Chilly Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/...olluter%27.html The American leader, who has been condemned throughout his presidency for failing to tackle climate change, ended a private meeting with the words: "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter." He then punched the air while grinning widely, as the rest of those present including Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy looked on in shock. And again, :beer: : Mr Bush also faced criticism at the summit after Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister, was described in the White House press pack given to journalists as one of the "most controversial leaders in the history of a country known for government corruption and vice". The White House apologised for what it called "sloppy work" and said an official had simply lifted the characterisation from the internet without reading it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Fischer Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/...olluter%27.html And again, :beer: : Perhaps a bit late, but the first step is to admit you have a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverNRed Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/...olluter%27.html How dare he tell a joke?!? He should've been waving a magic wand to make the U.S. not the world's biggest polluter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted July 10, 2008 Author Share Posted July 10, 2008 How dare he tell a joke?!? He should've been waving a magic wand to make the U.S. not the world's biggest polluter! The US isn't even the world's biggest polluter, lol. Seriously though, joking about something taken as seriously as that by other countries is giving them a big "FU". Not surprising, but definitely lacking tact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 The US isn't even the world's biggest polluter, lol. We're not? India & China are growing at a much faster clip, but I don't think their industrial output is close to ours yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted July 10, 2008 Author Share Posted July 10, 2008 We're not? India & China are growing at a much faster clip, but I don't think their industrial output is close to ours yet. I thought China had surpassed us already. EDIT: Must be dependent upon what you are measuring Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 I thought China had surpassed us already. In the true sense of the word, China is the world's biggest producer of waste that's actually pollution & toxins. We produce the largest mass of industrial waste products, which in lazy shorthand is all considered to be pollution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverNRed Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 The US isn't even the world's biggest polluter, lol. Seriously though, joking about something taken as seriously as that by other countries is giving them a big "FU". Not surprising, but definitely lacking tact. Isn't that a bit melodramatic? I suppose you could pen a newspaper article to make it sound like a big deal (like the article you linked did) but it's a goofy, self-deprecating joke. I really doubt anyone was seriously aghast at what W did. And don't we usually make fun of the people who are constantly offended by things? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted July 10, 2008 Author Share Posted July 10, 2008 Isn't that a bit melodramatic? I suppose you could pen a newspaper article to make it sound like a big deal (like the article you linked did) but it's a goofy, self-deprecating joke. I really doubt anyone was seriously aghast at what W did. Hmm, yeah, I suppose my position on it was under the assumption that the article was correct and that world leaders would take offense to their issue being poked fun at. Wouldn't be a good idea to do it if they were, though, for future diplomatic reasons with the US - although I also suppose that at this point, Bush gives even less of a flying !@#$ than before, being a lame-duck. And don't we usually make fun of the people who are constantly offended by things? I do agree that if the other leaders were offended by it, they should lighten up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjamie12 Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 I guess I don't understand how anyone can read that and defend it. S'nR are you defending him? I can't really tell. Your points are taken but: Is this really the way that you want your President to act? Shouldn't he be more dignified than that? Honestly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finknottle Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 We're not? India & China are growing at a much faster clip, but I don't think their industrial output is close to ours yet. Depends what you are counting. I believe China surpassed the US in C02 emissions about a year ago. And I'm pretty sure China burns far more coal - I *think* they are the worlds largest producer and consumer at the moment. Their industry is much dirtier. The air quality in many of the cities is worse than it's ever been here... It's not at all unusual to see motorcyclers wearing fume masks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finknottle Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Re China: It emitted 14% more C02 than the US in 2007, is building an astounding two coal plants per week, and 16 of the 20 dirtiest cities in the world are there. http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=...a1-34940b9edeca Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wacka Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 The President should get on TV and tell the Congress "I'm the F'n President of the USA and I'm the F'n Commander in Chief. I run the military. If you don't like it F You!" That's the kind of honesty we need in government. Tell every idiot to Eff- off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wacka Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 Re China: It emitted 14% more C02 than the US in 2007, is building an astounding two coal plants per week, and 16 of the 20 dirtiest cities in the world are there. http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=...a1-34940b9edeca They are planning to possibly closing down most plants around and in Beijing during the Olympics if the pollution is as bad as it was this week. The USSR and the eastern bloc was the worst until the USSR broke up. I remember seeing in National Geographic a town in Romania I think, that had a layer of soot on EVERYTHING because of the nearby coal mine and plant. It was actually impossible to dry any clothes outside because of te soot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 The one interesting thing about this story is that trying to find confirmation on the interwebs, the only links are from well-known anti Bush sites, which are regurgitating the alleged account. Not a peep from any mainstream publication. You would imagine some professional journalists would run with the story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Adams Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 He's such a buttnugget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blzrul Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 The one interesting thing about this story is that trying to find confirmation on the interwebs, the only links are from well-known anti Bush sites, which are regurgitating the alleged account. Not a peep from any mainstream publication. You would imagine some professional journalists would run with the story. Like Americans don't know he's a dumb !@#$in idiot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Like Americans don't know he's a dumb !@#$in idiot? Or maybe Phil Gramm is correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverNRed Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Or maybe Phil Gramm is correct? MAYBE??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Adams Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Or maybe Phil Gramm is correct? These daydreams: What do they mean? They keep haunting me. Are they warning me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts