George W. Bush’s daughter, New Yorker Barbara Bush, publicly states in a new video for New Yorkers for Marriage Equality that she believes everyone, regardless of sexuality, “should have the right to marry the person they love.”

“I am Barbara Bush, and I am a New Yorker for marriage equality,” she says in the video. “New York is about fairness and equality. And everyone should have the right to marry the person that they love.”

Barbara’s mother, Laura Bush, has been open minded about gay marriage as well:

Saying in May, “I think that we ought to definitely look at it and debate it. I think there are a lot of people who have trouble coming to terms with that because they see marriage as traditionally between a man and a woman, but I also know that when couples are committed to each other and love each other that they ought to have the same sort of rights that everyone has.”

Congrats to Barbara for standing up for what she believes in and not being afraid to make a public stand.

Former President George W. Bush was Mark Zuckerberg’s guest on Facebook Live today to promote his book Decision Points, as well as talk about leadership and entrepreneurship with Zuckerberg.

Bush was funny, self-deprecating, and had fun taking several light-hearted jabs at Zuckerberg.

“If you see me in an airport I hope you wave with all five fingers, but if you don’t you won’t be the first,” Bush joked.

The interview, nearly an hour long, explores many of the decisions Bush made during his two-terms as President. Bush also talks at length about what he is currently doing and his ‘passion’ projects.

Regardless of political leaning the interview is interesting to watch two dynamics, Bush and Zuckerberg, discuss leadership and handling difficult circumstances.

Former Presidents George W. Bush and his father George H.W. Bush will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the World Series in Texas for Game 4 on Sunday night.

George W. was an owner and managing general partner of the Texas Rangers from 1989-1994.  He sold his remaining interest in the team in 1998.

Perhaps the most memorial first-pitch ever was delivered by Bush at Yankee Stadium during the 2001 World Series, right after the 9-11 attacks.  Under immense pressure, security, and fear, Bush delivered a perfect strike that seemed to uplift the country and remind everyone that everything was going to get better.

Watch Bush’s 2001 World Series 1st Pitch

New Texas Rangers owner and MLB Hall-of-Famer Nolan Ryan will throw out the first pitch before Saturday’s Game 3 game between the Rangers and San Francisco Giants.  The Giants have won the first two games of the best of 7 World Series.

Republican Ken Mehlman, former chairman of the Republican National Convention and campaign manager for George W. Bush, has told friends and associates that he is gay.

“It’s taken me 43 years to get comfortable with this part of my life,” said Mehlman, now an executive vice-president with the New York City-based private equity firm, KKR. “Everybody has their own path to travel, their own journey, and for me, over the past few months, I’ve told my family, friends, former colleagues, and current colleagues, and they’ve been wonderful and supportive. The process has been something that’s made me a happier and better person. It’s something I wish I had done years ago.”

Mehlman wants to work to now be an advocate for gay marriage.  He knew questions about his sexuality would arise after he participated in a fundraiser for the American Foundation for Equal Rights.

The decision comes at a time that Mehlman is no longer in politics. He works for a private equity firm in New York City now.

He expressed regret that he wasn’t at peace with his sexuality when he was in politics and wished he had been to help influence the Republican agenda regarding homosexuals.

“It’s a legitimate question and one I understand,” Mehlman said. “I can’t change the fact that I wasn’t in this place personally when I was in politics, and I genuinely regret that. It was very hard, personally.” He asks of those who doubt his sincerity: “If they can’t offer support, at least offer understanding.”

In the interview, Mehlman went on to say Bush was not a “homophobe” and that he beat back efforts to attack gay marriage while he was in politics.

Many in the Republican party will be shocked by Mehlman’s announcement, but rumors about his sexuality had been prevalent privately and publicly over the past several years.

[image: Carrie Devorah / wenn.com]

Former United States President George W. Bush has joined the millions of others across the globe that have joined Facebook.

In just a few hours, the former Commander-In-Chief had over 30,000 ‘Friends/Likes’.

