BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB

Subject: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: PoppaGator
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 07:03 PM

Enjoy!

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/_/id/6562575?rnd=1098463655296&has-player=true&version=6.0.11.847

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: dianavan
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 08:10 PM

Dr Hunter Thompson is a wonderful read. Haven't heard his opinions in a long while. I love the way he writes and whats more he is usually quite accurate. I especially liked this line, "Bush is a natural-born loser with a filthy-rich daddy who pimped his son out to rich oil-mongers. He hates music, football and sex, in no particular order, and he is no fun at all."

d

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: CarolC
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 08:43 PM

It's a good article. I enjoy Thompson's writing. Pungent, interesting, and fun.

In a similar vein, just a little while ago, JtS said to me, "I hate that Bush! He's turning me into a fucking liberal!"

;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: michaelr
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 08:49 PM

Best thing HST has writen in years. Good to see he's still full of piss and vinegar.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 09:02 PM

Excellent! Thanks for the link!

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: maire-aine
Date: 23 Oct 04 - 09:34 AM

Thanks for the link, Poppagator. I've been waiting to hear his comments.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: Alba
Date: 23 Oct 04 - 10:14 AM

As usual Thompson says it like it is.
"Four more Years of Bush will be like four more years of syphilis"
Piss and Vinegar still intact alright and oh how good it is to read it..:>)
Thank You for the Link Poppagator....I'm off to finish building our Garden Shed with an kick in my step!
Blessings to all
Jude.

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Oct 04 - 10:15 AM

"If Nixon were running for president today, he would be seen as a "liberal" candidate, and he would probably win.

Perceptive.

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: van lingle
Date: 23 Oct 04 - 10:33 AM

This article confirms my suspicion that HST did too much acid way back when and that Dubya didn't do enough. Thanks. vl

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 04 - 10:38 AM

Actually, I thought the Nixon remark was ludicrously assinine, as is the article. I loved Hunter in his heyday at Rolling Stone, but reading this article just makes me feel sad at how badly he wasted his talent for social (not political!) commentary. Hunter was never much of a pundit, but his "analysis" of the Nixon Republicans and the Washington Redskins was some of the best social commentary ever written in the US.

But this article is really crap, when you know what Hunter has done in the past, and what he was once capable of writing before he pickled his brains with a thousand addictions. It is just one more pathetic pro-Kerry/anti-Bush rant, and not even a very good one at that.

Which just makes me sad, like I said. There isn't another Hunter on the scene these days, and that includes Hunter. Which is depressing.

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Oct 04 - 10:45 AM

Now was that the pro-Bush Guest or the pro-Nader GUEST? Or are they the same one?

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Oct 04 - 10:56 AM

Want to get really depressed? Here are a couple more (not by Thompson):

Do the supporters of President Bush really know their man or the policies of his administration? Three out of 4 self-described supporters of President George W. Bush still believe that pre-war Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or active programs to produce them. According to a new survey published Thursday, the same number also believes that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein provided "substantial support" to al Qaeda.
http://www.alternet.org/story/20263/


WASHINGTON -- Supporters of President Bush are less knowledgeable about the president's foreign policy positions and are more likely to be mistaken about factual issues in world affairs than voters who back John F. Kerry, a survey released yesterday indicated.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2004/10/22/divide_seen_in_voter_knowledge/

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 04 - 11:51 AM

McGrath, some people are actually still capable of objective reasoning regarding this election, rather than purely subjective partisan reasoning.

Now then, just because the media echo chamber reduces everything to a "all opinions about politics and this presidential race are COMPLETELY DETERMINED by whether one is red or blue, Democrat or Republican, Bush or Kerry" level of idiocy, doesn't mean that reflects reality.

What is truly disturbing is this idiotic reductionist game that so many people have bought into, and that the media echo chamber continues to feed. We see it here at Mudcat in these threads. Reduce everyone's opinion to the point of dismissing all opinion as partisan. Hence McGrath's comments, SRS' links "proving" their partisan ideology is good and the other partisan ideology is bad...

