Character counts … but for what, they’re not sure

October 20, 2006

It’s hard not to admire the White House’s sense of timing. The president officially designated this week “National Character Counts Week,” a time in which Americans are supposed to “renew our commitment to instilling values in our young people and to encouraging all Americans to remember the importance of good character.” The proclamation includes the kind of language you’d expect to find: “decency,” “integrity,” and “honesty.” What’s not to like?

Well, for one thing, a few sticklers might note how Bush has chosen to observe “National Character Counts Week.”

So it has come to this: Nineteen days before the midterm elections, President Bush flew here to champion the reelection of a congressman who last year settled a $5.5 million lawsuit alleging that he beat his mistress during a five-year affair.

“I’m pleased to be here with Don Sherwood,” a smiling president told the congressman’s loyal but dispirited supporters at a luncheon fundraiser Thursday. “He has got a record of accomplishment.”

Quite a record. While representing the good people of the 10th District, the married congressman shacked up in Washington with a Peruvian immigrant more than three decades his junior. During one assignation in 2004, the woman, who says Sherwood was striking her and trying to strangle her, locked herself in a bathroom and called 911; Sherwood told police he was giving her a back rub.

At a time when Republicans are struggling to motivate religious conservatives to go to the polls next month, it is not clear what benefit the White House found in sending Bush to stump for Sherwood — smack dab in the middle of what Bush, in an official proclamation, dubbed “National Character Counts Week.”

Oops.

To be sure, it is quite a week for characters. As the WaPo’s Dana Milbank noted, Bush is campaigning for a lawmaker who is accused of abusing his mistress; the House Ethics Committee is investigating a sex scandal involving under-age pages (which may include more than one Republican lawmaker); the FBI raided buildings as part of a probe involving Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.); and Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio), the eighth person convicted in the Abramoff lobbying scandal, is refusing to vacate his seat in Congress.

Character counts, indeed.

The most awkward part about Bush’s campaign stop with Sherwood?

His wife and adult daughter stood on stage, human shields against scandal. Their discomfort became apparent when Bush, trying to defuse the controversy, praised the letter Carol Sherwood wrote to her husband’s constituents this week about the “needlessly cruel” decision by his Democratic opponent to run an ad about the mistress’s allegations. “I was deeply moved by her words,” he said, while some in the dead-silent audience noticed an agonized look on daughter Maria Sherwood’s face.

After all the GOP smears, Bush agrees with the notion that Democrats shouldn’t mention a Republican lawmaker who allegedly abused his mistress?

In any event, a recent WaPo/ABC poll noted that Americans, when asked which party better “represents your own personal values,” clearly prefers Dems to Republicans, 53% to 37%. Anyone who finds that odd simply isn’t paying attention.

I just hope when the Democrats come to power they actually maintain some standards of conduct and accountability.

That Boy George II, he is an idiot.

  • I know it’s a trite observation, but every time I review the numerous sins, crimes, blunders and simple screwups of the GOP I’m appalled all over again by the time, effort and money, paid for by us, that the GOP spent prosecuting/persecuting Bill Clinton for his dalliance with the scheming, consenting-adult Lewinsky (herself programmed by the monsters Tripp and Goldberg).

  • As you noted, Bush is out campaigning for Rep. Don Sherwood (R-Erotic Asphyxiation). Tony Snow recently stated: “As to Sherwood, Snow says Bush believes “we’re all sinners” who deserve forgiveness.” Except, I guess, when someone’s actual life is on the line and when a person who may have actually tried to truly seek redemption is involved, Karla Faye Tucker, whom Bush mocked. http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/time/2000/02/14/death.html
    Bush sure is one heckuva values guy and religious man.

  • It has reached the point where the only thing about this story that seems weird to me is why they would choose to declare “National Character Counts Week” in this first place. What idiot in the White House thought this was a good idea?

  • McCain’s book Character is Destiny will hopefully prove its title true when the Repugnicans lose in November.

    It’s almost sad to see the values McCain celebrates in his book in the mirror of how much he has betrayed them.

  • They noted this morning on NPR that Dubya didn’t do his normal ‘he/she married well’ line during his visit with Sherwood, though it was back in use by the time he hit Virginia & the Allen fundraiser.

  • We’re all sinners who deserve forgiveness.

    Sniff, sniff! I scent multiple pardons on the wind. For his buddies at least. People who fall into the “Anti-Terrorism” Grinding Machine that putz has put in place will be lucky if they get a bullet to the head before they’re buried.

    BushBaby is breathing proof that God isn’t the vengeful smite-happy being the Fundies make Him out to be. If He were, Shrub would be a pile of ash for multiple slanders.

  • bubba, i appreciate your reminder on the juxtaposition of BushCo’s positions on morality. times like this i am tempted to take up a belief in Hell, just so i can enjoy the thought of Bush rotting there, with Karla Faye Tucker mocking him for all eternity. Biggest. Hypocrite. Ever.

  • “National Character Counts Week”

    …or….

