Bush burned by children's book
LawrenceT5
G.W. Bush was ready when someone asked him again, at a later date. He named
"The Very Hungry Caterpillar" as a favorite childhood book. There's only one
problem. That book was published the year GW was a Senior in College. I guess
that tells us something about his intellectual development, or else Yale has
some REAL remedial classes! Maybe they need them for the legacy students from
families that have gotten too inbred.
Larry Tagrin
Writer / Consultant / Instructional Designer
Montgomery Village, MD
Blair Christolon
daughters.
Blair
Judi Smith
was meant by "favorite childhood book," would you?
Blair Christolon (bchri...@aol.comnojunk) wrote:
: I just assumed that G. W. remembered a children's book that he had read to his
: daughters.
: Blair
--
judi smith and it comes from the sky above
jsm...@bc.seflin.org makes me feel so free
makes me feel like me
would you catch me if i was falling? and lights my life with love
kiss me if i was leaving? --van morrison
hold me cause i'm lonely without you?
--cc
Jeff Urs
I suppose it all depends on whether you've already decided how you're going to vote
come November. ;-) I think we can safely say Larry has, and it's likely Blair has as
well. If I had my druthers, I'd druther have -- I mean, I'd rather we kept that
more-heat-than-light sort of politics out of the newsgroup.
Regards,
Jeff
Judi Smith
reading a book when he was a kid. i'd be interested no matter who it was,
perhaps even more so if it were someone i might vote for. i mean, if a
guy can't say 'oh yeah, i loved the hardy boys' or 'i remember mom
reading 'how the grinch stole christmas' every year, i think that's pretty
significant..... even if it doesn't affect my vote! ;)
Jeff Urs (sta...@prodigy.net) wrote:
: I suppose it all depends on whether you've already decided how you're going to vote
Derek Janssen
>
> i don't know what was asked, exactly, but that's not what i would assume
> was meant by "favorite childhood book," would you?
Keep in mind, during a similar poll that asked candidates what their
favorite movies were, he made the wild, spontaneous choice of...."Saving
Private Ryan"--
Somehow, the guy strikes me as someone who wouldn't have the
individuality to actually HAVE favorites of anything, unless they were
determined by the latest New Hampshire poll...
Derek Janssen (back to book mode)
dja...@ultranet.com
Donna Richoux
> i don't know what was asked, exactly, but that's not what i would assume
> was meant by "favorite childhood book," would you?
You are assuming that someone ever did asked Bush the precise question,
"What was your favorite childhood book?" It might just as well have been
"What's your favorite children's book?" or "What's your favorite book
for children?" or "What children's book do you recommend?" or any number
of things.
I spent a while on the Web looking for factual reports of this incident.
I couldn't find anything that proves the rumour. If someone has a
substantive report, I'd like to know. I found many reports of him
reading "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" to schoolchildren. And I found
what he wrote over a year ago on the subject. From The American
Spectator Online,
http://www.spectator.org/exclusives/98-12-18I_update.html#10
in an article headed "Our annual list of holiday gift suggestions
from distinguished readers and writers":
QUOTE =====================================
George W. Bush
When I was growing up, I preferred reading biographies about
historical figures and baseball players. I still enjoy books about
history, especially Texas history. The Raven: A Biography of Sam
Houston, by Marquis James, is one of my favorites.
[snip books on economy and social structure]
Laura and I often read to our daughters when they were young. One
of their top requests was The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric
Carle. A few more of my favorite books for children are: Sarah's
Flag for Texas, by Jane Alexander Knapik; James and the Giant
Peach, by Roald Dahl; My Side of the Mountain, by Jean
Craighead George; Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt; The
Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame; Just So Stories, by
Rudyard Kipling.
Our capacity for discovery is never lost as long as we continue to
read.
George W. Bush is governor of Texas.
END QUOTE=====================================
I don't know how he could have said any more plainly that he knows the
difference between a book he read growing up and a book he read to his
children.
