Bush, "Lay was generous"

[StevieD]

I think this says it all about Bush. I can't wait to see the Bushies spin this. It should be enteraining.


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Thursday called convicted Enron Corp. founder Ken Lay, who died this week, a "generous person," but said he had betrayed the trust of shareholders.

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Lay died of heart disease on Wednesday while on vacation in Colorado, six weeks after being convicted of fraud and conspiracy in the financial scandal that brought down the energy conglomerate.

Lay, a former confidant of Bush's father, and called "Kenny boy" by the current president, was once a major contributor to the Bushes' political campaigns.

Bush, speaking in an interview with CNN's "Larry King Live," said he knew Lay "pretty well" and called him a "good guy" he had gotten to know while governor of Texas.

"One of the things I respected him for was he was such a contributor to Houston's civil society. He was a generous person," Bush said. "I'm disappointed that he betrayed the trust of shareholders."

The president said he had not contacted Lay's wife yet, but planned to write her a letter.

Lay, 64, was facing decades in prison in connection with Enron's 2001 bankruptcy. Lay and another former Enron chief executive, Jeffrey Skilling, were found guilty of hiding the financial ruin at Enron, which they had built into the seventh largest company in the United States

 

[dr. freeze]

why anyone -- including the President -- would disparage a dead man is beyond me

 

[kosar]

why anyone -- including the President -- would disparage a dead man is beyond me

lol- only you, Freeze.

'betrayed the trust of shareholders?' This is the 'disparaging' that you speak of? That offends you?

How about the thousands of employees lives that he ruined? I notice that wasn't mentioned by the prez.

'Funny' shit.

He was a good, generous man in the opinion of W, W mentions nothing about the common people Lay cost millions, but laments the travails of the 'shareholders.'

 

[dr. freeze]

well seeing as i know plenty of "common people" who lost their jobs in this debacle but have since moved on and flourished, i don't think that they would disparage him either, especially since he is dead

he was a pitiful old man who may or may not have been involved in this corruption....no need to heap dirt on his wounds anymore

 

[Wilson]

C'mon Freeze.....I usually agree with your thinking. However, this guy is responsible for ruining many lives.

 

[dr. freeze]

C'mon Freeze.....I usually agree with your thinking. However, this guy is responsible for ruining many lives.

actually, there is broad disagreement about whether or not he had any idea what was going on

 

[djv]

But his family will still do well. I only hope the courts find a way to pick the bones clean. Let the family hit the job needed circuit. Only way to help teach others that may follow.

 

[dr. freeze]

by the way, nice signature by Kosar

"'Intellectually, I know that America is no better than any other country; emotionally I know she is better than every other country'
"

Sinclair Lewis, communist himself

Intellectually, one will realize that the United States of America is has been almost single handedly holding this world out of chaos/communism/opression for almost a century all the while providing food, health care, and relief to peoples all over the world all the while getting scoffed at in our face and spilling our own blood in the process

 

[DIRTY Diapers]

by the way, nice signature by Kosar

"'Intellectually, I know that America is no better than any other country; emotionally I know she is better than every other country'
"

Sinclair Lewis, communist himself

Intellectually, one will realize that the United States of America is has been almost single handedly holding this world out of chaos/communism/opression for almost a century all the while providing food, health care, and relief to peoples all over the world all the while getting scoffed at in our face and spilling our own blood in the process

amen Freeze

 

[kosar]

by the way, nice signature by Kosar

"'Intellectually, I know that America is no better than any other country; emotionally I know she is better than every other country'
"

Sinclair Lewis, communist himself

Intellectually, one will realize that the United States of America is has been almost single handedly holding this world out of chaos/communism/opression for almost a century all the while providing food, health care, and relief to peoples all over the world all the while getting scoffed at in our face and spilling our own blood in the process

Freeze,

Although I have heard of Lewis, I have/had no ideas about the communism or whatever. I saw it in our right-wing leaning paper here in Fort Myers on 7/3 and I liked it. I'll look him up a little more if I get a chance. Whatever. I put it up on 7/4 and I think it's a very good way to put it. At least that's how I, personally, feel.

