Bush and Katrina: "Yankee reserve?" Give me a break!

Hello, Kossacks,

Now this has to be the most pathetic excuse for Bush's depraved, callous disregard for the people of the Gulf Coast. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's because he's a Yankee. According to an old family friend, quoted in a "USA Today" article last week, Bush showed "awkwardness" because of the way he was raised. Well, they got that half-right, but he wasn't a emotionally tone-deaf, unempathetic boob because of any "New England-y" cultural attribute, I'd reckon. The link to the story is:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-09-08-bush-compassion_x.htm

Here's the part that made me go "whaaaa?" (below the fold):

Others say he inherited from his parents a Yankee reserve that sometimes prevents him from quickly grasping the emotional requirements of pivotal events. In his 1992 re-election campaign, President George H.W. Bush seemed disconnected from the pain of persistent joblessness and glanced at his watch during a debate with Bill Clinton. Bush's mother, former first lady Barbara Bush, said Monday at Houston's Astrodome that some evacuees there "were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them."

"Occasionally their New England roots make them a little embarrassed and awkward about showing that side of themselves," says Tom Rath, a New Hampshire political strategist and old family friend

Well, this warranted a letter to the editor to "America's Newspaper."

To the Editor:

I read now that an apologist for George W. Bush in New Hampshire says that the President's initial lack of response to the needs of Hurricane Katrina victims is due to "Yankee reserve."

Oh, please!

First of all, Mr. Bush has been milking his "Texan-ness" throughout his political career for all that it's been worth. I would have thought he would respond like a Texan: with speed, and out of the goodness of his heart.

Second of all, to call the President's callous indifference to Americans in need to "Yankee reserve" is an insult to both New Englanders and Texans alike. There are countless people those who have done the right thing, helping their fellow human beings. All Mr. Bush can do is continue to pass the buck.

President Bush's initial reactions to Hurricane Katrina deserve no excuses. To attribute his "awkwardness" to a cultural stereotype is just tacky and pathetic.

[Ari Mistral]

I lived in New Hampshire and Connecticut for a total of eight years, and it can be argued that New Englanders, in general, are somewhat more outwardly reserved than the people here in Texas. However, I would doubt that them "Massachusetts liberals" up there would dawdle and strum guitars while their fellow Americans are starving and dying of thirst, while their city becomes a latter-day Atlantis.

Words continue to fail me. Again, there are not enough obscenities to describe not only George W. Bush's failure as a president, but also how those loyal to him will continue to twist and turn to show their loyalty to this person who continues to occupy the Oval Office.

When will George W. Bush resign, and when are people going to stop making stupid excuses for this criminal?

Ari Mistral

•  Another ploy

  to denigrate the values of them thar northern librul elites....I knew it would be all our fault sooner or later.

  by tjb22 on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 05:49:45 PM PDT

•  It was certainly because of the way he was raised.

  but has nothing to do with being a Yankee.

  by irate on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 05:50:09 PM PDT

•  bunch of whiny babies

  Is it me or when cornered republican turns into this giant babies?

  -I am a victim of media

  -I am a reserved yankees.

  jeesh, this is pathetic.

  by fugue on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 05:52:48 PM PDT

•  I'm a "Yankee"

  And I didn't sit on my ass for 5 days before I did anything to help.  

  I love how he wants it both ways - the good ole boy texan when things go right and the reserved new englander when things go shitty.  Either way it's all bullshit.

  by mlk on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 05:57:14 PM PDT

•  History is on the march

  Yep. Remember, Lincoln waited 7 months before he ordered the Northern troops to march south and liberate the Southerners from their elected confederate government and southern way of life. And Lincoln was praised for his swift action (in the North, anyway).

  by multispeed49 on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 05:58:03 PM PDT

  •  Lincoln didn't have much of an army.

         The troops had to be raised and trained before being sent south. The south also had most of the better experienced officers. He actually was fairly quick. You've got to remember DC is a Southern city. If some militia units hadn't come in by rail thru Baltimore Lincoln would have to set up shop somewhere further north.

    by irate on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 06:05:51 PM PDT

•  Good response

  I hope it gets printed.

  by digital drano on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 05:58:19 PM PDT

  •  Thank you.

    I hope it get's printed, as well.

    And shoot. He had us all thinkin' that he was a Texan, not like them librul John Kerry elitist snobs that went to Yale and were tapped Skull and Bones.

    Wha? He...he was?

    Oh.

