TimesArgus.com - We Are Vermont

Sanders objects to gallery text with Bush portrait



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Times Argus Staff - Published: January 12, 2009

MONTPELIER (AP) — U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is objecting to wording accompanying a portrait of President George Bush installed at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in Washington.

Sanders, a strong opponent of the Iraq war, has asked the Smithsonian to rewrite the text that says Bush's two terms in office were "marked by a series of catastrophic event" including the "the attacks on September 11, 2001, that led to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq."

Sanders says the notion that the terrorist attacks were linked to or led to the Iraq war has been widely debunked.

In a letter to the gallery director Martin Sullivan, he has asked the Smithsonian to rewrite the text, to avoid what he calls rewriting history.

Museum spokeswoman Bethany Bentley says museum officials were preparing a response to Sanders and did not want to comment.







READER COMMENTS


Bernie has free health care. Bernie just got a raise.
Bernie is a lap dog for the democrats. He is hardly Independent.
-- Posted by Barre Matters on Wed, Jan 14, 2009, 7:37 pm EST

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Monty, I just wish that Bush had relied on that little thing called "evidence" (ie WMDs, al quaeda) before he decided to invade Iraq. Guess he just based the decision on "fear and retribution".

Barre Matters (yeah right), I am pretty sure that Bernie has done quite a bit trying to get access to health care.
-- Posted by None None on Wed, Jan 14, 2009, 7:28 pm EST

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See, unfortunately you need a little something called "evidence" to prosecute the man. Since your blind hatred is not evidence, and being hated by you isn't against the law, I think you are out of luck. Nice to see you subscribe to "the politics of fear and retribution" like your Senator instead of "hope and change".
-- Posted by Monty Fox on Wed, Jan 14, 2009, 4:38 pm EST

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"What on earth are you all going to do with your pitiful little lives when Pres. Bush is quietly retired at his energy efficient ranch in Crawford."

Prosecute the man and send him to an even more energy efficient place beside his sun-drenched ranch from where he can contemplate what he did.
-- Posted by Watercloset on Wed, Jan 14, 2009, 1:26 pm EST

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what an ******** Bernie is. I would think he could/should be working on something a little more important. Its not like things are perfect in Washington or anywhere else in the US
-- Posted by rusty sparks on Wed, Jan 14, 2009, 11:48 am EST

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With an approval rating lower than Pres. Bush, you would think members of congress would be working on more pressing issues. Thanks Bernie, that should solve soaring unemployment and no access to health care.
-- Posted by Barre Matters on Tue, Jan 13, 2009, 3:40 pm EST

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All you Bernie apple polishers out there need a little lesson in reading comprehension.
-- Posted by Monty Fox on Tue, Jan 13, 2009, 3:10 pm EST

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Ah, Bush Derangement Syndrome still alive and well in Vermont and D.C. with only seven days left in his term. What on earth are you all going to do with your pitiful little lives when Pres. Bush is quietly retired at his energy efficient ranch in Crawford.
-- Posted by Allan McGregor on Tue, Jan 13, 2009, 11:31 am EST

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I object to Bill Clinton being a sexual predator, lets put that next to his picture. I would think Bernie has more important things to worry about.
-- Posted by Bobbie Palmer on Tue, Jan 13, 2009, 9:10 am EST

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And the best part is that -late yesterday - the Smithsonian agreed to change the wording, omitting the words "that led to" between September 11th and the Iraq war. Bravo Bernie!

Bush's ineptitude - evidenced in his final press conference - runs so deep that it's actually amazing the country's not in worse shape. He does not appear capable of carrying on even the most rudimentary conversation about the important issues of the day............a total, unequivocal catastrophe for us and the world. He should be in jail.
-- Posted by walt amses on Tue, Jan 13, 2009, 7:06 am EST

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I care what Sanders says and agree with him almost all of the time. What Sanders says is more relevant than what Bush has said and I agree with the general run of comments on here that Bush should not be allowed to re-write history as he sees fit. I also believe he should be prosecuted for war crimes.

I also agree with patriotemt about George Washington. He was, in fact, a cruel master at times to his slaves, thinking nothing about whipping them, but they did not count as human beings then, much as workers do not count for much in the eyes of the elites today. That is what Sanders is saying.
-- Posted by Watercloset on Mon, Jan 12, 2009, 11:25 pm EST

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I have to agree with Bernie, the Smithsonian should have been more attentive in their wording. History, in the past, has been distorted to glorify achievements that on their own, were not so glorious. General (and President) George Washington is a very good example of hero making. While no one disputes he was a great man in a great time, some of his more embarrassing facts of history (slaves) and at least one massacre, were slid under the rug for hundreds of years....
The Smithsonian is THE premier recorder of American history, and they should have been a little more careful...
-- Posted by patriotemt on Mon, Jan 12, 2009, 5:10 pm EST

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Hurray for Sanders - someone needs to check Bush's staetments such as "Mission Accomplished", to accurately reflect historical facts. 9/11 was an excuse, not a reason to go into Iraq & Afganistan.
-- Posted by Stephen Handley on Mon, Jan 12, 2009, 4:19 pm EST

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I care -- that text is patently false and should not be allowed to stand!!!!!!
-- Posted by grnmtnwmn on Mon, Jan 12, 2009, 2:11 pm EST

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I do - he's one of our rep's to congress. if you don't care or don't vote, don't complain?

Bush should not be allowed to rewrite history as he sees fit - Bernie is only making sure this does not happen.. He's got my vote, as usual....
-- Posted by owlcat on Mon, Jan 12, 2009, 1:42 pm EST

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I wonder just who actually cares what the buffoon Sanders thinks about anything????
-- Posted by Ed on Mon, Jan 12, 2009, 9:17 am EST

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