Nobody Anticipated The Breach of the Levees

Posted on 12/02/2008 at 9:12 am by Bob Cesca

Since December, 2007:

• “We don’t believe we’re going to have a recession though.” [Vice President Dick Cheney, 1/30/08]

• “I think the experts will tell you we’re not in a recession.” [President Bush, 2/10/08]

• “The answer is, I don’t think we are in a recession right now.” [Council of Economic Advisers Chairman Edward Lazear, 2/11/08]

• “First of all, we’re not in a recession.” [President Bush, 4/22/08]

• “The data are pretty clear that we are not in a recession.” [Council of Economic Advisers Chairman Edward Lazear, 5/7/08]

• “I don’t think we are” in a recession. [Director of the National Economic Council Keith Hennesy, 6/3/08]

• “I think we have avoided a recession.” [White House Budget Director Jim Nussle, 7/31/08]

• “I don’t think anybody could tell you right now if we’re in a recession or not” [Dana Perino, 10/7/08]

So they didn’t anticipate Iraq descending into chaos, they didn’t anticipate Katrina descending into chaos, they didn’t anticipate the economy descending into chaos. Seriously, did they get anything right?

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  • http://unrelatedcontent.com Travis Disaster

    B-b-but these are the kind people we have to reach across the aisle to work with. Team of rivals!

  • Bob_Cesca

    That’s right, Travis. Austan Goolsbee is just like Dick Cheney.

  • http://unrelatedcontent.com Travis Disaster

    No, but Robert Rubin and Dick Parsons are right there.

  • kansasdem

    Uh, they were (and still are) just EFFING stupid!

  • http://www.broadwaycarl.blogspot.com Broadway Carl

    Seriously, did they get anything right?

    No. I can’t think of one thing, ONE THING, that this administration has touched that has gotten better or has benefitted anyone other than the cronies they work for. It’s the Reverse Midas Effect – everything they touch turns to shit.

  • cminri

    They think if they say something enough times it become true.

  • cminri

    (wow – i only had to sign on once to post that!!) Im on my work computer though…cant seem to get it go through at home)

  • gypsysoul111

    my current “what the hells”….paulson says we have been in recession since dec 07…ummm…how did he get that date when he and those “gems” quoted above have consistently researched the market and stated “we’re not in a recession”how are pirates in 10ft boats a threat to and able to seize cruise liners, oil tankers, etc?why won’t sarah palin and britney spears just go away?

  • http://www.broadwaycarl.blogspot.com Broadway Carl

    Gypsy – I’ll take 10 Britneys if we don’t ever have to see Palin. Ever. Again.

  • camel54

    The one reservation I have about this particular issue, talking about being in a recession, is we all know how idiotic Wall St. types are. Look, yesterday, the news that we had been in a recession for a year was broken (to many gasps I’m sure) and the market plunged. What changed? What economic misdeed was committed other than news that was a year old AND STILL the wizards in the financial district saw to it that there was a substantial plunge. To me, the crime committed by the administration is their economic policies, their beliefs that they stick to even while the market proves them wrong. It is less of a crime to me to say things are bad if you know that pointing out the obvious will cause the morons doing the transacting to spaz out and make things worse. More over, the crime is exacerbated by handing those same morons my $700+ billion dollars.

  • http://www.broadwaycarl.blogspot.com Broadway Carl

    Camel – I’m not sure if I’m correct on this as yesterday was not spent in front of the news too much for my own sanity, but I thought the plunge in the market was due to “Black Friday” not being so black. The retail market did not do as well as they had hoped the day after Thanksgiving and any actual store profits were marginal because everything was so discounted, it offset the shopping surge.

    Still, I get your point. I seriously believe that some market fluctuations aren’t so much a reaction to news as a man made flow and ebb by day traders making a quick buck but not seeing or caring about the big picture, and those in for the long haul are the ones most affected.

  • ceu

    they also didn’t anticipate bin Laden being determined to strike at the US or planes flying into buildings… :( Now I can sign in here without being directed to the TypePad site. I like it! :)

  • Mrs. Tarquin Biscuitbarrel

    No, they haven’t done anything right. An-nee-thing!