Think Progress

Jenna on Iraq: ‘It’s complicated.’

By Faiz Shakir on Sep 27th, 2007 at 1:18 pm

Jenna on Iraq: ‘It’s complicated.’

In her soon-to-be-aired interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer, Jenna Bush is very forthcoming about her marriage plans and her fiancée Henry Hager. But she was far more circumspect about her views on Iraq:

“You know I’m not here to talk about that, but I’m also not a policymaker,” she told Sawyer in an interview to be aired by ABC News’ 20/20 . “It’s a really complicated, obviously a very complicated subject. Everybody can agree on that.”

She said she understood critics who argue that she and her twin sister, Barbara, should serve in Iraq. “Obviously I understand that question and see what the point of that question is for sure. I think there are many ways to serve your country,” she said.



79 Responses to “Jenna on Iraq: ‘It’s complicated.’”

  1. RUCerious says:

    Poor Jenna. She’s uncomfortable commenting on her monster male parent’s policies.
    But, look! A nice wedding dress!


  2. raynman says:

    boy, the acorn didn’t fall very from the tree, did it


  3. Menehune says:

    Yay! We can agree it’s complicated. Yay!


  4. alphainfinityomega says:

    Perhaps Jenna is just too busy ’serving’ her boyfriend.

    ∞


  5. AustinSF says:

    Hey Jenna quit stealing MITT ROMNEY’s LINES !

    “I think there are many ways to serve your country,” she said

    Yep his sons do it by shleeping for Daddy on that tough and dangerous GOP primary trail.

    And did you know that all the beautiful Young Repulblicans give the same chickenhawk bs lame excuse when asked? – even at the Young Republican Convention Summer Shin-dig (in between massive partying for America ) surprisingly were saying the same thing. Wow – Young GOP Patriots are so kool.


  6. cha cha cha says:

    fair enough assessment, jenna; but your father ignored everyone who told him that in 2003. besides, him and all his friends kept saying how simple, quick, and easy it was going to be.


  7. Fan of Man says:

    on your knees is one of them? papa must be proud.


  8. Veritas says:

    “many ways to serve your country” Jenna? Tell that to the families who have lost their loved ones in Iraq?

    Better yet tell your own father that one since he was a “draft dodger extraordinaire”.


  9. Veritas says:

    It should be a “requirement” for the children of the Prez and Veep to see active duty since their daddies are the war mongers.

    I guess Jenna is taking her MO right from Mitt Romney’s son’s book??


  10. Veritas says:

    Bartlebee: No doubt anything more than a simple sentence is “too complex” for Ms. Jenna.


  11. Veritas says:

    Jenna’s attempting to “bait and switch” the anger of the american public against the entire Bush family. RU: Yes, lookie here….a nice wedding dress and some sex talk…..sorry, Jenna, but thanks for playing! Nice trick for your dad to parade you out there to distract the public for a while. But since you haven’t got a brain functioning, the distraction was but for a brief moment or two…..

    Now back to the debacle called Iraq, shall we? Ho-hum (yawn)….Bush’s tactics are so pedestrian and ever so transparent.


  12. Great Frybread King says:

    I like how the chickenhawks always say “there are other ways to serve” than to join the military. Reminds me of Romney and his sons who are pro-war but not pro-service.


  13. Veritas says:

    Pappy Bush will stoop to any means possible to provide a distraction against his sinking numbers, won’t he?


  14. Veritas says:

    Great Frybread King: Precisely my thoughts in post #11. Jenna’s a chickenhawk all right – as well as a chicken$hit.


  15. Veritas says:

    I guess she got her intellect straight from her father’s gene pool. What a sorry waste of a human brain.


  16. crassus says:

    “…there are many ways to serve your country,” she said.

    Like, get Mitt Romney elected president!


  17. Veritas says:

    spit take: Why should we give her any more break when making a total dweeb of herself than anyone else. She’s her father’s “tool” right now. She’s not distancing herself from him when she says that he’s doing a great job, is she??? I absolutely do not conur. She’s permitting herself to be used and abused and when she puts herself “out there” people will use her for target practice. If she can’t take the heat, then she shouldn’t be in the kitchen!


  18. Veritas says:

    Spit Take: Furthermore, it’s obvious that the “sharp” to which you refer has to do with knives…..and Jenna certainly is not the sharpest knife in the drawer, as we all can see. I guess the adage is accurate: The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.


  19. linda says:

    She was smart enough to point out that she’s “not a policmaker” and her admission that her sexual politics differ from her father’s shows some wisdom, right?

    oh puhleeze. you can’t possibly think this question wasn’t anticipated and the answer provided to her long before this interview..


  20. TripMaster Monkey says:

    I think there are many ways to serve your country

    And there are just as many ways to betray it, Jenna.


  21. Veritas says:

    As far as the GOP is concerned: Jenna and her ilk need to be “seen and not heard”. Their numbers are abysmal enough; Jenna out there making a jackass of herself is tanking them even further.


  22. Veritas says:

    Likewise, we haven’t see hide nor hair of wifey-poo Laura lately. That’s right….she couldn’t accompany him on his date with Condi to Australia because she was having outpatient (heh-hem) ‘elective’ surgery. She knows better than to make a buffoon of herself at this point. She’s probably counting the days to the time when she can escape in exile to their compound in Paraguay.


  23. Luis M says:

    I agree with spit take… she’s not responsible for her father’s decisions. And at least she’s distancing herself from his decisionating and decidering, not blindly defending him.


  24. Great Frybread King says:

    Speaking of the Bush twins, what ever happened to Barbara Jr.? She seems to have kept a very low profile since she and her sister campaigned for the Chimp.


  25. Veritas says:

    I love the absolute hypocrisy of this: There are many ways to serve your country. While at the same time, these war mongering pigs are making plans to attack another country and probably reinstate the draft. Sure, it’s fine for Jenna to find other ways to serve her country; however, it’s equally “fine” for other’s loved ones to be killed doing it. Jenna will learn the ropes and she will also see the public outrage launched toward her due to her proximity to her deadbeat dad.


  26. Great Frybread King says:

    The Bush twins campaigned for their father, so they are partly responsible for his decisions, however small.


  27. Veritas says:

    Luis M: What did you not read about how lavishly Jenna poured kudos on the “great job her father was doing”. Read it again. I think you’ve missed a critical point.


  28. Luis M says:

    She’s not distancing herself from him when she says that he’s doing a great job, is she??? I absolutely do not conur. She’s permitting herself to be used and abused and when she puts herself “out there” people will use her for target practice. If she can’t take the heat, then she shouldn’t be in the kitchen!
    Comment by Veritas — September 27, 2007 @ 1:38 pm

    Hmm… good point… when you put it like that, she’s not distancing herself from her father as much as I thought…

    I stand corrected.


  29. Veritas says:

    For the record, Luis M, that’s precisely what is defined as “blindly defending”….thanks for parsing out precisely what was irking americans in what she had to say. It was precisely her “blind defense” which is found to be totally appalling….not to mention a lie! I guess lying comes easily to this young maiden since she’s lived a full life of it.


  30. Xisithrus says:

    You know, look, see, complicated, obviously, you know, obviously, see, look.


  31. Veritas says:

    thanks for the concession, Luis M. We try to read everything and comprehend all of the inferences and possible angles here at TP. Are you a newbie here?


  32. Erroll says:

    Perhaps I will mail one of my buttons to the Bush twins and also Cheney’s daughters: “Draft the Rich-It’s Their War”


  33. Veritas says:

    Bush utilizes every “tool” at his disposal. From this obvious PR stunt, one could easily ascertain that his own family become nothing more than tools to attempt to recover his image.


  34. Veritas says:

    Erroll: Send it to them today! Good one.


  35. Luis M says:

    thanks for the concession, Luis M. We try to read everything and comprehend all of the inferences and possible angles here at TP. Are you a newbie here?
    Comment by Veritas — September 27, 2007 @ 1:47 pm

    Yes and no… reading the site since ‘05, posting here since… I dunno… somewhere around spring this year, I think…


  36. NoOneYouKnow says:

    Off topic, but goes directly to the point:

    http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/II27Ag01.html

    Check this out and ask yourself why exactly we’re fighting this war.


  37. bilbobaggins says:

    I think there are many ways to serve your country,” she said.

    So, how is she serving her country? Getting drunk? Shilling for Daddy? Wow, I’m impressed.


  38. gulfwargrunt says:

    Fiance Harry Hager had an internship with oil giant Conoco-Philips. That’s his contribution to the War.


  39. Xisithrus says:

    Look, Usually shes, see, riding around, look, see, sticking her tongue out, obviously, at people, cause, that, look, is saying, “Hey, look, I am serving, like Romneys kids.”


  40. Great Frybread King says:

    Spit take, Jenna puts herself out there by her attempts to sway public opinion. That makes her fair game.


  41. Keith H. says:

    Again I don’t see how what the daughter of a half-wit corporate puppet has to say is ‘news’.
    Just give her daddy a dull butter knife and put him on patrol.


  42. Veritas says:

    Hey spit take: I’ll recapitulate once again – No one forced Jenna to go public. No one forced Ms Jenna Baby to be interviewed, did they?

    If little Jenna is such a baby that she needs protection, what the hell is she doing making a spectacle of herself and her life?

    As I’ve said before: If you can’t stand the heat, get the hell out of the kitchen.

    Sorry, but no one in the Bush Crime family gets a break at this point after what they’ve been doing to this country for 6 long years.


  43. bilbobaggins says:

    She’s probably counting the days to the time when she can escape in exile to their compound in Paraguay.
    Comment by Veritas

    Actually, I think she is counting the days until Bush is no longer in office. I would not be surprised to see a divorce soon after.


  44. spearNmagicHelmet says:

    daughtering is hard work.


  45. Great Frybread King says:

    If Laura divorces the Chimp he will just make a signing statement nullifying it.


  46. Veritas says:

    Spitty: If you make yourself a human target, you will suffer the expected consequences. Unless Jenna was bound, gagged, and taken to the interview with a shroud over her head, I fail to see how her obvious blind support of her father, coupled with her oversimplification of how “compex” things are (because she didn’t have a clue how to answer the question…duh!) means that she deserves all of the criticism she gets. Furthermore, she obviously asked for it by volunteering to go prime time.


  47. Veritas says:

    Bilbo: The grocery store rags are full of divorce talk – actually have been for months now. How anyone could remain with a known liar is beyond me. But some of us will prostitute ourselves for money, power and fame. No doubt with Laura’s vehicular homicide during her teens, he’s got plenty on her to make her mute. The tabs also have detailed his ‘dates” with Condi.


  48. Xisithrus says:

    Sure, she’s a spoiled little rich girl, but what harm has she done anyone aside from that? -Spit Take

    Im sure people said stuff along the same lines about \/\/.

    I just don’t think spoiled rich brats make good leaders.


  49. Veritas says:

    Belaboring the issue on an airhead like Jenna is an exercise in boredom. She said what was expected of her and played her father’s pimp-for-a-day. Good dutiful daughter, Jenna. Now go out and play someplace with your new little boyfriend.

    I think discussing Laura and the Chimp versus Condi and the Chimp may be a bit salacious and exciting.


  50. tom says:

    spit-take –

    Here’s the issue, I think. She is, as you say, “not the President . . . not her father . . . she’s a twenty-something kid who’s grown up in privilege.”

    Dial it back 40 years ago. The same (and more) could (and should) have been said about GDumbya, the drunken, AWOL wastrel. This is purely a matter of history repeating itself.

    If GDumbya had been recognized for the dolt that he is, we wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in. Jenna is just the next generation of this criminal, in-bred family that has cursed us. Don’t let her off easy; call her what she is.

    p.s. — to the poster wondering what has become of LaLa lately, I suspect that she is either (1) living at the Mayflower again because of GDumbya’s drinking or (2) off at the Betty Ford Center taking care of her own drug and drink addiction


  51. gulfwargrunt says:

    What would the wingnuts say if Chelsea Clinton was using her status as First Daughter to hawk a book about a Central American single mother with HIV?


  52. tombaker says:

    this is one I’m leaving alone.

    let’s find a thread of substance, for this one features none.


  53. dim wit says:

    “You know I’m not here to talk about that, but I’m also not a policymaker,”

    The point Jenna is trying to make is that she is being interviewed as a way to sell her book, not to talk about Bush policy.

    or in other words:

    Jenna’s just a whore who is trying to whore her book.


  54. AMcG773 says:

    Describing something as “complicated” is what people say when they don’t understand the issue. She’s a dipsy-doodle ut I bet should could drive a Hum V in Iraq pretty well.


