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Heres the best photo of George HW Bush youll see today
Here’s the best photo of George HW Bush you’ll see today Ralph Orlowski / Getty Images

Climate Chat: Some 195 countries are meeting in Poland this week for the biggest climate conference since the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015. Prepare for Donald Trump to point at a Poland snowdrift and announce that climate change is a hoax.

Good Athlete, Bad Guy: Neither the police nor the NFL seem concerned about a security camera video of star Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt brutalizing a woman in an apartment complex hallway. Fortunately, his own team cares. Shortly after the video was made public (by TMZ, of course) the Chiefs booted Hunt from the team.

Big Whoop: The US and China have agreed to pause their trade war and (hypothetically) sort out their differences. According to Trump, the deal “goes down as one of the largest deals ever made.” Yawn.

Bushed: Oh, George Bush the Elder passed away Friday evening. His death has unleashed a monsoon of sappy essays reminiscing about the good ol’ days of the GOP. I guess we’ve all decided the War on Drugs was a great idea and the AIDS crisis was overblown? Cool cool cool.

The only H Dubya content I am interested in:

Evidence Tho: Neil deGrasse Tyson has responded to rape and sexual harassment claims against him in the most irritatingly science-guy way possible. But, at least he kind of apologized? GOLD STAR.

Meanwhile, in Nigeria:

Justice for Cops: A grand jury has cleared the Portland officer who fatally shot a mentally ill man who was holding a woman hostage—and threatening to kill her—in a hotel room.

*Insert Charming Baseball Metaphor*: Wanting the latest hot goss on the proposed MLB ballpark headed to Portland? Look no further.

Housing > Building Aesthetics: Sorry, neighborhood grumps, Portland City Council doesn’t want to pull the plug on an affordable housing complex just because you don’t like the way it looks.

It’s Like a Murder Podcast, But Print: Here’s the first installation of a captivating Oregonian feature on a serial killer who attacked women on a rural stretch of Highway 10.

“Your diarrhea is our bread and butter”: Portland is home to the International Outbreak Museum. It looks incredible.

Alex Zielinski is a former News Editor for the Portland Mercury. She's here to tell stories about economic inequities, cops, civil rights, and weird city politics that you should probably be paying attention...

13 replies on “Good Morning, News: Global Climate Conference, Adios to H Dub, and de Grasse Tyson Addresses Rape Accusation”

  1. Once again, the Mercury peddles in pettiness when it comes to the death of someone they didn’t agree with. I’m not a conservative, but to engage in this “We’re sooo happy this person is DEAD because they are opposite of our extremist left-wing politics!” pettiness is disgusting.

    Yes, the Mercury is OUTRAGED every time a homeless person dies, but mocks the death of a former United States president.

    The Mercury is the left’s version of Breitbart News… sad, but true!

  2. First, Head of the CIA. Repeat that out loud. Next, he put Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court. Hell that alone should be treasonous at this point. And before you launch an ad hominem attack, I am a middle-aged white guy who is a Portland native. Back in the 1990, we were called Little Beirut by this WASP, privileged rich guy. Oh, and don’t forget Willie Horton.

  3. I despise the rewriting of history when people die. Did the man serve his country? Absolutely. Did he do serious harm to millions of Americans while he served his country? ABSOLUTELY. Pretending he did not and denying the facts regarding that harm simply because he is dead is utter bullshit. Hundreds of thousands of people in the LGBQT community were allowed to die because Bush (and Reagan) did not care and allowed the religious right to dictate their behavior. Bush 1 is a war criminal. The Willie Horton ad is the most racist ad ever run in a campaign (and that’s saying a lot given who our current president is). The war on drugs and the sheer number or people put in prison because of it have everything to do with Bush 1.

    How is rewriting history and pretending things did not happen equal not showing respect? The man was proud of these things when he did them and just because he is dead does not mean these acts get to be ignored or erased in the name of showing respect. He deserves to be remembered for EVERYTHING he did and all of the people harmed by him deserve the respect of that acknowledgement.

    Seriously, are we going to pretend Trump is not the worst president in the history of this country and that people will go to the bathroom on his grave for CENTURIES when he FINALLY dies? NO WAY.