So what triggered this rumour? Apparently, a press release from the
Pizza Hut/Book It! Program of November 4, 1999, that appears several
places on the Web including:
http://news.excite.com/news/pr/991104/tx-pizza-hut-survey
I will quote the press release below == I hope this is not a repeat from
November! -- but want to point out two things first.
One, we still don't know exactly how the question to the governors was
worded. The phrase "favorite childhood books" may have strictly an
invention of the publicist.
Two, although some ot the titles are unfamiliar to me, I imagine that
some readers here will recognize them and will know if they are new
(under 30 years or so). If many governors made the same "mistake" as
Bush, that would suggest the wording of the question was open, or
ambiguous.
QUOTE===========================================
Dr. Seuss Tops Governors' Favorite Book Survey; State
Proclamations Recognize National Young Reader's Day; Survey
Conducted by the Pizza Hut(R) BOOK IT!(R) Program
Updated 7:02 AM ET November 4, 1999
DALLAS, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Move over Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer,
and Black Beauty.
A new survey of favorite childhood books of the nation's 50 governors
shows that Dr. Seuss books, followed by The Little Engine That Could
and Treasure Island, are at the top of the list. Nine governors
listed Dr. Seuss books as their favorites. The Little Engine That
Could and Treasure Island were chosen by five governors.
The governors' survey was conducted by the Pizza Hut(R) BOOK IT!(R)
National Reading Incentive Program for the tenth annual National
Young Reader's Day, which is observed on Wednesday, November 10, to
remind Americans of the joys and importance of books for children and
young adults.
Also, governors in 46 states issued National Young Reader's Day
proclamations. The proclamations encourage schools and students to
increase their awareness of reading through recognition and
participation in National Young Reader's Day activities. The National
Governors Association supports National Young Reader's Day.
Other childhood book favorites on the governors' list are: Goodnight
Moon, Curious George books, and, of course, the classic favorites,
The Wind in the Willows, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Robinson Crusoe, and The Hardy Boys
mysteries.
Two governors chose not to list specific titles. Governor Bill Owens
of Colorado said, "My favorite days were always Fridays because that
was when the bookmobile came." Governor William J. Janklow of South
Dakota, described as a prolific reader by his spokesperson, answered,
"My favorite book was the last book I read."
Pizza Hut sponsors BOOK IT! for elementary schools and BOOK IT!
Beginners(R) for child-care centers, using free pizza and praise as
reward incentives for reading. They are the two largest youth
literacy programs in America. Twenty-two million children are
enrolled in these programs.
This is the tenth year for National Young Reader's Day, sponsored by
BOOK IT! and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.
Schools, libraries, civic groups, and communities are invited to join
the Center for the Book in "Building a Nation of Readers" into the
next millennium. Activities could include library projects, book
drives, storytelling, reading rallies, principal challenges, and
young reader recognition ceremonies.
The complete governors' favorite childhood book survey follows.
Pizza Hut, a division of Tricon Global Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:YUM)
is the world's largest pizza restaurant company, with more than 7,100
restaurants and delivery units in the United States and more than
3,000 units in 86 countries. The company is the recognized leader in
the $25 billion pizza category. Those hungry for more information can
go to the Pizza Hut home page at www.pizzahut.com.
PIZZA HUT(R)/BOOK IT!(R) SURVEY OF
GOVERNORS' FAVORITE CHILDHOOD BOOKS
State Governor Favorite Books
Alabama Don Siegelman The Little Engine That
Could
Alaska Tony Knowles Velveteen Rabbit
Arizona Jane Dee Hull The Three Javelinas
Arkansas Mike Huckabee Thomas Edison
California Gary Davis The Little Engine That
Could
Colorado Bill Owens Favorite days were
Fridays when
the bookmobile came
Connecticut John G. Rowland Dr. Seuss books
Delaware Thomas R. Carper Dr. Seuss books
Florida Jeb Bush Goodnight Moon
Happy Boys
Curious George books
Are You My Mother?