    (This post also functions as a tip jar. :) )

    Ari Mistral

    by Ari Mistral on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 06:20:11 PM PDT

•  But, but...

  But, but, when he was running for president he told everyone he graduated from San Jacinto Junior High School. Is that in New England? It must be so - our wonderfully incompetent media doesn't ever ask any questions of consequence.

  by paradocs on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 05:59:31 PM PDT

•  I was brought up with that same reserve..

  it does NOT prevent you from feeling empathy for the suffering of others, it doesn't prevent you from responding to pleas for help. What it does is give you the strength to help others in awful situations without breaking down yourself. I was brought up to not display excessive emotion in public, that is what your bedroom is for. Excessive display of emotion can be embarrassing to the people around you as well as emotionally disconcerting or painful for them. It's not polite to inflict one's own sorrows on others. This has nothing to do with not feeling anything, or  not reacting to other people's distress, it has to do with maintaining self-control. Mind you, I am not saying that the people on TV screaming for help and crying in the process are out of control, they have a perfect right to do that, especially in that situation. But my reaction is reserved, albeit sorrowful, but my feelings are on and functioning. I don't think Bush's are. It's not "Yankee reserve" that we are seeing, it's a sociopath who can't feel empathy.

  by Demfem on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 06:03:05 PM PDT

•  What a little shit

  As a WASP raised in Massachusetts in the Jonathan Edwards Congregational Church—yes, that Jonathan Edwards—I know a thing or two about Yankee reserve.

  It's true that the classic Yankee does tend to be outwardly restrained, and (if their restraint slips) awkward around people who aren't. But they're neither heartless nor oblivious. A great many of the Suffragists, the Abolitionists, and the leaders in the Civil Rights movement came from the ranks of the so-called "frozen chosen."

  How dare he! Bubble boy didn't even register that there was a problem until people were dying en masse. That's not reserve, that's criminal negligence. Norman Mailer, now, there's a classic example of the real thing.

  On the plus side, if his spinmeisters keep this up he'll alienate a lot of the well-heeled old money that he's so proud to call "his base."
  

  by oldjohnbrown on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 06:03:55 PM PDT

•  Wasn't that the reason

  John Kerry couldn't talk about religion?

  by hobo on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 06:04:13 PM PDT

  •  No It's that Roman Catholics don't brag about God

    Kerry's awkwardness about religion was mostly because Catholics don't pontificate about their faith like many Protestants do and the fact that face it, the guy was kinda sorta foppish.

    by akeitz on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 07:40:00 PM PDT

•  I was amazed.

  What side of themselves  are they embarrassed to show? The clueless bigoted side? Well I guess they would have reason to be embarrassed.

  by J Rae on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 06:09:44 PM PDT

•  OFFENDED NEW ENGLANDER!

  As a born and raised proud New Englander temporarily living in Los Angeles--Live most of my life in Connecticut and spent time in New Hampsire and Massachusetts I am offended by this concept -yes New Englanders are more emotionally reservced but we are greatly empethetic bunch and generous,  What Bush is showing is not his "reserve" but his total and complete lack of EMPATHY!!

  Bloomster

  by bloomster on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 06:20:44 PM PDT

  •  So, how you liking Los Angeles?

    It ain't Hanover, New Hampshire, I'll tell you that right now! :)

    (I went to Dartmouth and did training at UConn. Grew up near Anaheim.)

    Ari Mistral

    by Ari Mistral on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 06:22:04 PM PDT

    •  its okay but I miss New England

      I like it okay but want to move back east in the next few years - I miss weather and seasons ! and I miss the solidness of the people!!

      Bloomster

      by bloomster on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 06:34:35 PM PDT

•  It's Genetic: Bush Has the Classic Criminal Brain

  

  by Gooserock on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 06:20:53 PM PDT

•  asdf

  Somehow, I don't think that Howard Dean would have let his yankee reserve stop him from doing what needed to be done.  I think the problem with bubble boy is that he thinks in terms of what is important to him.  He thinks that what are his priorities are what americans want.  
  I don't want to cut my vacation short, the american people would want me to stay on vacation.  After all, I need to get on with my life.

  I am right about the Iraq war.  Making sure that americans know this is more important than a hurricane.

  I don't want the feds to deal with this.  It's the state and locals responsibility.  I got to get rid of that darned Social Security!

  If we had Dean, Clark, or any of our democratic candidates as president, I am sure that they would have back in D.C. on August 28th.  They would have picked up the phone and called Blanco.  Hi! How are things going?  What do you need?  I'll get James Lee Witt right on it.

