DECISION BOINKS

the book tour of W the Ex-President...

...Lighted in Limbaugh Land today and El-Rushbo had his work cut out for him as the 'out to pasture' X prez tended to tell a little too much truthy.
W the X must have felt it was just like old times as he spoke from the heart only to have his chain firmly yanked by his 'handler'. In this case Limbaugh was subbing for Karl Rove.
KEY POINT: Limbaugh asked W what his thoughts are now, in retrospect, concerning his decision to sign the TARP [Troubled Asset Relief Program]. I'm paraphrasing here from my notes, but this exchange is close to verbatim. [Limbaugh makes no formal transcript available.]
Limbaugh-Do you still think that it was the right decision to sign TARP?
W- (without hesitation) Yes.
Limbaugh-(long pause, heavy breathing) Why?
W- 'I was told by every one of the best economists in the world that our whole economic system was about to tank, it was gonna be a Depression or even a Double Depression... greater than the Great Depression and I had to act, that's what presidents have to do...
...And believe me I hated having to bail out the people who caused this whole thing, that caused our whole country to go through this crisis...but our whole economy was at stake and I know it was the right thing to do.'
If you listen to right-wing radio, as I do. And if you know the politics and Rush Limbaugh's audience, you know that the words spoken there by GWB were pure blasphemy to the hard-right movement in America today...And so, Rush (playing Karl Rove's role for the day) cleared his throat in a warning fashion and spoke slowly and firmly to the ex-President of the United States...
Limbaugh-Mr. President, there are many of us out here on the right who don't believe that Wall Street was to blame for this economic crisis at all, we think it was the Democrats and their efforts to secure low income loans for the poor through things like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac...isn't that the root or major cause of the meltdown...?
The ex-president paused, realizing it was time to give an inch and end this interview and move on...and so the old cow-hand finally said....'...sure...yeah...right...'
They paused and moved on to small-talk and goodbyes...