Saul Friedman: The Prodigal Daughters
Posted at 11:01 am, November 29th, 2006
As a former White House correspondent, I know there is an understanding among reporters that questions and stories about the president’s children are out of bounds. But this is wartime, Americans are getting killed and maimed along with the innocents in Iraq, so I think it is not out of line to note that the president’s twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara, are having a heckuva good time, celebrating their 25th birthday.
On the day of one of their parties in Argentina, Nov. 26, three Americans from Ft. Hood, Texas, were killed in Iraq, including First Lt. David M. Fraser, 25, from Texas, Capt. Jason Hamill, 31, and Pfc. Joshua Burrows, only 20.
No one seriously expects Jenna and Barbara to serve (Bill Clinton’s Chelsea was only 15 when U.S. forces were engaged in Solalia and Bosnia), but readers of ABC’s blog seem to have some cogent comments. Such as: “These girls are 25, not 15. They ought to stop carrying on like a couple of self-indulgent brats…and grow up. In case these airheads have forgotten, there’s a war on and it’s not going too well…” Or, “Why are the Bush twins doing nothing to help the war effort? Why are they not raising money for veterans?” Or, “This is a very dangerous situation…with Iraq in civil war now, groups could kidnap them and hold them hostage…This like rubbing salt in the (war) wound…” And, “So much death death at the instigation of the father. Should these daughters be on an international joyride?”
Despite the understanding among reporters, these are fair and public questions for their father, the president.
November 29th, 2006 at 5:13 pm |
Like father, like daughters
November 30th, 2006 at 2:24 pm |
I am sicken by that man in the White House. His daughters are aopparently the same lousers as he, Send them to bootcamp, armed of course with appropriate contraceptives. Perhaps they can roll bandages.
November 30th, 2006 at 6:18 pm |
I was a nurse on an amputee ward at Walter Reed in 66/67. Lynda Byrd and Luci came to the ward frequently…as did the Humphries. Lynda even dated one of the officer patients. Neither of these two idiots nor the parents gives one damn about the thousands of Americans being mutilated in this god forsaken debacle.
December 1st, 2006 at 3:46 pm |
It is typical of this period that the children of the elite are oblivious to the hardship of those around them. Look at the archtype of our times: Paris Hilton. We are living in a new gilded age where privilege and selfishness have become the norm. It doesn’t even occur to the Bush twins to care, as they have learned this from their father. Bush shirked his military duty; he couldn’t even pass the physical because of drunkenness. His qualities: his base dishonesty, lip service to morality, mental laziness have all contributing to the US losing its lusture in the world.
December 2nd, 2006 at 4:43 am |
It is not only the Bush Twins who are AWOL. Children of members of Congress are not running to join up either. This is why the draft is the way to go with no deferments. Of course then we would be the most peaceful of nations since the elite do not want to see their children slaughtered in a pointless war.
December 4th, 2006 at 1:28 pm |
Perhaps a tour of duty or two for the idiot twins as “comfort girls” for the troops would be appropriate. Considering what whores the entire Bush family are, it should be right up their…alley.
December 4th, 2006 at 4:40 pm |
This is what I mean about how through the looking glass we are — we have a newly elected Senator refusing to permit his son’s current military service in Iraq to be converted into irrelevant dinner party chit-chat and our President’s children partying like rock stars in Argentina. And who does the Washington Post (George Will) criticize? The newly elected Senator. And what was our First Lady doing last week? Bragging about how fortunate she was to have convinced her pastry chef to return to her employ long enough to build a gingerbread house for her Christmas holiday. This is one cold family.
December 6th, 2006 at 10:50 pm |
It is just incredable the level of hatred that George Bush stirs up among liberals. Paul, above, says: “Bush shirked his military duty; he couldn’t even pass the physical because of drunkenness.” This not just a lie, it’s evidence of psychosis. Serving in the National Guard is not dishonerable. And as far as I’m aware the National Guard doesn’t let drunks be piolts. It seems to also infuriate liberals that Bush was a pilot. It would be nice if someone in the media tried, just once, to put the Iraq conflict in context. America has invaded a couple dozen contries over it’s history, nearly always as a matter of choice, not neccesity, and done things far, far worse than what’s happening in Iraq. If you don’t believe me I suggest you read up on the Phippine-American war which began at the end of the 19th century. The US “bought” the Philippines from Spain, invaded and ruthlessly crushed an indiginous independence moment. Over the course of 7 years nearly 6,000 Americans lost their lives. But more appalling and criminal is the fact that nearly 600,000 Filipinos lost their lives. This in a country that had a population of 10,000,000 at the time. And of course the sainted Teddy Roosevelt was President during much of this slaughter. Ah, but no one remembers that anymore and the Philippines is one of America’s strongest allies. Why doesn’t this have relevance to today? BTW, I am in the Philippines and I know that the US government furiously denies the figure of 600,000 Filipino deaths. They would, wouldn’t they? The Filipino government and independent histories have backed it up sufficiently to convince me that at the very least this was an appalling crime and totally unneccesary.
July 29th, 2007 at 9:53 pm |
Ron, as a former 11B (Infantryman) in the U.S. Army with 2 years in Iraq, your suggestion is spot on! To some, it may sound misogynistic, but if you’re one of the “fortunate” men who get to spend 12 to 15 months in Iraq on a small COP/FOB with no women, on/off electricity, slow mail, rationed showers, mortar/rocket attacks, IEDs on your ‘driveway’ and 130 degree heat, not to mention sacrificing for if not defending American civilians who don’t care or are indifferent to us, some comfort would be very welcome for the single, unmarried guys! Non-serving American women, it is your patriotic duty to share your booty!