Bush gets a frosty welcome in Peoria, IL cafe

On Tuesday, President Bush popped in for a surprise visit to the Sterling Family Restaurant, a homey diner in Peoria, IL, it's a scene that has been long played out many times before by this White House and others; a president mingling among regular Americans, who no matter what they might think of his policies, are usually humbled and shocked to see the leader of the free world standing ten feet in front of them. But on Tuesday, the surprise was on Bush...the president walked into the diner, where he was greeted with what can only be described as a sedate reception. No one rushed to shake his hand. There were no audible gasps or yelps of excitement...In Peoria this week, many patrons found their pancakes more interesting...As Bush signed a few autographs and shook hands, a man sitting at the counter lit a cigarette and asked for more coffee. Another woman, eyeing Bush and his entourage, sighed heavily and went back to her paper. She was reading the obituaries. "Sorry to interrupt your breakfast," a White House aide told her, "No problem, she huffed, in a not so friendly way, "Life goes on, I guess."

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/2/1/112249/3414

You know,"who would your rather have a beer with?" But I'm thinking most Americans are tired of the folksy shit, and want someone who is knowledgeable and capable of being president. The "aw shucks" president has no clothes.

I think that plenty of them will go back to voting for a beer buddy. Did Americans learn anything from Viet Nam? The early support for Iraq would indicate otherwise.

In 2000 many Democrats bought the "Gore is no better than Bush" lie, and the last 6 years have proven how wrong that was. Yet there are many people who still argue that some of our Dem candidates "are no better" than the Republican ones.

I think human beings don't like admitting that they were wrong, and therefore don't learn some lessons very well.

And I'm hoping this kind of reaction in Peoria can go over at many other places in our country. However, I do get your drift.

>>>>>I think that plenty of them will go back to voting for a beer buddy. Did Americans learn anything from Viet Nam? The early support for Iraq would indicate otherwise.<<<<<<

Keep in mind the 25 years or so of non-stop Right-wing indoctrination that went on between the wars. And also how it was allowed to run free with virtually NO rebuttal from those of us on the left allowed to get through.

It's only the Internets that is allowing us through NOW. That kind of 24/7 propaganda (with no alternative) can manufacture all kinds of selective amnesia.

Listening (and reading) Thom Hartmann startles ME (a life-long lefty) as to how much my own thoughts have been framed by the RW over the decades!

an aside - Thom spoke at length last night how he doesn't really feel it matters if we nominate Clinton or Obama or Biden or X! Why? Because it is now time for US to instruct THEM as to what we want.

One of his main themes is that the Founders intended for us to NEVER(!) think of the people in our government as leaders. Never.

This full-tilt populism of his is really stirring up my mind - in the most healthy ways. I havn't felt so energized in years!

But I digress......

:blush:

I haven't listened to him yet - heard he's taking over for Al Franken and now I am more than a little curious to listen in. Thanks!

It's an educational show (in the best sense of that word).

But not ever boring because what he has to tell from his wide-ranging research is so invigorating, practical and common sense.

Not many laffs in his show - but you won't mind that either.

a restaurant. I would love it if everyone just got up and walked out on the SOB. Either that or egg him.

Bush doesn't have enough sense to even begin to plan anything. He does what Cheney tells him to do and no one could convince me otherwise.

(the PBS show) revealed that Cheney really is the president - at least as far as this figgin' war is concerned.

And yet, here we are.... still.

Talk about the heartland of America. Peoria is supposed to be very representative of America at large, and it would appear to still be correct. Most people today do not approve of Bush, the job he's doing, the way he's handling the war in Iraq, or anything else.

What a delightful story! :thumbsup:

:rofl:

:rofl:


Alas, we do show our age . . .

sell off the set and the costumes.

from a visit a few years back. The picture is gone now.

My husband and I used to eat at a place every wednesday (before bowling) , because it was close, but geez louise.. they always had a tv blaring Fox-snooze. I finally asked the waiter one night to change it please. His reply was that "the customers liked it on that channel". We said .."Well, we won't be ordering tonight, or any other wednesday", and we never went back.

We found a different place with NO tv on. :)

if they got many complaints, the bank clerk said everyone loves watching FAUX.

I'm changing banks tomorrow.

is it still around? i used to get breakfast there back in the day.

of the owner is gone from the menu.

See:
Bush Accused Of Nearly Hitting Reporters With D-10 Tractor (Newsweek via HuffPost)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x90532

And

Sadist on a Bulldozer: Bush threatens to run over reporters, others at Peoria factory
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x91915

Oh, to be given such an opportunity......

