George W. Bush: Difference between revisions

Line 10:

Helped popularize the phrase, "I'm {{smallcaps|[[Hello Insert Name Here|<Your Name here>]]}}, and I approve this message.", which is now standard operating procedure for political ads on TV, usually as an alternative to the "Paid for by..." voiceover.

Helped popularize the phrase, "I'm {{smallcaps|[[Hello, Insert Name Here|<Your Name here>]]}}, and I approve this message.", which is now standard operating procedure for political ads on TV, usually as an alternative to the "Paid for by..." voiceover.

Had a memoir released in November 2010.

Line 22:

* [[Arch Enemy]]: Osama Bin Laden. One could argue that [[Michael Moore]] also fits this trope.

* [[The Atoner]]: How Colin Powell claims he saw his resignation from the administration.

* [[Beam Me Up Scotty]]: He never used the word "Strategery" (although he did say "misunderestimated"). That was [[Will Ferrell]] on [[Saturday Night Live]].

* [[Beam Me Up, Scotty]]: He never used the word "Strategery" (although he did say "misunderestimated"). That was [[Will Ferrell]] on [[Saturday Night Live]].

* [[Bodyguard Crush]]: Although she was his top diplomat, not his bodyguard, there's often speculation from some he had some... [[Unresolved Sexual Tension|interest]] in Condoleezza Rice. [[Shipping|She did call him her "husband" by accident]], after all.

* [[Catch Phrase]]: "Stay the course."

Line 36:

* [[Everything Is Big in Texas]]: Is very proud of being a Texan. Although if it matters, he was technically born in Connecticut.

* [[Fan Nickname]]: "W" and the famous "Dubya" can and have been used both affectionately and disparagingly.

* [[Five Man Band]]:

* [[Five-Man Band]]:

** Himself-[[The Hero]]

** Dick Cheney/Donald Rumsfeld-[[The Lancer]]

Line 56:

* [[Insistent Terminology]]: it's ''[[Enhanced Interrogation Techniques]]''.

* [[Internet Backdraft]]: Say anything about him online, if you want to start one of these.

* [[Is This Thing Still On]]: Had a few moments of this; the more famous instances are calling a reporter a "world-class asshole", and telling [[Tony Blair]] to "get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit".

* [[Is This Thing Still On?]]: Had a few moments of this; the more famous instances are calling a reporter a "world-class asshole", and telling [[Tony Blair]] to "get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit".

* [[It Makes Sense in Context]]: Donald Rumsfeld's "known knowns" speech. When gathering military intel, there are things you know, he calls known knowns, things you don't know but you're aware you don't, he calls known unknowns, and things that take you by surprise, he calls unknown unknowns.

* [[Kill It With Water]]: Waterboarding. Although it doesn't actually kill the target.

** Usually. Asphyxiation is a very real danger with waterboarding. It also carries a risk of lung, heart, and brain damage. There's a reason it's controversial.

* [[Lighter and Softer]]: Got into office running as a "compassionate conservative". In retrospect, nobody likes this term. Depending on who you ask, it's either a [[Informed Attribute|smokescreen]] to get votes or a license to, [[What the Hell Hero|well]], [[Exactly What It Says On the Tin|go soft]] on beliefs to get votes they won't get anyway. His dad said similar things when he ran, promising a "kinder, gentler nation".

* [[Lighter and Softer]]: Got into office running as a "compassionate conservative". In retrospect, nobody likes this term. Depending on who you ask, it's either a [[Informed Attribute|smokescreen]] to get votes or a license to, [[What the Hell, Hero?|well]], [[Exactly What It Says On the Tin|go soft]] on beliefs to get votes they won't get anyway. His dad said similar things when he ran, promising a "kinder, gentler nation".

* [[Malaproper]]: Multiple statements by him, contributing to his image as [[The Ditz]].

