Bush praised for African work

[general35]

Mr. Geldof praised Mr. Bush for his work in delivering billions to fight disease and poverty in Africa, and blasted the U.S. press for ignoring the achievement.

Mr. Bush, said Mr. Geldof, "has done more than any other president so far."

"This is the triumph of American policy really," he said. "It was probably unexpected of the man. It was expected of the nation, but not of the man, but both rose to the occasion."

"What's in it for [Mr. Bush]? Absolutely nothing," Mr. Geldof said.

Mr. Geldof said that the president has failed "to articulate this to Americans" but said he is also "pissed off" at the press for their failure to report on this good news story.

"You guys didn't pay attention," Geldof said to a group of reporters from all the major newspapers.
The Link

I don't really agree with US Africa policy, we give too much and get no credit from the UN but it is what it is...

 

[Horn6721]

i guess this is nothing Michelle Obama can be proud America( Bush ) did.

I understand your point tho.

 

[dallas_the_tiger]

I applaud GWB for his work in Africa. Out-freakin'-standing.

 

[HornsForever'93]

Great, he was bound to get one thing right after ******* up 100 other things.

 

[TexonLongIsland]

First Geldof accepts a kighthood. Then he praises GWB with a slap at Bill Clinton. If he's not careful, he'll lose his street cred.

 

[Nivek]

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[Nivek]

OH, and CNN covered it yesterday

 

[general35]

If you give to get credit, then you shouldn't bother to give.
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It is not that we don't get credit, it is that we get criticism. no matter what is going on the the world, african relief, tsunami relief, mexican relief, israeli, middle eastern..i mean we give millions each year to iran, etc., we are portrayed as evil and we are criticised that we do not give enough when we give much more than any other nation. im sick of the bs.

 

[7 Iron]

WHAT A COLOSSAL WASTE OF MONEY.

MONEY THAT WE HAD TO BORROW TO GIVE.

AWESOME.

 

[general35]

the president has failed "to articulate this to Americans"
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of all his weaknesses, this is probably his greatest...as it applies to all of his policies.

 

[TexonLongIsland]

The US government isn't a charity. If it's coming from me, as a taxpayer, then I sure as hell want it known and recognized. Foreign aid is one arm of our diplomatic efforts in the Third World.

You're free to give anonymously to UNICEF or any other NGO as an individual however.

 

[Lone Star]

Maybe he could stay over there through the end of the term.

 

[Wulaw Horn]

Agree with general 100% on this- I thinik Bush fails, almost accross the board, to communicate with the american people, and I thnk this might be his greatest weakness as a president.

Or at least the greatest reason for his abysmal approval ratings- he lets opponents define the terms and discourse of the debate.

Really, the anti Reagan/Clinton.

 

[bigNlongHorn]

if they have no bread, let them eat cake.

 

[Napoleon]

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[HornGrandioso]

Giving aid to Africa is not like giving a welfare check to a poor person, it's like throwing a life preserver to a drowning person.

It's an emergency situation and a humanitarian issue that shouldn't be politicized, and to his credit, Bush "gets it."

 

[tropheus]

well said HornGrandioso.

 

[stabone]

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[Wulaw Horn]

I've always said when he's speechifying that he can look/sound like a chimp (something about the way his face hangs out).

He had good ideas on Social Security that he failed to communicate. The African Aids thing is good. Libs should like the No Child Left Behind- Kennedy wrote the damn thing- but he didn't get out on front on that. Didn't do a good job communicating immigration reform.

Really, he hasn't done a good job communicating anyhting other than War on Terror.

I stand by my statement, that it's the biggest reason for his really bad approval numbers.

 

[Hornin Hong Kong]

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[AustinBat]

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[TexonLongIsland]

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[HornGrandioso]

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[Fievel121]

Umm...Aren't Darfur & Chad in Africa???
Didn't Bush refuse the say Darfur was "genocide"

 

[Michael Knight]

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[Summerof79]

This is the singular area I think you can point to where the Bush administration can be judged a success by most any standard. And yes every cent was borrowed...

HOWEVER it is both the right thing to do if you are a person of faith and the right thing to do if you are a pragmatist. It's far better to help those you want to be your friends than any other political tool. Humanitarian aid is the sort of face we WANT our country to have! Not the face of.... we support Democracy for Muslims in Iraq.... and Dictatorships for Muslims in Pakistan.

Now I can criticize the limitations regading birth control and and discussion of certain health issues as a stipulation of the AIDS funding, but it's still more than what they had before. While I am as big a budget hawk as anyone these dollars were put to good use. Africa may well be the only place in the World where our President is truly welcomed at this point in history. His malaria net program is a good one, and that's all one can say about it if they are honest and have a soul. Or is $55 too much to keep a family alive these days?

I am a critic of Bush when he gets stuff wrong (which is sadly a majority of the time by my tally sheet) but this is an instance where he got it right.

I also think it's fun to see the complaining about borrowing for African aide from the same folks that don't mind billions a month going out the door for Iraq each month. Which effort do you think is more cost effective in winning hearts and minds?

Bush deserves priase here.

 

[Ag with kids]

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[Fievel121]

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[Michael Knight]

Motive?