President Bush: 'The economy is strong. The economy is strong ... whoops!'

We've heard President Bush say it, seemingly more times than even Google can count: Stop worrying. The American economy is strong. We are going through difficult times, perhaps, but the economy is strong.

Ditto Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. and Ben S. Bernanke, the Fed chairman.

Hmmm.

Throughout 2007, the economy was just great. Well into 2008, it was just great. Matter of fact, it was just great until the $700-billion bailout/rescue/whatever plan came along.

Suddenly, the president had a new message: Start worrying. Congress' failure to approve the plan could put the entire U.S. economy -- and perhaps that of the whole world -- at risk.

"We're facing a choice between action and the real prospect of economic hardship for millions of Americans," the president said Tuesday in one of his early-morning message-to-the-market appearances. "And for the financial security of every American, Congress must act."

CNN's Christine Romans pulled the clips, and pasted together, one by one, the video record.

The Website crooksandliars.com noted: "Either the Bush administration was completely oblivious to the impending financial crisis, or were simply lying to the public."

-- James Gerstenzang

Photo: Kristoffer Tripplaar / Getty Images

Comments

[Howard]

America has to borrow and tax more, just to pay off the interest on the money we already (over) borrowed. If you cut through the crap, and go back to simple basics, all economists agree that the first thing an individual should do to get their finances back into the black, is to pay off their credit cards, and get out from under paying the interest each month. The U.S. is no different. Instead of solving the problem by borrowing hundreds of Billions more, and assuming Billions more in interest, our first priority should be to pay off our loans, and stop paying all that interest on loans !!!

[teris]

When can Bush legally remove himself from the Whitehouse, is there some kind of law that we can swear in Obama like the day after the election?

[Jorge]

How can people that have the right to decide the future of this nation support this Pinochio president is beyond reason. In Rumania, not precisely an oasis of democracy, one lie almost brought the government down, yet in this, so called democracy, Bush has not told a truth and he continues on his merry run amok ways with no accountability and no accountability seems to be the rewards for all the crooks that support this, the worst administration ever. Since when the obligation to uphold the Constitution change to the president, is hard to swallow and congress and the courts are no help either. Could all they be impeached for abetting this criminal administration? Inquiring minds want to know!

[Raymond]

America is Dying and it is time for China to rule the world
American are now lazy than 20 years ago they are not working hard as before we have to improve ourselfs first

Just think....we the americans not only voted him into office once but twice.

[Patricia]

Actually, We, The People, did not vote this monster into office. Diebold and the Supreme Court did. And thus this mightmare began and continues. We, The People, are a too self-satisfied, ignorant, compassionless lot. Oh, and lazy too - only wanting to play with ourselves and toys. Sigh.

[sandra]

NO........... we the American's did not vote for him twice either. Gore got the majority of voters ballots, but the USA is NOT a democracy (crowd rule). The USA is a Republic (rule by law). Yes, I know we are fascist (one man decides and that is Bush, ask him).

The election process does not care how many votes you get actually. And certain states elect the prez and my state ain't one. So don't blame Americans, blame the Supreme Court which selected Bush as they threw away votes in Florida and elsewhere. Games they are playing as we type. LOL

I NEVER voted for him, not once. Libertarian all the way....... Go BOB BARR!!!

[John Roger]

700 billion ...... I guess this is the same number which Bush and his lousy administration stole from Iraq.... Well God help America !!

[Jeff]

Oh yeah, savior Obama will make it better. They all make promises they dont keep, wake up. Besides, when Obama fails to make it better, which he will, the Dems are just going to shift the blame to Bush.. so, perfect. Its a no-fault scenerio. Obama will make his money and fail the rest of us, then say.. uhhh, Bush did it.

Now back to the point... are you all idiots? When is everyone going to realize that we will never hear.. "oh, crap, the economy sucks and I have not idea how to fix it" duhhh. What will the truth solve people???? Can you say, PANIC !!!!

Find the Truth in Christ. God will never fail you.
Peace.

[Laisseraller]

The speed-of-light measurement was off by a factor of nearly 100.
The technology of the era was not up the task. With new technology came new calculations for the speed of light path traveled in a vacuum one meter length is 1/299 792 458 of a second.
One day a Zen master was walking in the jungle and came across a large man eating tiger charging behind him, in a split second the made the decision to run down the path to escape the man eating tiger, suddenly he was at the end of the path which was a edge of a shear drop cliff dropping a long way to jagged rocks, so below which would be a sure death. So, the Zen master was faced with being eaten by a large man eating tiger or jumping off the cliff to sure death! The Zen master looked at the edge and notice a small vine at the edge of the cliff growing over the edge, with a split second decision he decided to use the frail vine to get over the edge of the cliff. The frail vine began to give way and the Zen master was falling to sure death to the jagged rocks below, when he notice a fresh beautiful bright red strawberry growing on the cliff right in front of him, the last thought from the Zen master was this is got to be the best tasting strawberry he has ever had. The economy would be the Man-eating tiger and the frail vine is the rescue or bailout plan. The strawberry is the pork barrel attached to the rescue or bailout plan.
Local Entrepreneur is selling Caps & T-shirt with the logo “Got $700 billion?” http://www.cafepress.com/092308

[joe6pack]

Well how many under us can afford the same policies under MCcain??

[bianca]

im just an 8th grader but i understand perfaectly that we are in bad position here with the economy as profound as the great depression