* [[The Man Behind the Man]]: There's always someone strong, within the White House, who influences the president more than others do, and you can always tell by the decisions that are made, by the directions that they go, and the way they play politics. In Bush's case, it was split between Cheney and Rove; the latter for his electoral campaigns, and the former for everything else. Later on, Bush started listening to Cheney less and less by the last two years of his presidency (he refused to pardon Scooter Libby, refused to attack Syria like Cheney wanted, and signed an order that asked for the withdrawal of Iraq troops).

Line 78:

* [[Pet the Dog]]: Appearing at the Haiti fundraiser after the 2010 earthquake to help out in the relief fund. Happened about a year after his presidency ended.

* [[The Power of Love]]: As mentioned above, Laura got him to sober up by forcing him to choose between her and the booze. He picked his wife.

* [[Red Oni Blue Oni]]: Red Oni to Cheney's Blue Oni. Among his rivals, he makes a Red Oni to Gore and Kerry's Blue Oni.

* [[Red Oni, Blue Oni]]: Red Oni to Cheney's Blue Oni. Among his rivals, he makes a Red Oni to Gore and Kerry's Blue Oni.

* [[The Rival]]: First [[Al Gore]], then John Kerry.

* [[Sex Is Evil]]: After Lady Liberty's breast was covered up, John Ashcroft got accused of believing in this. For another side of this, it's worth noting that the implementation of this was done by a member of his department, instead of Ashcroft himself.

Line 87:

* [[Undying Loyalty]]: Katherine Harris, Alberto Gonzales, Donald Rumsfeld, Karl Rove, Dick Cheney (Which isn't to say Bush didn't make decisions he didn't like; he still says mostly positive things about him), and probably Condoleezza Rice.

* [[The Unfavorite]]: The Oliver Stone movie interprets that he was this while his brother Jeb was the one his parents had high expectations for.

* [[Well Done Son Guy]]: According to the movie by [[Oliver Stone]], it is often perceived his brother Jeb was the one his father expected to get higher office.

* [["Well Done, Son" Guy]]: According to the movie by [[Oliver Stone]], it is often perceived his brother Jeb was the one his father expected to get higher office.

** In one of Jr.'s nightmares: Dream!Poppy: "A hundred years it took to build up the Bush name and you single-handedly destroyed it!"

* [[Would Be Rude to Say Genocide]]: Didn't acknowledge the Armenian Genocide so as to not upset Turkey (an ally of America), a policy that his successor [[Barack Obama]] has continued.

Line 96:

* ''[[That's My Bush]]''

* ''[[Lil Bush]]'' (featuring [[The Wild Thornberrys|Flea]] as [[The Unintelligible|Lil' Dick Cheney!]])

* ''W.'' (Dubya), a critical (yet surprisingly sympathetic) biopic by Oliver Stone starring Josh Brolin (''[[American Gangster]], [[No Country for Old Men]]'', ''[[The Goonies (Film)|The Goonies]]'') as Dubya and James Cromwell (''[[Babe]], [[The Green Mile]]'') as [[George HW Bush]] (AKA [[Well Done Son Guy|"Poppy"]]).

* ''W.'' (Dubya), a critical (yet surprisingly sympathetic) biopic by Oliver Stone starring Josh Brolin (''[[American Gangster]], [[No Country for Old Men]]'', ''[[The Goonies (Film)|The Goonies]]'') as Dubya and James Cromwell (''[[Babe]], [[The Green Mile]]'') as [[George HW Bush]] (AKA [["Well Done, Son" Guy|"Poppy"]]).

* Understandably, he's prominently featured in [[Michael Moore]]'s documentary ''Fahrenheit 9/11''.

* ''You're Welcome, America'', a satirical Broadway play starring [[Will Ferrell]] as Dubya. Featuring a rather suggestive interpretation of [[UST|Dubya and Condie Rice's relationship]] and [[Audience Participation]] in the form of [[The Nicknamer|Dubya giving people nicknames]].