  55. Jackie says:

    Now Jenna is the role model for youth yes just forget her past history as if it never happen. I did feel bad for her when she went to court without her parents to plea guilty of underage drinking and fake license. But then it’s was the middle finger and being kicked out of a country for being wild and being drunk that seems to be lost in all this. Yes those Christian Family Values are working as Jenna and Barbara don’t feel having sex is a problem for them just for other younger people. Jenna and Barbara could do as their Dad did sign up then skip out quick. Why are they trying to past this girl off as if she is all that. Why has her boyfriend signed up for the Military or has he been promised the Presidency if he marries Jenna. The divorce papers filed in Texas by Laura show look good for time served with that big settlement. Jenna has someone else write a book for her about a single mother with HIV. Now why? We heard what GrandMa Bush thinks of the none rich people and we are to believe that drunken Jenna really cares. Is it that do as I say do not as I do Bush policy at work.

    This is another way to distract the public from paying attention to our troops and our budget deficit. Yes will this girl sells her lies her Father is getting Billions for the Iraq contractors and pay offs. Jenna most likely went home set down with a drink and laughed at how she made a fool of Diane Sawyer.

    Oh GrandMa Bush is going to events saying no one in the Bush Family drinks nor have they ever drank or used drugs. That tells you she’s no in the Twilight Zone for sure. Daddy Bush is still trying to reach Terry Hatcher for I guess discussion of her show Desperate House wives or maybe something else. He does have his Viagra on hand. You would think Daddy Bush would have enough with his Wife and a Mistress now he looking for Terry to add to his companionship group.


  56. dim wit says:

    Even Jenna is sharp enough to distance herself from Bush administration policies.

    Comment by spit take — September 27, 2007 @ 1:36 pm

    Yes. And Jenna is smart enough to know she needs to sell her book NOW. Who in the fu(k is even going to remember who Jenna Bush is in 10 years? By capitalizing on her father’s position Jenna is just taking advantage of the situtation that was provided to her.


  57. Wilco says:

    Can someone please direct me to the website detailing Jenna’s political beliefs to which everyone keeps referring?


  58. A Patriot Acting says:

    “I think there are many ways to serve your country,” she said. I think she may be on to something here. Two ways I can think of for her to serve the country would be to make sure that there is ALWAYS a bowl of pretzels on Daddy’s desk and a bowl of high cholesterol laced Krispy Kreams left on Uncle Dicky’s desk. Then maybe she’ll be doing SOMETHING for our country.


  59. MCMetal says:

    Seems as though Jenna has inherited all the depth and insight that her esteemed and admired father possesses…………


  60. Erroll says:

    An important point that, I believe, should be brought up about Jenna Bush is that the reason she should not be let off the hook is that she is a college graduate [U. of Texas?] and college graduates are supposed to be able to engage in critical thinking. One of the things that college demands of its students is to present an argument and to defend it intelligently if not also eloquently. For her to simply say that Iraq is complicated is a huge cop out. One would also think that being the daughter of the president would at least make her aware of one of the most defining issues of her generation and that she should be able to express an opinion, either pro or con, on this most important subject troubling Americans today.


  61. Leftside Annie says:

    Oh, dear! Oh, dear me!

    Why should Jenna tax her beautiful mind with that sort of ugliness…?


  62. oldtree says:

    I am deeply embarrassed for ABC and anyone that would consider this worth printing


  63. Wilco says:

    Erroll, what if she actually doesn’t support the Iraq War?
    Follow me. Anyone on *this* site can quote the admin’s talking points on the war. So you know she can. Why doesn’t she?
    I wonder if her comment isn’t more in line with a daughter who disagrees with her father but won’t speak in public against him. (I think we all know what Mike did to Fredo.)
    Otherwise, why not say that things are improving, sectarian killings are down, the surge is working, it just needs more time, 30k troops will be brought home next summer, etc.


  64. xenon says:

    “Jenna Bush” and “book” in the same sentence: it’s the equation that just refuses to add up. Just what “wisdom” does this bubblehead have to impart anyways?


  65. Arne Langsetmo says:

    Jenna: “I think there are many ways to serve your country….” Yeah. Like Dubya did on barstools in Alabama. Or like the Romney sons.

    Cheers,


  66. rich1107 says:

    Where is Magua when you need him;)


  67. CarolSoprano says:

    Speaking of other ways of “serving your country”, this is hilarious:

    http://www.slatev.com/player.html?id=1184432033

    If that doesn’t work try this link:

    http://commoniowan.blogspot.com/2007/09/romney-campaign-ad-challenge-five.html

    Priceless!

