006.

It’s time to take back America; C.J. Hurlbert; Beaver County Times; February 3, 2006.

Mr. Hurlbert wrote four anti-Bush letters during the second half of 2004. I believe this is his first since then.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“It should be quite evident by now that this President Bush and his cronies have what they wanted.”

[RWC] This kind of thinking amazes me. Does Mr. Hurlbert honestly believe “President Bush and his cronies” wanted a presidency dominated by a war on terrorism? As low as my opinion was of Bill Clinton, I never believed he made national security decisions for personal gain.

“To name a few:

“Halliburton is making a bundle on ‘Bush’s war.’ Bush called himself the ‘war president’ early in the war at the end of a televised speech. (I guess he needed to outdo his dad.)”

[RWC] This isn’t “Bush’s war,” it’s our war.

Regarding the “war president” comment, Mr. Hurlbert has his facts confused as usual. Early during a 2004 “Meet the Press” interview, President Bush said, “I’m a war president. I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign-policy matters with war on my mind. Again, I wish it wasn’t true, but it is true. And the American people need to know they got a president who sees the world the way it is. And I see dangers that exist, and it’s important for us to deal with them.”

“The oil companies are making the biggest heist ever at the terrible expense of the working public. (Isn’t that called profiteering?)”

[RWC] How exactly are oil companies stealing from us and what was President Bush’s role?

“That’s OK because he is just paying back his base ‘the haves and the have mores’ as Bush called them after he was reelected.”

[RWC] Some ignorance on display. At the annual Al Smith dinner ($800/plate) for Catholic charities, where speakers are expected to poke fun at themselves, Gov. George Bush said, “This is an impressive crowd - the haves and the have-mores. Some people call you the elites; I call you my base.” VP Al Gore also spoke.

First, it was clear Mr. Bush was poking fun at the image liberals paint of all Republicans, despite the fact the richest U.S. senators are Democrats.

Second, Mr. Hurlbert said Mr. Bush said this “after he was reelected.” Wrong. The dinner was held on October 19, 2000, a few weeks before his first election. Oops.

“Bush ran for reelection as a ‘uniter, not a divider.’ This country is divided more than ever, and it is making just two classes of people, the rich and the poor.”

[RWC] I address the “divider” comment here.

Regarding the “two classes of people,” this is a regurgitation of John Edwards’ “two Americas” crap from the 2004 campaign.

“It seems like if we don’t agree with one another, we are Democrats or Republicans. How about we are all Americans, and it is time to take back America.”

[RWC] This comes from the guy who referred to “Bush’s war” above. If Mr. Hurlbert is going to try and mislead us, he should proofread his letters so it’s not so easy for us to see his hypocrisy.

From whom does Mr. Hurlbert want “to take back America?” We voters elected President Bush, twice. Does Mr. Hurlbert want “to take back America” from the voters?

“This Bush and his cronies have certainly done enough damage.”

[RWC] It amazes me that people like Mr. Hurlbert can’t see the true enemy. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Hurlbert believes President Bush is more of a threat to the U.S. than terrorists like Osama bin Laden.