    HITLER DIDN’T GET A REWRITE AND NO ONE ELSE DESERVES ONE EITHER.

  4. HITLER? HAHAHA! You do know the rules of argument, dontcha? The first person to bring up Hitler loses.

    That said, my point in all of this is not to defend Bush’s policies (though I will the Clean Air Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Immigration Act of 1990 and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990), but to denounce the DISGUSTING behavior of someone RELISHING in the DEATH of another human being.

    Whacked-out Republicans relish in violence, hate and thoughts of death, and I thought liberals were supposed to be better than that? Whether you like Bush Sr. or not, making fun of his death is no better than your typical Repug infesting the comment board on Breitbart News. It’s garbage human behavior… the kind Cadet Bone Spurs engages in on a daily basis.

    I guess I was expecting too much for The Mercury and some of the left-wing extremists commenters to have a little class and decency.

  5. 5

    “… someone [goddamn LIBS!] RELISHING in the DEATH of another human being.”

    Since when is calling a spade a spade “RELISHING” garden implements?

    From Christina @4: “How is rewriting history and pretending things* did not happen equal not showing respect? The man was proud of these things* when he did them* and just because he is dead does not mean these acts* get to be ignored or erased in the name of showing respect. He deserves to be remembered for EVERYTHING* he did and all of the people harmed by him* deserve the respect of that acknowledgement.”*

    Well said, Christina. Thanks.

    *”Hundreds of thousands of people in the LGBQT community were allowed to die because Bush (and Reagan) did not care and allowed the religious right to dictate their behavior. Bush 1 is a war criminal. The Willie Horton ad is the most racist ad ever run in a campaign (and that’s saying a lot given who our current president is). The war on drugs and the sheer number or people put in prison because of it have everything to do with Bush 1.”

  6. Facts are facts and opinions are opinions and beliefs are beliefs and these things are not the same. Facts are the only thing that matter.

    https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/12/3/1816631/-Want-to-read-something-warm-and-fuzzy-about-George-H-W-Bush-Then-don-t-read-this

    For some real journalism:

    https://www.thenation.com/article/george-hw-bush-world-aids-day-obit/

    And in case you missed it in the first link, here’s the video of action the when ashes of the dead thrown on the White House lawn:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWbzinqIlPk

  7. In case you didn’t read The Mercury’s little blurp: “Bushed: Oh, George Bush the Elder passed away Friday evening. His death has unleashed a monsoon of sappy essays reminiscing about the good ol’ days of the GOP. I guess we’ve all decided the War on Drugs was a great idea and the AIDS crisis was overblown? Cool cool cool.

    The only H Dubya content I am interested in: *Shows a photo of his casket.”

    So, showing a photo of his casket and stating that it’s “the only H Dubya content I’m interested in” is totally fine and not, in any way, implying that they’re happy he’s dead?

    Again, I thought Liberals were supposed to be better than this… but, if ya’ll want to wallow in the gutter with your average right-wing extremist, have at it!

    I’m not a Republican, but I get sick of the so-called “tolerant” left calling people out for not being “woke” enough when being “woke” wasn’t even a thing. Applying today’s standards and morals to 30 years ago just doesn’t fly.

    Times were different back then. LGBTQ (and by the way, the “Q” in LGBTQ wasn’t even added until around 1996, long after Bush was out of office… just an FYI) was not accepted in regular society as people were more religious back then. The angry Left is blaming him for not going against his voter base because it is what they wanted him to do. I cannot blame George H Bush for his decisions back then as he was following the majority of societal opinion at that time.

    Remember, this was a different time when much of America was not as open as they are today. In fact, later in life he changed his position (just like much of America has since). In 2004, he stated, “Personally, I still believe in traditional marriage, but people should be able to do what they want to do, without discrimination. People have a right to be happy. I guess you could say I have mellowed.”

    The Clintons (Bill and Hillary) were both openly and vocally opposed same sex unions as did Barack Obama. How quickly we forget history. Obama and Hillary only changed their tune when it became politically expedient. Will you left-wing extremists cheer if The Mercury showed a photo of Obama’s casket and writes that “this is the only content we’re interested in?” WELL???