    Carol


  68. dim wit says:

    Comment by xenon — September 27, 2007 @ 2:33 pm

    Don’t give her too much credit. This book is written for the child/teenage audience. According to one book review:

    “The book is easy to read. It’s divided into 102 chapters, some as short as two sentences, and is illustrated with 49 subtle photographs”


  69. cronenbergfan says:

    I’m reminded of Peter Steele’s timeless lyric:

    “Before him beg, to serve or please
    On your back or knees…”

    that and a few cold ones seems to be right up her alley!


  70. Uncle Ho says:

    DRAFT THE BUSH TWINS!!! Let them see first-hand how “complicated” it is.

    It’s really simple: Live or Die. What’s so complicated about that?


  71. had enough says:

    I have two kids in this age group, and in college…This age group has no clue. Try talking to them about the issues… they become scarce. I have come to the conclusion it is:
    *
    1. As the media does not talk about important issues, it can’t be so.
    *
    2. This age group just starting out, needs to feel the security that all is well with the government.
    *
    3. This age group has a poor grasp on the constitution and what their rights are or should be.
    *
    4. They lack the experience and knowledge how things should be.


  72. missmolly says:

    OK — I’m confused. Why is Diane Sawyer interviewing Jenna Bush? Why is she newsworthy? She’s probably a lovely girl, but why in the world does ANYONE care what she thinks or says?

    I truly hope she has a nice wedding and a good marriage. But I’m really not interested in all the details — any more than I was interested in Tricia Nixon (the last presidential daughter to marry while her father was in office).

    She appears competent to give standard formula answers to standard formula questions, which I consider a waste of air time. ABC must be desperate to fill space.


  73. had enough says:

    OK — I’m confused. Why is Diane Sawyer interviewing Jenna Bush? Why is she newsworthy?
    Comment by missmolly

    I agree.. it is tragic the corporate MSM fills their air time with this trite nonsense while our country is falling apart. I imagine we are going to see more of this… anything to divert real news that may give political gain to the dems.


  74. had enough says:

    Progressive complain, non-stop about what they percieve to be Bush’s assault on liberties. But, they consistently advocate the draft. How is supplanting the volunteer force with a forced draft more libertine?

    Also, you consistently state that a draft should be implemented because it is somehow more fair. But, imagine how much you would howl about Bush instituting the draft as another attack on our freedoms.

    Comment by CaptainMantastic —

    If all, each and everyone had to be drafted.. that is with no loop holes as the rich had with college deferments during the Vietnam war, or strings pulled from those in high places.. if all this could be possible then we would have no war. I would think even the neocons would put their children’s lives before monetary gain from war profiteering.


  75. Erroll says:

    #83-had enough

    Very well said.


  76. ennealogic says:

    Jenna has two choices in life, which she needs to decide upon when she gets mature enough.

    I don’t think she’s mature enough or seasoned enough (by a long shot) to rationally make the choice — between — being a Bush baby who goes along with the flow OR telling the truth.

    If she were truthful, she’d tell everyone that since she doesn’t have to get in uniform to go see the world and get the GI Bill for education, she doesn’t see why she should have to risk life and limb in Iraq.

    I’d like to see a member of the Bush family tell the truth.


  77. DRxJ says:

    Whose Jenna? What’s her importance? Is she part of the Jenna-6?


  78. drago says:

    But, like, my wedding is so important! I mean gawd, come on, I can’t let daddy’s war get in the way, duh!


  79. Bad Eye says:

    On comedians on TV making fun of Daddy:

    “We don’t watch that much television,’’ she said. “It’s a good way to, to not, to not see it…”

    On her relationship with her sister:

    “We’ve gone through every single thing together, you know from, the womb on.”

    Yep…Jenna’s definitely the brains in the family.



Jump to Top

About Think Progress | Contact Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy (off-site) | RSS | Donate
© 2005-2009 Center for American Progress Action Fund
View Most Popular

Advertisement

What We're About

Featured

image
Subscribe to the Progress Report



imageTopic Cloud


Visit Our Affiliated Sites

image image
Reports


Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.

Name:
Email:
Tip:
(required)


imageArchives


imageBlog Roll