Anyone remember Michele Bachman's recently stated fear that the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act under President Obama, is actually a scary totalitarian plot to send our youth to "re-education camps for young people"?
Well, it looks like Pres. Bush #41 has been lured into Pres. Obama's nefarious plot. Of course, Pres. Bush Sr. probably sees this even as an opportunity to re-invigorate his Thousand Points of Light. In a letter today, President George H. W. bush informed Texas A&M students about his invitation to President Obama to join him this Friday October 16 at a "presidential forum on volunteerism and service." What is interesting about the letter is the subtext of requesting Aggies to be on their best behavior. I guess he is to be commended for anticipating the kind of stupid brouhaha that greeted President Obama's previous invitations to Notre Dame University, Arizona State University, or the speech to school children.
More after the jump...
In the letter to the Texas A&M student and faculty body, Pres. Bush 41 writes:
Howdy! As you have probably heard, I have invited the 44th President of the United States of America to come visit the Bush Library and Texas A&M, and President Obama has graciously accepted.
...I am honored that The President, our President, is taking the time and making the effort to come to College Station on October 16th to talk about an issue that unites all Americans — namely, community service and its vast importance to our continued well-being as a Nation. Our country still faces many tough challenges, and the message that will come out of our Presidential Forum on Service, I hope, is that every American regardless of age has an important part to play in helping us overcome the obstacles to our common progress.
This is not about politics. This is about the importance of service to our communities and our country.
It is quite instructive that Pres. Bush #41 deems it important to emphasize that "this is not about politics."
In closing he implores the anticipated audience once more to be on its best behavior:
I cannot wait for President Obama to experience the open, decent and welcoming Aggie spirit for himself.
This will be an important national moment, and a moment for Texas A&M to shine in the global spotlight as it always does. I sincerely hope...it will serve as a point of Aggie pride for many years to come.
Certainly, Pres Bush #41 has every reason to be worried. Our memories have not dimmed on the state of Texas and that tragic historical event.....(you know the rest of the story). He also must be certainly aware of the secessionist screed coming out of the rabid wingnut corner of his party in Texas.
Though he claims that the event is "not about politics", it would be the ultimate mark of a statesman if he could boldly call out the hatred should it rear it's ugly head at the forum. But I suspect he will avoid the problem by having his organization carefully screen out Texas secessionist teabaggers. I hope I am pleasantly surprised.
However, considering the experience Pres. Obama has had with rabid dissenters since beginning his young presidency such as the media frenzy in the run-up to his graduation addresses at Notre Dame and ASU, or the townhall meltdowns or the Beckian tea parties, Aggies should be no problem. Perhaps, the visual of Presidents Bush Sr. and Obama standing together could begin to thaw Texas wingnut hearts....who knows. One can dream, no?
Anyway, if interested, tune in to the Presidential Forum on National Service on Friday October 16.
P.S.
Revisiting those graduation speeches, I especially liked the way President Obama snarkily dealt with the controversy of his disqualification from getting an honorary degree at Arizona State University. Here's the video:
The money snark quotes begin at the 1.42 minute mark of the video:
I come here not to dispute the suggestion that I haven't yet achieved enough in my life. First of all Michelle concurs with that assessment. She has a long list of things that I have not yet done waiting for me when I get home. But more than that I have come to embrace the notion that I have not yet done enough. I can concur. I come to affirm the fact that one's title like President of the United States says very little about how one's life has been led. That no matter what you've done or how successful you've been, there's always more to do, always more to learn, and always more to achieve.