    And let us not forget that he served our country during WWII. Funny how the left gets all upset (and rightfully so) when Trump denigrated McCain’s service, but have no problem bashing a veteran so soon after he has passed.

    I mean, Bush isn’t even cold in the ground yet and the “tolerant” left is trashing him. Bush Sr. was entitled to his opinion, and the voters voted him in and voted him out accordingly.

  8. P.S. All things being equal, I would like to read high praise of George W. Bush for his highest achievement during his time in office: Addressing the AIDS crisis in Africa.

    In early 2001, the United States became the first contributor to a global fund to fight HIV/AIDS, pledging $200 million. That amount more than doubled the next year, but Bush felt the problem required more spending and believed the UN was not speedy enough in its efforts. He led the UN efforts in creating a global fund to fight AIDS.

    In 2002 Bush unveiled the Mother and Child HIV Prevention Initiative targeting one million mothers in Africa and the Caribbean for treatment in an effort to save the lives of 150,000 babies.

    Bush then pushed to devote $15 billion over the next five years. These funds would go to drugs and medical care for about 10 million patients, and also help millions of children orphaned by their parents’ deaths from AIDS. It was considered the largest health initiative ever to target one single disease.

    That initiative became known as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. Bush selected 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and two in the Caribbean to receive its help and announced PEPFAR in his 2003 State of the Union address.

    PEPFAR proved to be an impressive achievement: In 2007, the program was considered so successful that Bush asked for a funding increase, totaling $30 billion for the following five year period. In 2008, $39 billion was marked for PEPFAR.

    By the time of the election of Barack Obama, PEPFAR had treated 2 million AIDS patients and assisted to 10 million more, with further millions receiving help during pregnancies and being tested for HIV/AIDS.

    Under Obama, funding for PEPFAR fell. More recent developments have seen the program included in attempts by President Donald Trump to weaken the broader swathe of global health initiatives.

    -I would like to hear that Bush did a great thing. I would like to hear that Bush was “woke” when it came to the AIDS crisis in Africa. I would like to hear a big fat “Thank you!” to George W. Bush.

    Well?? 😉

  9. @Douglas_Banter you and I are never going to agree and I am not going to “fight to the death” with you in the comments section. And I am never going to praise George W. Bush for anything.

    Being a decent human being 5% of the time and not a decent person 95% of the time (for example being an outright war criminal that lied to the American people AND CONGRESS to go to war with Iraq) does not earn anyone praise. The POTUS should be a decent person and do things to better the world country and the world. The POTUS should do more good than harm, as it is obviously impossible for them do 100% good as there will be someone unhappy with or harmed by something (even if it’s just the obscenely wealthy having to pay more in taxes OH THE HORROR).

    You will NEVER change my opinions or my world view no matter what you say. It will not happen. So here ends our “dialogue” on these pages as I not interested.

  11. So you won’t even give him credit for saving the lives of women and children?

    You’ll trash George H. W. for the AIDS crisis before he’s even been buried, but you won’t give Dubya credit for what he did? I thought this was all about the innocent people George H W ignored, right? Well, what about all the people Dubya didn’t ignore?

    You’re not biased and illogical at all!

  12. Douglas_Banter, Bush 41 served out country well, especially given his unbelievably privileged background. He also spearheaded a most important piece of legislation, the ADA. But step up and try to defend this one name, Clarence Thomas. This one man has damaged our representative democracy with utter incompetence. Clarence Thomas. Let that sink in.

  13. I know all about Clarence Thomas… what Bush did or didn’t do isn’t my point. My point it that the so-called “tolerant” left is trashing him before he’s even buried. They just couldn’t wait. Seems like a behavior that best suites a whacked-out, disgusting right-winger…

    Left-wing extremist Christina Rae trashed him for what he didn’t do during the AIDS crisis… and I pointed out all the good Dubya did, yet she refuses to give him credit for it. At first I thought her concern was about the people, but no. It’s a strictly partisan viewpoint for her.

    Whatever… the left can trash a person before he’s even in the ground all they want, I just thought we were better than that, but I guess times change.

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