I'd like to see him try that crap in a California or Massachusetts diner. He wouldn't get out without egg dripping from his insanely expensive suit.

Good for Peoria.

I would have been happy to provide a little impromptu "constructive criticism".:evilgrin:

:rofl: Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. :rofl:

Some cafeteria somewhere.

People looked away from him while they ate.

The Heartland is/has suffered from his policies. I'm reminded of the mayorial candidate who faced Jane Byrne back in the late seventies. He went out on a photo shoot to feed the pigeons, and the pigeons RAN AWAY!

This administration is not comfortable with unscripted events in front of open door audiences. One would hope that the message would get through to Bush, but I doubt it. It's more likely that he walked away with an "I'll show THEM!" attitude.

Handlers may have figured it was safe in Peoria. What a hoot that the good people there showed bushco how one deals with a spoiled child! :D

*wink*

up to the diner, at least then the tractor would have gotten some attention

:nopity:

:wtf:

if he made the mistake of showing up at a cafe where I ate, I'd tell him what a piss-poor president I think he is.

although I don't know if I could stomach even being in the same room as him. :puke: I do hope that if he ever tried to shake my hand, I would be able to not only refuse...but to look him in the eye, say "You have blood on your hands," and walk away. (Of course I doubt his handlers would give me the opportunity to "reject" him so explicitly, but hey, I can dream, right? ;)) For now, though, I'll let Jim Webb speak for me. :patriot: I'd like to get them out of Iraq, too, Senator. :hug:

now that would have been a great story.

He wouldn't have just gotten a frosty welcome from me. He'd have seen only my backside.

Check out these Peorians' reactions to the Bush visit:

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/013107/TRI_BC8EKSPF.061.php

Too bad President Bush didn't get a chance to take a tour through the NCLB-inundated District 150 schools. I'm sure he would have been impressed with all the wonderful improvements that have been made. (Sarcasm.)

It is honorable when the President makes an effort to connect with the real world. However, I must side with those who didn't turn flips over the President's visit. One thing Bush said when he was re-elected was that "those who are not with me will be left behind"......50% of the country was not with him. My thoughts were; how do you leave almost half the country behind? The saying is true - Actions speak louder than words.

Liberals? By today's standards, Richard Nixon is a "liberal". (A typical tree hugger, starting the EPA and all.) It's not our fault that Bush is in over his head. As for the Bush legacy, I believe that I read about a survey of historians a while back who rated Reagan as one of our best presidents and Bush as our worst. Things have gone down hill since then so I doubt that W has moved up in the rankings. I watched his speech and noticed that in all of that bragging about tax cuts, he didn't mention that he wants to start taxing our health insurance.

Or that they only printed the comments that were in support of Bush. I find it hard to believe that no one wrote in with disparaging comments. I guess we don't count, though.

Glad Bush is gone. I agree 100%. The comments ran by the Journal Star, and the copy of the main articles all seemed to highlight favorable comments about Bush. Of course, the entire Bush visit was carefully staged to make sure that he never came across a negative sign, comment, or protester. In typical Rove fashion, Peoria was used as a stage to play up the fantasy that Bush is just a "regular guy" and everybody is happy to see him and shake his hand. Nothing could be further from the truth. With his poll ratings at 30% approval nationwide, even in central IL there must be 50% of Peoria that was not impressed or glad to see him in our town. The Journal Star does not reflect this at all, and blows the "liberal media" idea out of the water.

Funny how this supposedly "liberal" newspaper twice endorsed Bush for president!! I think not!

Large business owners, CEO's, and stockholders have reaped the benefits of Bush's policies. Have you all forgotten so soon the anti-worker policies of this administration? Yes, please honor the office, but not the man. His policies have further deepened the divide between the rich and the poor. Caterpillar has closed shops, laid off workers, and cut benefits for workers and retirees. But in the Bush regime, it's a success because its CEO's and executives' salaries and stock prices have climbed.

Good job in what way exactly? Don't you think it's odd that there is supposedly a liberal media? And liberal professors. And liberal scientists. The people who read and write and analyze are liberal and anti-Bush. Interesting how that works. The people who are interested in learning about politics are anti-Bush. Then you have republicans, either wealthy businessmen who vote Republican for lower taxes on the wealthy, church going people who somehow are duped into thinking Bush is a Christian president, and the people who see Bush on TV and say, "he seems like a nice guy. I'll give him a break for sending my son, daughter, or family friend into that death trap in the middle east." As for history, PEORIAN, history is written by people who are smart aand engaged, so good luck on it vindicating this low life.