This sort of reductionist determinism isn't where most people in the US are at--just the 40-50% or so of the eligible voters who remain bought into the current mainstream political system. And of course, that isn't the majority of eligible voters. Because when you combine the percent of eligible voters who don't vote with the numbers of swing voters who will change from Democrat to Republican on a whim, with the numbers of voters who are registered independents, you don't get a statistical majority of eligible voters.

The reality in US politics is this: the two parties no longer constitute a majority of eligible voters.

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 23 Oct 04 - 12:53 PM

Thanks so much for the link, Pappa Gator.

..xx..e

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Oct 04 - 02:49 PM

Was that last post from the same person as the earlier one about which I asked the question? Who can tell.

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: Blissfully Ignorant
Date: 23 Oct 04 - 10:38 PM

Urgh. Kerry and Bush are both evil b*s*a*ds if you ask me- I would say it makes me glad i live in Scotland, but unfortunately it doesn't make a damned bit of difference because what happens in America affects directly and indirectly what happens almost everywhere else, Britain being the first in line to lick the behind of the president. Perhaps we're sore about not having an empire any more, so we grasp onto the shoulders of whoever's in charge in the U-S-of-A in the hope of getting piggybacked to glory as the new American empire is conquered. No, i'm not anti-American, I'm anti-American foriegn policy which is decided by a monetory (not intellectual or moral) elite, and i have faith that the many and varied citizens of America do not all share the same 'We're alright, screw you' attitude.

'Left wing' and 'right wing' are to my mind obsolete terms, as exponents of either 'side' seem unable to consider the evidence and formulate their own opinions, prefering to resort to the empty rhetoric proffered to them by the alpha-male-monkey of their particular political tribe.

How can anyone claim to have a valid moral or political opinion without first evaluating and considering with their own mind the issue at hand?

I apologise for rambling on, and i apologise if anyone took offence from what i have said. None was intended. :)

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: CarolC
Date: 24 Oct 04 - 12:54 AM

You make some good points, Blissfully Ignorant, although I'm guessing that the UK's motivations for being so obsequious toward the US has more to do with oil than with the loss of its status as an empire.

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 24 Oct 04 - 06:06 PM

I think it is as important to distinguish between Blair and Co and "the UK" as it is to distinguish between Bush and Co and "the USA".

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: CarolC
Date: 24 Oct 04 - 06:57 PM

Well, I use "US" as much as I do "Bush" McGrath. And the reason is because it often goes way beyond the president, cabinets, legislative bodies, etc. I agree though, that sometimes it is very important to make that distinction. In this case, when I say "the UK" I'm including more than just Tony Blair, but I'm not including the majority of citizens, in keeping with the way Blissfully Ignorant put it in his/her post:

Britain being the first in line to lick the behind of the president. Perhaps we're sore about not having an empire any more, so we grasp onto the shoulders of whoever's in charge in the U-S-of-A in the hope of getting piggybacked to glory as the new American empire is conquered.

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: Blissfully Ignorant
Date: 24 Oct 04 - 11:54 PM

Oopsies, i should have made that distinction. Thanks for pointing it out. Although there does seem to be a growing acceptance of Bush-mongering amongst the British public...It has me shaking in my boots. Hmm, now where did i leave my McDonalds happy meal? Oh, it's right over there next to the Coca-Cola...

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: Blissfully Ignorant
Date: 25 Oct 04 - 01:12 AM

And yes, i agree oil has a lot to do with it. Especially since Scotland is disproportionally populated by NIMBYs who don't want the scenery of their idyllic Highland retreat spoiled by all those ugly windfarms. I mean, really, it's totally unreasonable to allow sustainable energy developements that could contribute to failing rural economies, when all those lovely rich folks have moved here to retire amongst the glorious romance of Rob Roy country....

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: dianavan
Date: 25 Oct 04 - 01:50 AM

Blissfully Ignorant - Why don't you start a new thread about windmills in Scotland or the lack therof.

d

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Oct 04 - 04:16 PM

Although there does seem to be a growing acceptance of Bush-mongering amongst the British public...

