Bush renting out Lincoln bedroom....

[Z]

....gee, i could have sworn he said he wouldn't do this. who's the flip-flopper again?

www.salon.com/news/wire/2004/03/10/guests/index.html

[kchoya]

Oh the horror!!!

Let's see who stayed there:

• A LA lawyer who was a classmate of the President and gave $1,000 to his 2000 campaign. What a high roller.
  
• A professional golfer. Maybe this would be a story if John Daly hd stayed over and trashed the place.
  
• A former partner with the Texas Rangers and a former ambassador.
  
• A former classmate and former partner with the Texas Rangers
  
• A former business partner and partner with the Texas Rangers.
  
• A childhood friend who introduced the President to the First Lady.
  
• The Governors of Colorado and New York
  

Yup, call Lawrence Walsh 'cause it certainly looks like the "no vacancy" sign is out at the White House.

Basically you're saying that if you're (a) a childhood friend, (b) a former classmate, (c) a former business partner, (d) a professional golfer, or (e) a governor, you can't stay at the White House?

[Z]

"At least nine of Bush's biggest fund-raisers appear on the latest list of White House overnight guests, covering June 2002 through December 2003, and-or on the Camp David list, which covers last year."

[kchoya]

Z said:

"At least nine of Bush's biggest fund-raisers appear on the latest list of White House overnight guests, covering June 2002 through December 2003, and-or on the Camp David list, which covers last year."

What's your point?

Is it nine out of the top 10 fundraisers? Or is it nine out of the top 100? 500?

So, because George Pataki helped raise $200,000 for the Bush campaign, he can't stay at the White House even though he's the Governor of New York?

So, the President has to tell a childhood friend that he has to choose between staying at the White House or raising money for the campaign?

Methinks that you're stretching here to come up with a story that doesn't really exist.

[Z]

the story is that bush vociferously attacked clinton/gore for doing the exact same thing he is now doing himself. period.

[kchoya]

The point is that he is not doing the same thing that Clinton did and no matter how you try to spin this article, it doesn't prove your point (whatever that is).

[Z]

both rewarded bigshot donor-friends with sleepovers. if there is a salient difference, i'd appreciate a description.

[kchoya]

Difference #1 - you have a list of 9 people over a year period. I don't think 2 people every three months equals the Holiday Inn Clinton was running.

Difference #2 - these are people that Bush has had a longtime relationship with and/or are big time politicians. I don't think you'd argue that there's anything wrong with the Governor of CNew York spending a night at the White House. Well, he's a Republican. The President is a Republican. Don't you think that the Republican Governor of New York is going to raise money for the Republican candidate for President? You act like Bush is selling nights in the White House. George Pataki is going to stay a night in the White House whether he raised $100 or $100,000 for the Bush campaign.

[Z]

you're splitting hairs, and you continue to avoid the question of how bush rewarding non-politician donor pals w/ lincoln bedroom access isn't blatantly hypocritical.

[kchoya]

Z said:

you're splitting hairs, and you continue to avoid the question of how bush rewarding non-politician donor pals w/ lincoln bedroom access isn't blatantly hypocritical.

I'm not splitting hairs. There's nothing that shows Bush is rewarding these people for the money they've raised. These are people he's had connections with long before he entered politics, let alone before he became President.

What you're saying is that if someone raises a lot of money for the President, and then stays at the White House, it's automatic that it's a "reward" for raising the money. You're ignoring the other variables in the equation.