THE LIBERAL MEDIA AND THIS LIBERAL NEWSPAPER LEAD EVERY NEWS STORY WITH BUSH BASHING BUT ANYONE WHO LOOKS AT THE FACTS CAN SEE THAT BUSH HAS DONE A GOOD JOB AS PRESIDENT IN SOME UNFAVORABLE TIMES. HISTORY WILL VINDICATE THIS GOOD MAN EVEN THOUGH THE MEDIA AND THE LIBERALS CONTINUE TO BASH HIM.

The "liberal" media is a myth. Simply reading the Journal Star today will show you that. Turn on talk radio in central IL and you will hear non stop Rush Limbaugh and other radical right wing gasbags. The GOP has their own cable news blowhorn, known as Fox News. For the first 6 years of the Bush administration the GOP controlled both the White House and both branches of Congress. They were in charge, and they are the ones that have taken us to an unnecessary war, ruined Clinton's budget surplus, ignored the Constitution, condoned torture and secret prisons, and made America hated around the world. If this is a "good job" I would hate to see a bad one.

I have no doubts that history will prove W one of the worst presidents the US has ever had. He has gutted necessary infrastructure (FEMA for one), run up the largest deficit we've ever had and taken us into an unnecessary war that has forever tarnished our image with the rest of the world. It's already happening, in it's own way. The leading site for his presidential library is having heated battles internally over accepting it. Few to no universities want it on their campus.

to hear what the people of Peoria are saying about the "president." Thanks for posting this! :)

Peoria Journal Star, the reactions get more interesting.

number of RW comments at the beginning...but I did manage to wade through most of those to get to the other reactions. ;)

I wonder if all those people praising Dimson were being forced to say that stuff!

It's one of the great mysteries. The computer-age equivalent of standing on a street corner and screaming at passers-by, I guess.

to pick out which posts are the wingnuttiest (is that a word? It is now! ;)), so I can avoid them from the start. (Of course, it doesn't work 100% of the time, but in general it's pretty accurate.) :)

cluelessness perhaps?

the stories of problems spouses are having and announcements of suicides - are all sprinkled throughout the country. Think how filled it it will be if he keeps this up. Translate that to the feelings of the people who are going to personally know people whose lives have changed so unneccesarily.

Though we know that he's the psychotic marionette - the guy who doesn't lift paper, HE - HE ALONE WANTED TO BE THE GREAT BIG HERO - the decider - the codpiece. HE set himself up for glory and he's going to soon disappear into a couple of his rooms at Crawford if he doesn't get the adoration - OR - he will lose it and create more destruction before he gives up.

I hope that his entourage documents their little foray and reports back to those who are concerned about damage assessment.

Those people in that restaurant may not have been the most religious in this country - or may not have been born-agains. He still has the born-agains adoring him. They're still calling in to C-Span at least. Rush and Hannity, Falwell and Robertson are still framing things for them.

I hope the incident makes it into his library. It can go in the people's internet library.

they will probably not even mention this

lighting up in the presence of Little PussNBoots.

I'd think that would be mild considering some of the other stuff Li'l Georgie is said to have indulged in over the years. :eyes: ;)

I would have said, audibly, "Oh, GREAT, the people ruining the country are here to visit. PFFFFT!"

:rofl:

for his arrest or something. Maybe in a few months. or by then, he will know he can't approach average americans.

but Peoria, like much of Illinois isn't as red as it once was. I'm glad they gave it to him. I love the "didn't play in Peoria" :)

the fact that he was virtually ignored must have had his docs scrambling to re-re-re-adjust his meds.

:evilgrin:

from the article:

At least Bush got a raucous reception from traders (typically a GOP-friendly crowd) when he paid a surprise visit to the New York Stock Exchange trading floor.

}(

greed is good.

A number of years ago the VIPER ate at our very small town restaurant. You couldn't get within one block of it's location for about an hour. About 4 miles out of town a suicidal deer tried to bring down the "dark side" by ending it's own life. Unfortunately the deer hit the lead motorcycle cop in the entourage, injuring the cop, but completely missing its intended target.

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

Don't folks want to go to a barbecue with George? :shrug:

He must nightly weep in confused sorrow to the tattered and stained photo of George he keeps beneath his pillow.

So sad, so Heart-rending, and beautiful in his devotion.

Bush's would have to be non-alcoholic!! (or would it?)

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

:hi: sit down, draw up your chair up to the fire, have a (beverage of your choice), throw Cheney on the fire ....

of my mind, but NOT my bacon!!!

They should have started chanting anti-war slogans.