Bush has been busy since leaving office.  He has been working on his memoir as well as giving paid speeches for schools and groups across the country.

View Dubya’s page HERE and ‘Like’ him if you so desire.

Now GWB on Twitter would be more popular than the Twitter user ‘Sh*t My Dad Says’.

Also take a second to ‘LIKE’ us on Facebook as well on our Bumpshack Facebook page.

President Elect Barack Obama talked on Meet the Press this morning about his upcoming nomination of General Shenseki to Secretary of the Department of Veteran Affairs. Shinseki was fired by the Bush Administration after testifying that a war in Iraq would require more troops than Donald Rumsfeld proposed. He is also a native of Obama’s childhood state, Hawaii.

John Rowan, National President of Vietnam Veterans of America, has this to say about the selection.

“We have no doubt that General Shinseki has the integrity and personal fortitude to usher in the real changes needed to make the VA a true steward of our nation’s veterans and their families.

United States President George W. Bush has pardoned Grammy Award winning rapper John Forté.  Forte had been serving time in prison for transporting over $1 million worth of cocaine through a New Jersey airport in 2000.

John Edward Forte, a Grammy Award-winning rapper, is arguably the best known of those pardoned. He was arrested at Newark International Airport in 2000 after being found with a briefcase containing $1.4m of cocaine and was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Forte, who has always protested his innocence, co-wrote and produced two songs on The Score, the Fugees’ Grammy-winning 1996 album and several singers, including Carly Simon, had joined a campaign for his pardon, claiming he was not given a fair-trial.

The singer, of North Brunswick, New Jersey, will be released after serving half of a 14 year sentence.

The pardon will is one of just a few that President Bush has given out so far in his two terms as Commander-in-Chief.  He has given out only about half the amount of pardons as of former two-term Presidents Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan.

President George W. Bush is in Beijing to encourage and cheer on Team USA and their drive towards taking all the Olympic gold out of China. Bush took time to spank the U.S. Women’s Volleyball team before practicing with them and breaking a healthy sweat. The volleyball players prodded him into give a customary spank on the butt. Bush obliged with a spank to the lower back. Remember he still has a few months before he can go on the Clinton-Post-Prez-Bang-A-Thon. He also took time to spend with the U.S. Women’s Softball team during their practice.

Bush might be a lame duck President but it’s he likely wasn’t a limp duck yesterday.

The spankee is Misty May.

Check out Mail Online for More Photos of Bush in Action

photo: reuters

First daughter Jenna Bush married Henry Hager at President Bush’s sprawling ranch in Crawford, Texas, on Saturday night. Maid of honor was Jenna’s twin sister Barbara. Best man was Henry’s brother Jack Hager.

The music was provided by wild man band leader Tyrone Smith.

The president and the bride picked “You Are So Beautiful” for their father-daughter dance, according to band leader Tyrone Smith of Nashville, Tennessee. Smith and his 10-piece party band, The Tyrone Smith Revue, was asked to do “Lovin’ in My Baby’s Eyes” by Taj Mahal for the newlyweds’ first dance. Smith, who promised the couple a “get down” party, talked to The Associated Press earlier in the week on condition that the information not be released before the wedding.

I have never laughed so hard reading a story. Tyrone, better known as ‘Super T’, with his superman-like cape use to play at the SAE fraternity house back in the late 90′s. We use to have him and his crew as often as we could until we went broke, were placed on probation for hazing, and then went even more in the red building a new fraternity house on Greek Row.

Smith, who witnessed the wedding ceremony, said afterward the groom was dressed in a dark blue suit with powder-blue tie and the bride wore a “very simple and elegant” white dress, but did not wear a veil.

There is no way I would have ever believed a decade ago that ‘Super T’ would be explaining to the press what the President’s daughter and her groom wore at their wedding. Congrats to Tryone…I have a feeling that the Bush’s paid him and his band a lot better than Sigma Alpha Epsilon did back in 1997.