And to Think That I Saw
It on
Mulberry Street
Georgia Roy Barnes Three Pandas Planting
Hawaii Benjamin J. Cayetano Life of Clarence Darrow
Idaho Dirk Kempthorne Curious George books
Treasure Island
Illinois George H. Ryan The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn
Indiana Frank O'Bannon The Bears of Blue River
Iowa Tom Vilsack Hardy Boys mysteries
Kansas Bill Graves Hardy Boys mysteries
Kentucky Paul E. Patton The Little Engine That
Could
The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn
The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer
Louisiana Mike Foster Treasure Island
Maine Angus King, Jr. Miss Rumphius
Island Boy
Goodnight Moon
Maryland Parris N. Glendening The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate
the Wash
Massachusetts Argeo Paul Cellucci Green Eggs and Ham
Michigan John Engler Grimm's Fairy Tales
Hardy Boys mysteries
The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn
Sherlock Holmes
Aesop's Fables
Minnesota Jesse Ventura Louis L'Amour westerns
Mississippi Kirk Fordice Treasure Island
Missouri Mel Carnahan Green Eggs and Ham
Montana Marc Racicot The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn
Nebraska Mike Johanns Orphan Annie series
Nevada Kenny C. Guinn Old Man and the Sea
New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen The Giving Tree
New Jersey Christine T. Whitman The Runaway Bunny
Goodnight Moon
New Mexico Gary E. Johnson The Call of the Wild
New York George E. Pataki The Little Engine That
Could
North Carolina James E. Hunt, Jr. Robinson Crusoe
The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer
North Dakota Edward T. Schafer Make Way for Ducklings
Ohio Bob Taft The Little Engine That
Could
Oklahoma Frank Keating Green Eggs and Ham
Oregon John Kitzhaber The Wind in the Willows
Pennsylvania Tom Ridge Old Man and the Sea
Rhode Island Lincoln Almond Curious George Rides a
Bike
South Carolina Jim Hodges Cat in the Hat
Green Eggs and Ham
South Dakota William J. Janklow Last book I read
Tennessee Don Sundquist Robinson Crusoe
Texas George W. Bush The Very Hungry
Caterpillar
Sarah's Flag for Texas
James and the Giant Peach
My Side of the Mountain
Tuck Everlasting
The Wind in the Willows
Just So Stories
Utah Michael O. Leavitt Where the Red Fern Grows
Hardy Boys mysteries
Vermont Howard Dean Jonathan Swift
Virginia James S. Gilmore III Green Eggs and Ham
The Wind in the Willows
Washington Gary Locke Goodnight Moon
Oh, the Places You'll Go!
Stellaluna
West Virginia Cecil H. Underwood Treasure Island
Wisconsin Tommy G. Thompson Davey Crockett
Daniel Boone
Old Yeller
Treasure Island
Wyoming Jim Geringer Moby Dick
Summary
Pizza Hut(R)/BOOK IT!(R) Survey of
Governors' Favorite Childhood Book
Titles Number of Books
Dr. Seuss Books
-- Series 2
-- Green Eggs and Ham 5
-- Cat in the Hat 1
-- Oh, the Places You'll Go! 1
The Little Engine That Could 5
Treasure Island 5
Hardy Boys mysteries 4
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 4
Goodnight Moon 4
The Wind in the Willows 3
Curious George books 3
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer 2
Robinson Crusoe 2
Old Man and the Sea 2
Thirty-four other favorite books received one mention each.
END QUOTE============================================================
I suppose, to avoid needless argument, I should point out that I am not
supporting any candidate. I just like to see people be fair.
--
Best wishes --- Donna Richoux
(An American living in the Netherlands)
Ivan Weiss
> After not being able to come up with a favorite childhood book at one
> event, G.W. Bush was ready when someone asked him again, at a later
> date. He named "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" as a favorite childhood
> book. There's only one problem. That book was published the year GW
> was a Senior in College. I guess that tells us something about his
> intellectual development, or else Yale has some REAL remedial classes!
