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George W. Bush charged wounded vets group $100k for speech
George W. Bush charged wounded vets group $100k for speech
By Tom LoBianco, CNN
Updated July 9, 2015
Washington (CNN)Former President George W. Bush is under fire for charging $100,000 to speak to a group of veterans wounded in a pair of wars he started when he was in office, just the latest front in a political battle over speaking fees that has hit both sides of the aisle.
Members of the Texas-based Helping a Hero charity told ABC News that Bush charged $100,000 for his 2012 speech at a charity fundraiser for veterans who lost limbs in the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars. The former president was also given use of a private jet at a cost of $20,000 and former First Lady Laura Bush was paid $50,000 to speak to the group last year.
The fees infuriated one of the board members, who called the fees a "slap in the face" for wounded veterans.
"For him to be paid to raise money for veterans that were wounded in combat under his orders, I don't think that's right," former Marine Eddie Wright told ABC. Wright lost both his hands in a 2004 rocket attack in Fallujah, Iraq.
Republican contender Donald Trump -- who has been under fire himself for weeks for controversial immigration -- took a few swings at the former president on Twitter on Thursday in response to news reports.
"You mean George Bush sends our soldiers into combat, they are severely wounded, and then he wants $120,000 to make a boring speech to them?" Trump wrote this morning.
The group's chairwoman told ABC News that Bush reduced his fees from $250,000 to $100,000. But Bush's typical speaking fee was reported by Politico at being between $100,000 and $175,000.
The group's lawyer deflected questions to Bush, but told ABC that Bush's appearance helped raise "an extra million dollars."
Bush spokesman Freddy Ford told ABC: "President Bush has made helping veterans one of his highest priorities in his post presidency."
Speaking fees for former presidents have always been touchy subjects.
Former President Bill Clinton made more than $106 million on the lecture circuit, according to a 2013 CNN report. Since then, the former president and possible First Gentleman, has collected $500,000 for single speeches.
Hillary Clinton came under fire last year, during the rollout of her book, after saying she was "dead broke" after departing the White House in 2001.
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/09/politics/george-w-bush-100k-veterans-speech/index.html
By Tom LoBianco, CNN
Updated July 9, 2015
Washington (CNN)Former President George W. Bush is under fire for charging $100,000 to speak to a group of veterans wounded in a pair of wars he started when he was in office, just the latest front in a political battle over speaking fees that has hit both sides of the aisle.
Members of the Texas-based Helping a Hero charity told ABC News that Bush charged $100,000 for his 2012 speech at a charity fundraiser for veterans who lost limbs in the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars. The former president was also given use of a private jet at a cost of $20,000 and former First Lady Laura Bush was paid $50,000 to speak to the group last year.
The fees infuriated one of the board members, who called the fees a "slap in the face" for wounded veterans.
"For him to be paid to raise money for veterans that were wounded in combat under his orders, I don't think that's right," former Marine Eddie Wright told ABC. Wright lost both his hands in a 2004 rocket attack in Fallujah, Iraq.
Republican contender Donald Trump -- who has been under fire himself for weeks for controversial immigration -- took a few swings at the former president on Twitter on Thursday in response to news reports.
"You mean George Bush sends our soldiers into combat, they are severely wounded, and then he wants $120,000 to make a boring speech to them?" Trump wrote this morning.
The group's chairwoman told ABC News that Bush reduced his fees from $250,000 to $100,000. But Bush's typical speaking fee was reported by Politico at being between $100,000 and $175,000.
The group's lawyer deflected questions to Bush, but told ABC that Bush's appearance helped raise "an extra million dollars."
Bush spokesman Freddy Ford told ABC: "President Bush has made helping veterans one of his highest priorities in his post presidency."
Speaking fees for former presidents have always been touchy subjects.
Former President Bill Clinton made more than $106 million on the lecture circuit, according to a 2013 CNN report. Since then, the former president and possible First Gentleman, has collected $500,000 for single speeches.
Hillary Clinton came under fire last year, during the rollout of her book, after saying she was "dead broke" after departing the White House in 2001.
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/09/politics/george-w-bush-100k-veterans-speech/index.html
100k is a bargain. Clinton would have wiped them out. Just spent 7 days with some vets from the 82nd Air born at Fort Bragg. They sure seemed to like him more than Obama, Clinton, the other Clinton, and every other democrat I could lump onto the heap.
At least we're speaking the same language SM and I find that encouraging.