** Ferrell was also the first W. Bush portrayer on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', and probably the one who left the greatest impression on the public. Dubya has also been played on the show by Chris Parnell, Darrell Hammond, Will Forte, and Jason Sudeikis, at varying levels of success. Bush was, especially during the Ferrell years, portrayed as a lovably clueless yokel ("We're coming for you, [[Osama Bin Laden|bin Laden]]. I'm gonna make you my own personal ''[[Where's Waldo]]''. And unlike those frustrating ''Waldo'' books, I'm gonna find you.") with Dick Cheney (always played by Darrell Hammond) portrayed as an [[Evil Chancellor]]. Just imagine Bush and Cheney as the Sultan and Jafar from ''[[Aladdin (Disney)|Aladdin]]''. In the post-Ferrell years, Bush occasionally became a bit more sleazy if a sketch called for it. Incidentally, "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BAx6Ib81Y4 strategery]" was said by Ferrell's ''SNL'' parody of Bush [[Beam Me Up Scotty|rather than the real Bush]].

** Ferrell was also the first W. Bush portrayer on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', and probably the one who left the greatest impression on the public. Dubya has also been played on the show by Chris Parnell, Darrell Hammond, Will Forte, and Jason Sudeikis, at varying levels of success. Bush was, especially during the Ferrell years, portrayed as a lovably clueless yokel ("We're coming for you, [[Osama Bin Laden|bin Laden]]. I'm gonna make you my own personal ''[[Where's Waldo]]''. And unlike those frustrating ''Waldo'' books, I'm gonna find you.") with Dick Cheney (always played by Darrell Hammond) portrayed as an [[Evil Chancellor]]. Just imagine Bush and Cheney as the Sultan and Jafar from ''[[Aladdin (Disney)|Aladdin]]''. In the post-Ferrell years, Bush occasionally became a bit more sleazy if a sketch called for it. Incidentally, "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BAx6Ib81Y4 strategery]" was said by Ferrell's ''SNL'' parody of Bush [[Beam Me Up, Scotty|rather than the real Bush]].

* Mentioned in the song "Only For Now" in ''[[Avenue Q]]'', a rare instance of the performers expecting/encouraging a song to be interrupted (by laughter and applause); it was well-received enough that, after he left office, a contest was held for a new line, and the change was "George Bush '''was''' only for now."

** At least one production has replaced his name with the line "{{spoiler|GLENN BECK!}} is only for now!"

Line 126:

* Appears in the ''[[American Dad (Animation)|American Dad]]'' episode "Bush Comes to Dinner", where Stan wins a contest to have dinner with him. Hayley tries to destroy Bush's reputation by getting him [[Off the Wagon]], but when he comes to her defense after Stan calls her a lost cause she changes her mind, remarking "At least he's better than Cheney." The portrayal is surprisingly sympathetic, having him be depressed over the fact that so many people hate him and wondering if he should just quit, before Stan's contest-winning speech gives him the heart to stay the course.

** He also appears (after a fashion) in "Stan of Arabia" pulling a [[Big Damn Heroes]] and saving the Smiths from being stoned, but it turned out to be [[All Just a Dream]], as well as the pilot where God calls him and tells him to quit mentioning his name in his speeches (followed by answering a call from Cheney with "Yes, sir?").

* Bush goes up against [[~~Everythings~~ Better With Dinosaurs|an Allosaurus]] in the [http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/comic.php?current=402&theme=6&dir=next5 2004 Presidential election] in ''[[Irregular Webcomic]]''. (The Allosaurus wins.)

* Bush goes up against [[Everything's Better With Dinosaurs|an Allosaurus]] in the [http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/comic.php?current=402&theme=6&dir=next5 2004 Presidential election] in ''[[Irregular Webcomic]]''. (The Allosaurus wins.)

* British pop duo [[Pet Shop Boys]] did a satirical love song portraying [[Tony Blair]] and George W. Bush as lovers, entitled "I'm with stupid."

* [[Industrial Metal]] band [[Ministry]] had not one or two, but ''three'' anti-Bush albums. Not three songs, three ''albums''