> Maybe they need them for the legacy students from families that have
> gotten too inbred.
I'm not a Bush fan, but give him a break, OK? Maybe he read it to *his*
kids, and simply misunderstood the question.
Ivan Weiss PHILOSOPHY, n. A route of many roads
Vashon WA leading from nowhere to nothing.
-- Ambrose Bierce: "The Devil's Dictionary"
Blair Christolon
because his wife Laura is a librarian. Blair
Judi Smith
: Judi Smith <jsm...@bc.seflin.org> wrote:
: > i don't know what was asked, exactly, but that's not what i would assume
: > was meant by "favorite childhood book," would you?
: You are assuming that someone ever did asked Bush the precise question,
: "What was your favorite childhood book?" It might just as well have been
ummm, no, i very carefully stated that i was NOT AWARE of what the
precise question was.
thanks for the rest of the info.
Donna Richoux
> Donna Richoux (tr...@euronet.nl) wrote:
> : Judi Smith <jsm...@bc.seflin.org> wrote:
>
> : > i don't know what was asked, exactly, but that's not what i would assume
> : > was meant by "favorite childhood book," would you?
>
> : You are assuming that someone ever did asked Bush the precise question,
> : "What was your favorite childhood book?" It might just as well have been
>
> ummm, no, i very carefully stated that i was NOT AWARE of what the
> precise question was.
You're right. I changed that opening sentence several times and the way
I left it was not accurate. Sorry.
However, your original question did imply that you believed that
somebody asked someone about "favorite childhood books," because why
else would you care about its meaning? This is why I said you "assumed"
something. I shouldn't have said you assumed the entire form of the
question, because you clearly said you didn't. But you must have assumed
the three-word phrase was used, in a question. We don't know that it
ever was.
If you didn't think that phrase *was* used in a question, and I don't
think it was used in a question, and nobody thinks it was used in a
question, then there is no story. We can all go home. (Oh, we're already
home? Even better.)
I'm sorry if this all sounds like splitting hairs. But I think the
general reluctance of people in indulge in a little careful
hair-splitting now and then gives more power to the unscrupulous
rumour-mongers. What do they take us for? Are we simple villagers with
our jaws dropping at the sight of medicine-show quacks, the fancy
political spin doctors who come to town and sell us snake-oil? They
launch an interesting, just-barely-plausible rumor, and we buy it. Heck
yes, we promote it, by passing it on. Arise, villagers! Take to your
search engines!
Back to work. It's hard to agree on a single interpretation of "favorite
childhood book' without any context whatsoever. Obviously in many
contexts, it would mean "the favorite book of the person during his or
her own childhood." That's the point of the accusation, that's why
there's a joke to be passed along. But I can easily imagine situations
where it could be a mean a more general "favorite book for those in
childhood." And, given the evidence, I can also imagine that that
precise phrase was not put to Bush at all.
> thanks for the rest of the info.
You're welcome, and thanks for not dismissing the rest of the letter!
--
Best --- Donna Richoux
Judi Smith
i didn't assume anything. i was not sure of what the exact question
was.... so i asked a question TO FIND OUT MORE. that's what questions are
for.
you apparently assumed an awful lot from mine.
and now i think it's time to drop the subject or take it to
email.
Donna Richoux (tr...@euronet.nl) wrote:
: Judi Smith <jsm...@bc.seflin.org> wrote:
: > Donna Richoux (tr...@euronet.nl) wrote:
: > : Judi Smith <jsm...@bc.seflin.org> wrote:
: >
: > : > i don't know what was asked, exactly, but that's not what i would assume
: > : > was meant by "favorite childhood book," would you?
: >
: > : You are assuming that someone ever did asked Bush the precise question,
: > : "What was your favorite childhood book?" It might just as well have been
: >
: > ummm, no, i very carefully stated that i was NOT AWARE of what the
: > precise question was.
--