And no, I don't think a past President should ever accept a fee for addressing the groups.
And no, I don't think a past President should ever accept a fee for addressing the groups.
I think we can respect each other's opinions.
Is it right for ANY president to be paid by the US military for a talk after their presidency has ended? Should all armed forces be honored for their service with a FREE presidential visit (well, former president)?
I don't think Bush should have special rules that just apply to him. And really, the bottom line was that he was invited by them for the talk. He reduced the fee he normally receives and the group reaped a large profit from the event. So, in their mind, it may have been worth it and I am not going to say it wasn't.
but I do understand how you feel Mike and why you feel as you do. I can see that side of it as well.
Is it right for ANY president to be paid by the US military for a talk after their presidency has ended? Should all armed forces be honored for their service with a FREE presidential visit (well, former president)?
I don't think Bush should have special rules that just apply to him. And really, the bottom line was that he was invited by them for the talk. He reduced the fee he normally receives and the group reaped a large profit from the event. So, in their mind, it may have been worth it and I am not going to say it wasn't.
but I do understand how you feel Mike and why you feel as you do. I can see that side of it as well.
And, of course, that makes it right.
People pay for drugs too and junk food and sex - so that makes it alright.
Please, try looking for the morality here.....oh never-mind.
I have never seen such apologists - and you guys cry about Obama.
Yikes!
People pay for drugs too and junk food and sex - so that makes it alright.
Please, try looking for the morality here.....oh never-mind.
I have never seen such apologists - and you guys cry about Obama.
Yikes!
The group's members must not have thought it so horrible because they did agree to pay the fee.
Yeah - whatever.
According to the charity’s yearly reports to the IRS, it raised about $2,450,000, after expenses, from the 2012 gala where President Bush spoke. The following year, the gala netted the charity substantially less, about $1,000,000.
So he charged a group to speak yet he has done other things for free for vets. People want to keep finding things to rip him for so whatever.
So he charged a group to speak yet he has done other things for free for vets. People want to keep finding things to rip him for so whatever.
I wasn't making any assumptions or conclusions about the wounded soldiers" attitudes or motives. That is another subject entirely.
I believe that the majority of Americans view the Iraq War as ill-advised - at the very best. I also think that most people view it as an abject failure.
It was based on bad intelligence or perhaps fabricated intelligence. At the very best it was cherry-picked intelligence.
But even if we assume that the Iraq War was a just war - should a former President charge a speaking fee to address wounded soldiers of war he got us into.....or any war for that matter?
I just don't get it - as I said I think it is unconscionable.
I believe that the majority of Americans view the Iraq War as ill-advised - at the very best. I also think that most people view it as an abject failure.
It was based on bad intelligence or perhaps fabricated intelligence. At the very best it was cherry-picked intelligence.
But even if we assume that the Iraq War was a just war - should a former President charge a speaking fee to address wounded soldiers of war he got us into.....or any war for that matter?
I just don't get it - as I said I think it is unconscionable.
And I do respect your opinion Mike and understand where you are coming from.
There are often differences of opinion on the current events forum. That is not new. So we differ in opinion. Bush is doing what other former presidents have done. I'm sure all presidents who send our armed forces into battle has a hard time. I'm not a veteran of the Iraq War. I wonder how they feel about it. If they wanted him to speak, they must see him as someone they want to listen to.
I think it's deplorable/unconscionable for GWB to be charging a fee to address wounded soldiers that were injured he in a war he started....and particularly the Iraq War.
You can attempt to conflate or justify or mitigate his action with the general practice of politicians charging speaking fees but I think you are either not thinking it through or, if you are, you have a far different moral compass/sensibility than I have.
I truly wonder how he could even stand up there and look at those wounded soldiers unless he was there to apologize to them - without a fee, of course.
You can attempt to conflate or justify or mitigate his action with the general practice of politicians charging speaking fees but I think you are either not thinking it through or, if you are, you have a far different moral compass/sensibility than I have.
I truly wonder how he could even stand up there and look at those wounded soldiers unless he was there to apologize to them - without a fee, of course.
To follow up, I think lying and being wrong are two different things.
I'm not convinced he lied.
Looks like Bush is in good company in terms of charging for his speeches.
Looks like Bush is in good company in terms of charging for his speeches.
I have to hand it to the man. He lies us into war and then when the wounded come home he gets paid to speak to them. That's rich.
So just a hit piece about President Bush. Well done Richard.
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