In researching this post I discovered that Tyrone has recently played at the White House as well.

Super T How I Remember Him

Check out SuperTRevue.com to book Super T for your wedding reception or frat party. Tyrone puts on a very amazing and entertaining show.

First Daughter Jenna Bush, on The Ellen Degeneres Show, and prodded by Ellen called her dad, President Bush, during the taping.  The First Lady answered and handed the phone over to the Chief Executive.

Pleasantly prodding the First Daughter during a taping of her show on Tuesday, for an episode to be aired Wednesday (and previewed on that morning’s Today show), DeGeneres inquired if Bush could get her high-powered papa on the phone any time she wants.

Dad wasn’t upset though and acted excited to talk to his little girl and the highly rated Ellen Degeneres.

“Well, that’s great!” says the surprised Chief Executive, who asks DeGeneres, “How’s my little girl doing?”

“Oh, she’s great,” answers the host. “She’s scared she’s going to get in trouble [and] not going to get any Christmas presents.”

Pause. “Dad?” asks Jenna. “Yes, baby,” he replies. “Are you mad?” she inquires.

“No, not at all,” says President Bush. “I’m excited to talk to you. I’m glad to talk to Ellen.”

Now if we can just get President George W. and Rosie O’Donnell on the phone.  That would make for some good ratings.

Ugly Betty’s America Ferrera showed once again that Hollywood celebrities should shut up when it comes to politics. She had this comment that I assume was a jab at President Bush, yet is seems to make little since.

Here is what she had to say in her exchange with Zach Braff at the ‘Spirit Awards’:

In the scripted exchange, Braff asked: “So do you think that you have any traits in common with the country that is your namesake?â€? Ferrera replied: “I guess I’m a free-spirited person and America’s supposedly the ‘land of the free,’ right?â€? She then added, to loud applause from the left coast film industry audience: “Or at least we will be in 2008.â€?

Free in 2008? She is trying to reference when President Bush leaves office, but he actually leaves in January of 2009. I also don’t get the reference to not being free at the moment? I sure live a free life in a free country. Perhaps if I was in Iraq, Iran or North Korea I would feel different, but we can all do more than we need to in the USA. Just ask Antonella Barba or Britney Spears about their lack of freedom. Maybe America should change her name to Darfur Ferrera, North Korea Ferrera or something along those lines.

In doing research for today’s post on the execution of Saddam Hussein I came across this Time magazine cover from 1990.  I guess Time has their answer, albeit sixteen years later and from a different Bush.

Here are some excerpts from the article about Saddam and America circa 1990.

“Like Galtieri, Saddam seems to think we are too soft to fight unless he invades Saudi Arabia. He figures we’ll eventually tire of sitting in the desert and his occupation of Kuwait will become just another of the world’s sore spots that remain unresolved for decades. He’s wrong — but fewer and fewer of us believe he will learn that lesson short of war.”

The President has danced around this objective for weeks, but the evidence grows that merely restoring the status quo ante will not yield “security and stability” in the gulf, one of Bush’s publicly stated goals. As he told Congress last week, America wants “to curb the proliferation of chemical, biological, ballistic-missile and, above all, nuclear technologies.”

The fact is that if we are serious about going beyond getting Saddam out of Kuwait, and we are damn serious about it, then war is just about inevitable.”

“We’ve been bedeviled by the pretext thing for weeks, but we were greatly heartened by the Iraqi raid of foreign embassies” in Kuwait last Friday. “That kind of stupidity shows that Saddam is capable of providing a provocation at any time, even though everyone has assumed he is too smart for that.”

Remember all of that was said back in 1990 during the administration of Bush, Sr. and continued through the presidency of Bill Clinton.  Saddam’s biggest downfall was that he was cocky and truly felt the U.S. was soft and would never do anything about him and his evil.  Perhaps the ‘Butcher of Baghdad’ is enjoying his 41 virgins right about now, but I have a feeling his scorching is just beginning.

Read about Saddam’s execution and death.