  Instead, look at what we got.

    MKC

  by Deja Vu on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 06:38:36 PM PDT

•  Born in NH, and living in Connecticut,

  I can assure you that New England "yankees" are people that never failed to quickly help others. In the early days of our country, those "yankees" would do a house-raising when a neighbor lost a house due to a fire or something; and would share crops when times were tough.
  Maybe outwardly somewhat reserve, but there when the times called for it. Always!! Without reservation!!

  by Phil S 33 on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 06:40:15 PM PDT

  •  Ask the people of Halifax

    how swiftly and effectively Boston mobilizes help for a terrible disaster.

    The Halifax Explosion happened back in 1917, nearly a century ago now, but Halifax still remembers.

    by Canadian Reader on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 08:13:18 PM PDT

•  or maybe ma bush

  never let him breastfeed...of course if he had, it would probably have made him more SOUR

  by tlaw on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 06:44:18 PM PDT

•  wait a damn minute

  i thought he was a rough and tough cowboy from texas

  WTF?

  by tlaw on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 06:45:04 PM PDT

•  Uhhh

  Yankee reserve kept him from getting water to those who were dying for it?  Huh.  That explains it perfectly. No need for an investigation now.

  by moira977 on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 06:52:52 PM PDT

•  What The ?!?

      Sigh.  There is no excuse too pathetic for these people.

      Anyway, the Bushes are no true Yankees.  As my grandfather once warned me, over our breakfast beans, "Son, never trust a Southerner.  You find yourself in Connecticut, you hold onto your wallet."

  by alain2112 on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 06:55:32 PM PDT

  •  HEY - CT BASHING NOT NICE!!

    Hey we Connnecticut Yankees are embarassed by the Bushes connection to our fine state!! Please no bashing here!! thanks!
    

    by bloomster on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 07:11:48 PM PDT

    •  I dunno . . .

      you might want to look up the origins of the state nickname. Not the one the PR folks came up with a few years back, but "the nutmeg state". Please note that the version referenced here is considerably cleaned up from the one I grew up hearing in a family with deep Connecticut roots. ;-) Yankees have not only a public reserve, they have a wicked dry sense of humor.

      by Mnemosyne on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 08:15:40 PM PDT

      •  okay

        I am aware of my home states history and do indeed have a fantastic dry sense of humor -  but thanks for the lecture!!
        LOL

        R

        by bloomster on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 08:26:33 PM PDT

•  This lifelong Yankee*

  is appalled by this.

  We New Englanders are not particularly cuddly, but we speak our minds. We are also hard workers, unlike this Texas pretender.  And we don't have that ridiculous accent, though we do have a very special DIGNIFIED accent.  

  *mind you, not a Yankee fan.  Rock-ribbed New England, a yup.  

  by magpie02141 on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 07:14:49 PM PDT

  •  Fair enough

    I grew up in Southern California myself, but I left New England with a residual NE accent, that remains to this day. People here in TX think I'm a Nor'easterner (Notthattheresanythingwrongwiththat).

    I'd say to raise some holy hell up there. Ayup!

    I do have to tell you: the lobsters down here are wicked tiny. :)

    Ari Mistral

    by Ari Mistral on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 07:20:53 PM PDT

    •  WICKED tiny!

      You are a true compatriot!
      and... what about frappes? : )  

      by magpie02141 on Mon Sep 12, 2005 at 04:28:13 AM PDT

      •  Shakes

        I said I was from California. :D

        I have my limits. :D

        by Ari Mistral on Mon Sep 12, 2005 at 05:24:58 AM PDT

•  Ari

  Great LTE, you wrote exactly what I would have if I had seen that.  You are right that it's an insult to both places.  Good job.

  by fabooj on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 07:50:02 PM PDT

•  Sounds like

  a drowning man grasping for a straw.

  by jimreyn on Sun Sep 11, 2005 at 11:09:00 PM PDT

•  The Texas Rancher persona

  no longer working for Shrub then, eh?

  Now he's a Yankee, is he, when some lickspittle of his gets sent out to make excuses for his utter ineptitude at every task that is set before him?

  Seriously, the man can't even tell a lie properly any more, and that's all he was ever good for.

  Yankee reserve.  Texan bonhomie.  Bush has neither.  He's just an idiotic little man.

  by Loquatrix on Tue Sep 13, 2005 at 02:51:29 PM PDT