Bono Praises Bush for Fighting AIDS in Africa
Credit rarely given.
When you think back to the presidency of George W. Bush and try to recall things that were said about him by celebrities, you’re likely to think only of the negative.
Bush was regularly lampooned as an idiot on Saturday Night Live and Kanye West stupidly declared after Hurricane Katrina that “Bush doesn’t care about black people.”
The truth is that no president, including his successor, has done more for victims of AIDS in Africa than George W. Bush, a fact that’s routinely ignored by his critics.
U2 singer and activist Bono is one of the few celebrities who has recognized Bush for the great work he did in Africa and he did so again this week.
The Washington Free Beacon reported:
Bono Lauds George W. Bush’s Work Fighting AIDS and Saving Lives in Africa
U2 lead singer and philanthropist Bono praised former President George W. Bush on Tuesday for his initiative to fight the global HIV/AIDS epidemic and save the lives of those suffering from the disease, particularly in Africa, hailing the effort as an “amazing ” success.
Bono appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe to discuss his recent trip to the Middle East and East Africa to visit refugee camps full of people who escaped the Syrian civil war and from other collapsing states. He said the current refugee crisis poses an “existential threat” to Europe and called on the United States and other countries to provide more aid for both humanitarian and national security reasons.
As the interview was ending, Bono asked to say one final thing to Nicolle Wallace because she worked for Bush as his communications chief.
“Can I just say one thing?” Bono asked. “Actually, it’s to Nicolle, and it’s just, she knows because she worked for President Bush. The American people have done this before. They’ve taken on really impossible tasks and succeeded. And the battle in the fight against AIDS was won successfully. It’s an amazing thing. America leads the world in the fight against AIDS. Nearly 10 million lives are owed to America. So you can do it. It’s difficult stuff, but you’re up to the job.”
Here’s the video:
Bono is trying to make a case for America to accept refugees, an issue many Americans don’t agree with and for good reasons. Still, it’s refreshing to hear someone so prominent in the entertainment industry give Bush credit where it’s due.
Featured image via YouTube.
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Comments
The Dems blame the GOP for political polarization but how many times did W work with Dems, including the reprehensible Ted Kennedy, to get legislation passed? Then consider the present occupant. No comparison.
Most people I know are sympathetic and in their heart they WANT to give even more refugees an opportunity or salvation. They simply do not TRUST this government, now or even under Bush, to effectively filter to keep us safe. Politics ALWAYS end up clouding decisions. Whether is the the decision on screening methods or decisions based on known results.
Over a year ago, I heard a great idea: Let Israel be the front end of the process for investigating refugees. For every one they can take maybe we take one or two. While not perfect, their ability to figure out who is who and associated risk is much better than ours.