    It’s time to take a head count at a national level of unsavory GOP characters who were in the news this past week

  • Proposed new Democratic ad for nationwide distribution:
    “President Bush declared this ‘Character Counts’ Week”. Zoom in on newspaper headline, “Foley Sex Scandal”. Another, “Delay indicted”. Video of Bush praising Sherwood. An arrow points to Sherwood, and a label appears, “Republican Representative from Pennsylvania: Tried to strangle his mistress”. Then an arrow points to Bush, with a caption, “Republican President: Lied to get us into a war that has cost 2700 US soldiers, 650000 Iraqi civilians, & $334 billion. Biggest deficits in US history. Made torture official US policy.” Fade to black, then “Republicans, is this what you really want? Please vote Democratic across the board. How could we possibly be any worse than your guys?”

  • “with Karla Faye Tucker mocking him for all eternity”

    while Lucifer repeatedly and continuously rams the head of Dick Cheney into and out of Bush’s arse.

  • Bubba…he’s had time to get used to Cheneys hand up his ass for six years, so his head shouldnt be that much trouble…

  • Our nation is at a tipping point when it comes to foreign policy and related anxieties. This is worth the read; also, check out our anxiety indicator:

    Here at Public Agenda, we’ve created a new tool to track Americans’ opinions on foreign policy issues, providing a basis for political commentary. Similar to the Consumer Confidence Index, the Foreign Policy Anxiety Indicator provides policy makers, journalists and ordinary citizens with the public’s overall comfort level with America’s
    place in the world and current foreign policy.

    An essential tool updated twice a year, the Indicator will consistently provide much-needed information on the public’s perception of more than two dozen aspects of international relations.

    In a world strewn with violence and highly-charged international issues, Americans are broadly uneasy about U.S. foreign policy. The September 2006 shows the Foreign Policy Anxiety Indicator at 130 on a scale of 0 to 200, where 0 is the most confident, 200 the most anxious and 100 neutral.

    Eight in 10 Americans feel the world is becoming a more dangerous place for Americans, yet they’re also skeptical about most of the possible solutions, such as creating democracies or global development. Only improved intelligence gathering and energy independence have substantial support, with energy firmly established as a national security problem
    for the public.

    In fact, the public lacks confidence in many of the measures being taken to ensure America’s security. Less than 33% of Americans give the U.S. government an “A” or a “B” grade for its execution of the following foreign policy issues: reaching goals in Iraq and Afghanistan, maintaining good relationships with Muslim countries and protecting U.S. borders from illegal immigration. And these are just a few of the findings of the survey.

    These are some of the other startling findings:

    – 83 percent say they are worried about the way things are going for the United States in world affairs (35 percent worry “a lot”, with an additional 48 percent saying they worry “somewhat.”)

    – 79 percent say the world is becoming more dangerous for the United States and the American people

    – 69 percent say the United States is doing a fair or poor job in creating a more peaceful and prosperous world

    – 64 percent say the rest of the world sees the United States negatively

    – 58 percent say U.S. relations with the rest of the world are on the wrong track

    Want to learn more? Go to http://www.publicagenda.org/foreignpolicy/index.cfm to download the report.

    Public Agenda is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group devoted to public opinion and public policy. The confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index is developed in cooperation with Foreign Affairs with support from the Hewlett and Ford foundations.

  • Molly Ivins has a most excellent article out on Truthdig that reflects how Democrats as of late seem to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. Let’s hope that does’t happen again as we really need to move away from the authoritarian hysteria the current Republican leadership in Washington is all too happy to give us.

    When these “leaders” acquiesce to the terrorists by diluting our long held heritage of say Habeas Corpus, they have proven themselves incapable of defending Americans and their way of life that has served as a beacon to people throughout the world for over 200 years!

    Let’s get our friends and loved ones to help us take back our America on November 7th. A vote for Republicans is a vote for the terrorists! Vote the Rascals Out in ’06 and ’08! -Kevo

  • Hello 911, this is another bathroom call from a woman being assaulted by a Republican…

    1.
    . During one assignation in 2004, the woman, who says Sherwood was striking her and trying to strangle her, locked herself in a bathroom and called 911; Sherwood told police he was giving her a back rub.

    2.
    Chrissy Mazzeo made three calls to 911 in which she told operators she had been assaulted by Rep. Jim Gibbons, according to investigative reports released by police Wednesday.

    [At least one of those calls was made from a bathroom]

    Gibbons, 61, a five-term Republican congressman who is running for governor against Democrat Dina Titus, told police the alleged assault “didn’t happen.” He said he walked Mazzeo toward her car and helped her catch her balance after she tripped.

    Character counts. Just ask the woman in the bathroom.

  • I like N. Wells ad idea. Everything except the last sentence, which should go unsaid.

    The ad should include a clip of Bush in B&W (to denote evil) and then a litany of Republican scandals, pictures of dead people in Iraq & New Orleans, clips of conservative Christians who have come out against the Bush bastards, and then a graph of the national debt during the Republican rule.

    The punchline: “The Republicans say Bush has done a great job. They promise more of the same. Have your say on November 7th.”

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