Grapes of Wrath? American people: no thanks! To the casual listener, former President George W. Bush’s presidential dedication may have seemed like a rare moment of national unity and bipartisanship. And, it almost was.
Whilom Democratic Presidents Carter and Clinton, Bush’s GOP dad 41, and the current President Barack Obama took to the podium to proclaim the virtues of W, a fellow member in the “most exclusive club in the world.” But, strangely, after all of the accolades that seemed to draw the country together as one, the U.S. Army performed the “Grapes of Wrath,” a song celebrating that most un-Civil War between the States. To make matters even worse for an oblivious 43, he expressed his appreciation to almost everyone, including the President (and former Presidents), other elected officials, his longtime political supporters, and even the library landscapers: But, he forgot to thank the American people who made his two-term Presidency possible.
Perhaps, President Bush’s presidential library dedication was actually apt. He was the patrician Bushes’ Texas son who made them proud as a well-intended, good-natured scion, who weathered 9-11 and kept the nation safe thereafter. But, sometimes, he could be quite clueless.
Tags: Bush Library Dedication, George W. Bush, Grapes of Wrath
Carpe Diem 
April 25, 2013 at 3:16 pm
There is a time and place for political bias. This was neither.
April 26, 2013 at 11:06 am
very tacky of you
April 26, 2013 at 11:22 am
“Tacky” to tell the truth, Frannie? Would you have preferred a serving of GOP establishment hagiography?
April 27, 2013 at 12:02 am
Swing and a miss.
The US Army Chorus performed what is more commonly known as The Battle Hymn Of The Republic. It is widely regarded as as an uplifting spiritual, patriotic song and routinely played during official ceremonies such as inaugurations, memorials, funerals for military personnel as well as presidents and members of congress… and at dedications. It’s included in the hymnals of many churches, too.
Nit-picky, nit-picky, nit picky. President Bush has thanked the American people many times for his eight years. To this day he shows up at airports to greet returning troops, and we only know about this from the pictures taken by those troops or their family members and posted on their Facebook pages. He certainly has many faults but the man rightly beams with thankfulness for his lot in life.
Like a batter swinging wildly at a high fast ball that he expected to be a low and away curve, this reads as a desperate swing hoping to connect with a blunder that was not there. A swing and a miss.
April 27, 2013 at 8:05 am
Your title “Bush’s Bizarre Blunders”, followed by ‘carpeing’ about Bush not thanking the voters, and criticizing a traditional piece of music shows that you Bush haters have shot your pathetic last volley, and it falls short. Those who supported him know his heart, and the emotional end of his speech was our thanks.
Obama had the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir Performs ‘Battle Hymn Of The Republic’ at his second inaugural ceremony last January, I guess you must have missed it, Eh?
What really lies behind the vitriol of the left for GW is as Peggy Noonan said, “This week something changed. George W. Bush is back, for the unveiling of his presidential library. His numbers are dramatically up. You know why? Because he’s the furthest thing from Barack Obama.
Obama fatigue has opened the way to Bush affection.”
April 27, 2013 at 3:31 pm
GWB reminds us of the days when we had a president who loved his country.
April 27, 2013 at 9:51 pm
^ Our president may demonstrate a different flavour of American patriotism but that does not mean his love of country is any less.
April 28, 2013 at 12:15 am
^
He certainly has an odd way of showing it. He appears to be capable of loving one thing only – himself.
April 28, 2013 at 8:04 am
I agree with other posters. Your bias is showing.
April 28, 2013 at 8:16 pm
Clueless is my opinion of your comments. You may not have liked GWB but he loved this country.
April 29, 2013 at 12:45 pm
“A swing and a miss”: Al, your final sentence seemed an apt description of your critique that preceded it. ;-)
April 29, 2013 at 3:04 pm
Jake, you didn’t even know the name of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” something that most kids learn by the fifth grade. Instead, you lifted a line and declared it the title for a bizarre political advantage.. The only thing it was the title of was a book by John Steinbeck. “A swing and a miss” was quite kind. You were wrong, shrug it off, and move on. .
April 29, 2013 at 3:41 pm
“[I]t was the title of…a book by John Steinbeck”: You got one thing right, Milhous.
May 1, 2013 at 1:03 am
^^^ Up your nose with a rubber hose, Jake.
^^ He knows the correct name of the song. His was an intentional slight taken from its historic origins.
As a commentary on the song, calling it “Grapes Of Wrath” absolutely is legit. And there is nothing wrong with criticising George Bush or any other president, past or present. Because President Bush has stayed about as far away from the public eye since leaving office as any former president can, the opportunities to find new faults with him are few and far between.
Bush’s Bizarre Blunders reads to be an attempt to find something – anything – in the dedication ceremony to use as an excuse to tie “The Battle Hymn Of The Republic” to its Civil War origin while taking a half-hearted swing at Bush in the process. I like the concept but the execution of it didn’t quite work.
May 1, 2013 at 9:31 pm
Al, I appreciate your thoughtful commentary, supra–at least, until your last paragraph. :-)
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November 23, 2020 at 5:41 pm
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Bush’s Bizarre Blunders | Carpe Diem