At the White House, 'The People' Have Spoken -- Endlessly

The Washington Post ^ | June 4, 2002 | Dana Milbank

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

"The American people know this about me," he said on the subject of pre-Sept. 11 terrorism warnings. "Had I known that the enemy was going to use airplanes to kill on that fateful morning, I would have done everything in my power to protect the American people."

Please click on the link for the rest of the article.

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

I'm assuming I can post articles from the Washington Post as long as I only post an exerpt. Is that correct?

In any case, this article really ticked me off. Here's another quote:

"It's an effective shorthand," said Jeff Shesol, a former Clinton speechwriter who taught a course in presidential rhetoric at Princeton University this year. "It's suggesting that in fact you may have an argument but we've got the people." Shesol admits Clinton speechwriters used the phrase, too. "We're not proud of it, but the American people know our heart was in the right place," he said.

The last line is a real killer, huh? He uses the "no-no" term "American people" to say that they knew that we all knew what was in the hearts of the Clinton administration. Yeah, we knew alright!

[Duke Nukum]

Ticks me off too

I remember them telling me how I should feel about the impeachment of the scumbage. "Scumbage" is French for scumbag.

[Prodigal Son]

I know- just the gall these people have. They really believe we are that stupid and they really believe Clinton was "Goodness" personified. Makes me want to rip the wallpaper down or take a sledgehammer to my toilet.

[RKingVero]

I do recall one speech in which another "great president" used the term "the American People" twice in one paragraph. In fact this is a speech that will be remembered for all time and will be the legacy of this particular president. I have quoted the paragraph below:

"I want to say one thing to the American people. I'm going to say this again. I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky. I never told anybody to lie. Not a single time. Never. These allegations are false and I need to go back to work for the American people."

[buckalfa]

The part that bothers me is the suggestion that the Bush administration forms policy (domestic) on the whim of public opinion. Whatever happened to governing according to your principles?