Can't say I've noticed it. Even among the dwindling band of people who think Blair is a good bloke, and that on balance the war was the right thing to do, I think you'd be pretty hard put to find people who don't think Bush is a dangerous buffoon.

He isn't even liked by the Tories, so far as I can see. (Not that you'd run into many of them in Scotland.)

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: Blissfully Ignorant
Date: 26 Oct 04 - 09:07 PM

Yes, this rainy little country has, historically, had a leaning towards egalitarian socialistic ideals. Exept for the rich b***ards...

There is a distinct threat of Shrub-ism in Britian though. We certainly seem to take all this governmental fibbing lying down...The New World Order is coming to your doorstep, and it ain't bringing pretty flowers...

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: saulgoldie
Date: 27 Oct 04 - 08:31 AM

I realize that he was in his "youthful and exuberence" period (and perhaps he WAS stoned, even), but isn't it unacceptable for a president to have intentionally given another human being a scar by burning him? Doesn't that fly in the face of so fervently "celebrating life in all its forms?" Even if it WAS in one's youth?

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Oct 04 - 09:06 AM

Youthful exuberance can explain doing dangerous things that might hurt you, and might hurt other people too. It doesn't explain that kind of stuff though, if it's true.

Youth is rather like drink. It can let out the real you. If you're a real bastard when you're drunk, or when you are young, that's not produced by the drink or the youth, it's what's inside you.

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: Amos
Date: 27 Oct 04 - 12:36 PM

What is the referent for this "burning" incident?

A

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: Den
Date: 28 Oct 04 - 09:30 AM

Amos you'll have to read the article from the link at the top from PoppaGator for that info. Den

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: Amos
Date: 28 Oct 04 - 09:38 AM

Excerpt:

"When young Bush was at Yale in the Sixties, he told the same joke over and over again for two years, according to some of his classmates. One of them still remembers it:


There was a young man named Green
Who invented a jack-off machine
On the twenty-third stroke
The damn thing broke
And churned his nuts into cream.


"It was horrible to hear him tell it," said the classmate, who spoke only on condition of anonymity. He lifted his shirt and showed me a scar on his back put there by young George. "He burned this into my flesh with a red-hot poker," he said solemnly, "and I have hated him ever since. That jackass was born cruel. He burned me in the back while I was blindfolded. This scar will be with me forever."


There is nothing new or secret about that story. It ran on the front page of the Yale Daily News and caused a nasty scandal for a few weeks, but nobody was ever expelled for it. George did his first cover-up job. And he liked it"

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: Blissfully Ignorant
Date: 28 Oct 04 - 11:55 PM

Umm... why was the guy blindfolded?

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: PoppaGator
Date: 29 Oct 04 - 12:11 AM

Musta been some kind of fraternity initiation/hazing ritual; that's how I read it. The kind of incident where it's easy to blame the victim -- "he was joining voluntarily, wasn''t he?" -- but also the kind of incident that says a lot about the perpetrator.

Glad y'all enjoyed it. Most of y'all, anyway.

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: Amos
Date: 29 Oct 04 - 08:49 AM

All y'all except that one y'all with the smoking trapezoid over there.... :>)

Somehow it does not surprise me he would be capable of that random cruelty.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: PoppaGator
Date: 29 Oct 04 - 01:44 PM

When I said I was glad to know that "most of y'all enjoyed IT," the "IT" I was referring to was the article as a whole, not the branding incident.

I have to pass all credit and thanks along to my kid brother Paul, who emailed me the link all the way from from his home in England. I haven't been a regular reader of Rolling Stone since Dr. Thompson was writing about the 1972 Presidential campaign, and would never have come across this article on my own.

Subject: RE: BS: Fear & Loathing: Hunter Thompson on GWB
From: Don Firth
Date: 29 Oct 04 - 02:21 PM

Could have been at a fraternity initiation. At Yale, Dubya was president of his fraternity, Delta Kappa Epsilon, reputed to be one of the rowdier hard-partying, hard-drinking frats.

Source:   Frontline, "The Choice 2004."

Don Firth