His quote has nothing to do with communism, however, *your* quote has a lot to do with arrogance.

Don't worry though, it was more of a 7/4 themed quote and i'm sure i'll find something else before long.

 

[dr. freeze]

how about this:

Intellectually, I know USA is better than Libya

Intellectually, I know USA is better than France

Intellectually, I know USA is better than Iran

Intellectually, I know USA is better than North Korea

Intellectually, I know USA is better than Mexico

Intellectually, I know that if the above were not true, we would be seeing Americans flocking to Mexico instead of the reverse

Intellectually, I know that Americans have contributed more towards the world economy, health care, innovation, than any other country

But you leftists just dismiss this as "arrogance" in another attempt to bash our country and its history

 

[djv]

No Doc if we want to take the real leader ship role in this world we have to give. Can" just invade or throw threats around. We need to show we really care. And we sometimes, sometimes have to start right here at home. Our country is part of the world to. Is Mississippi and N Orleans open for business. Hardly.
By the way Lay was convicted by a jury that said he new and was a crook.

 

[kosar]

how about this:

Intellectually, I know USA is better than Libya

Intellectually, I know USA is better than France

Intellectually, I know USA is better than Iran

Intellectually, I know USA is better than North Korea

Intellectually, I know USA is better than Mexico

Intellectually, I know that if the above were not true, we would be seeing Americans flocking to Mexico instead of the reverse

Intellectually, I know that Americans have contributed more towards the world economy, health care, innovation, than any other country

But you leftists just dismiss this as "arrogance" in another attempt to bash our country and its history

Are you talking about the leaders of these countries, or the actual people that make up these countries?

As a religious man that you claim to be, i'd be interested in your perspective.

Then I guess what we have to ask ourselves is, what is the 'USA?' Is it the 300 million people living here, or is it the government, in your opinion?

Are you confident that a random person from America is automatically 'better' than a random person from Libya or North Korea?

IMO, a country is collective, not just our elected government.

How about you?

 

[dr. freeze]

it is the institution of our country

laws, citizens, heritage, cuture etc. etc. are better than others

i might be a better golfer than you

you might be a better tiddlywinks player than me

that doesn't mean that some emotionally-laden, hysterical person should insinuate that "Dr. Freeze thinks he is better than everyone else"

a country's government/citizenry/culture which through free enterprise and innovation turns a profit and makes the world better in doing so and with that profit shows generosity is better than one who sits around in the stone age oppressed by a bad form of government which could care less about its people or stability and whatever intangibles are there

not sure that is even up to debate

 

[dr. freeze]

No Doc if we want to take the real leader ship role in this world we have to give. Can" just invade or throw threats around. We need to show we really care. And we sometimes, sometimes have to start right here at home. Our country is part of the world to. Is Mississippi and N Orleans open for business. Hardly.
By the way Lay was convicted by a jury that said he new and was a crook.

yes and OJ Simpson was found innocent by a jury

we give billions of dollars both as a country and through individual efforts both at home and abroad

does Libya, Iran, N Korea do that?

 

[djv]

I don't say we don't give. We should. It helps us be more believable. We by the way are not first in giving. But we do give more then our fair share. And in most cases are first to help when a disaster happens. But again all things a leader should do.

 

[Mjolnir]

i find it hard to believe he didnt know what was going on. i'm conservative most of the time, but Bush's comment seems ridiculous. if bush believes that he should have kept his opinion to himself.

 

[Eddie Haskell]

Dr.:

Let me correct you on a couple of points.

1. O.J. Simpson was found "not guilty" by a jury. He was not found "innocent".

2. Although not evidence and mere skuttlebut, I've heard that the late Mr. Lay was quite a micromanager and there ain't no-way, no-how, he didn't know what was going on at Enron. Mr. Lay did not get to be where he was by being an innocent dolt. He was a smooth operator, knowing the appropriate times to find the Lord and the apporpriate times to make sure the Lord wasn't looking when he was running Enron. Much the same as the big criminal in DC.

Eddie