George W. Bush: Great Painter? Or Greatest Painter?

[Valmy]

I don't see how having a ranch is mutually exclusive with painting.  And I agree with Yi, this is a personal thing.  He's no longer President.  If he wants some privacy he should have it.

I agree American citizens should have privacy.  George W Bush didn't so why I think this is pretty gross and tasteless I am not particularly outraged by it.

[MadImmortalMan]

I don't see the point in criticizing the paintings: they are better than I can do. What I think is more interesting is that it seems Bush 43 has an interest in art. It is one more piece of evidence that his Texas cowboy persona was complete bullshit. He came from a new england family, went to a new england prep school, got a degree from yale and another from harvard. And as soon as he leaves politics he moves to a big city rather than staying on his ranch. Culturally he is probably close to a carbon copy of Mitt Romney, but a better politician because he was able to cover that up.

Where does he live now?

[Barrister]

I don't see the point in criticizing the paintings: they are better than I can do. What I think is more interesting is that it seems Bush 43 has an interest in art. It is one more piece of evidence that his Texas cowboy persona was complete bullshit. He came from a new england family, went to a new england prep school, got a degree from yale and another from harvard. And as soon as he leaves politics he moves to a big city rather than staying on his ranch. Culturally he is probably close to a carbon copy of Mitt Romney, but a better politician because he was able to cover that up.

Where does he live now?

Dallas, apparently.

[Ideologue]

I don't see the point in criticizing the paintings: they are better than I can do. What I think is more interesting is that it seems Bush 43 has an interest in art. It is one more piece of evidence that his Texas cowboy persona was complete bullshit. He came from a new england family, went to a new england prep school, got a degree from yale and another from harvard. And as soon as he leaves politics he moves to a big city rather than staying on his ranch. Culturally he is probably close to a carbon copy of Mitt Romney, but a better politician because he was able to cover that up.

Where does he live now?

Dallas, apparently.

Wow, welcome to Metropolis, Smallville.

[jimmy olsen]

I don't see the point in criticizing the paintings: they are better than I can do. What I think is more interesting is that it seems Bush 43 has an interest in art. It is one more piece of evidence that his Texas cowboy persona was complete bullshit. He came from a new england family, went to a new england prep school, got a degree from yale and another from harvard. And as soon as he leaves politics he moves to a big city rather than staying on his ranch. Culturally he is probably close to a carbon copy of Mitt Romney, but a better politician because he was able to cover that up.

Where does he live now?

Dallas, apparently.

Wow, welcome to Metropolis, Smallville.

I think this counts as a large urban area.

Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area (the DFW MSA) that according to the March 2010 U.S. Census Bureau release, had a population of 6,371,773.[10] The metroplex economy is the sixth largest in the United States, with a 2010 gross metropolitan product of $374 billion.[

[Eddie Teach]

Well, he's been living in big cities like Washington and Austin for most of his life. Hardly surprising.

[Sheilbh]

Actual art critics don't comment on private amateur art.  Slate just got some snarky faux critics to write some snarky faux critiques.  It isn't amusing, or even adult.  It's just Slate:  the Online Magazine for the Timmays of the World.

Sure they do, once it's public. They'll comment on Churchill's paintings, snarkily on Harry's A-Level art entrance and any other celebrity whose paintings are made public.

It's exploitation of illegally obtained images. 

They're in the public domain. They're an online paper/blog thing, not nuns. Frankly I'm surprised the NYT didn't get their art critic to comment, I think most British papers did.

They're incredibly snarky comments about a guy's personal hobby.

Yeah. I still don't see the problem.

I agree American citizens should have privacy.

He was a politician for years and President for best part of a decade. His security is still being paid for by American taxpayers. I don't think he could get away with claiming a desire for a private life.

I agree his e-mails shouldn't be hacked, but no-one's should. That seems to me to be an issue of law. But more or less anything Bush does is of interest so once it's out there, by whatever means, it's legitimate for the media to comment.

[Sheilbh]

I think we need to know which of the last dozen presidents had the best fashion sense.

Reagan's one of the only men ever able to pull off a brown suit. That deserves some respect.

[Admiral Yi]

They're in the public domain. They're an online paper/blog thing, not nuns. Frankly I'm surprised the NYT didn't get their art critic to comment, I think most British papers did.

Profiting by one degree of removal from a criminal act is not ethical IMO.

They're incredibly snarky comments about a guy's personal hobby.

Yeah. I still don't see the problem.

The problem is the mean-spiritness and pettiness displayed by the writer and the critics.

Just being a dick may pass as "tough journalism" in the UK but here it's just being a dick.

[Sheilbh]

Profiting by one degree of removal from a criminal act is not ethical IMO.

What level of public interest makes it ethical?

But we don't deserve an ethical media. If we did, they'd be profitable.

Just being a dick may pass as "tough journalism" in the UK but here it's just being a dick.

It's not tough journalism or being a dick. It's, just celebrity journalism about a former politician.

[jimmy olsen]

I think we need to know which of the last dozen presidents had the best fashion sense.

Reagan's one of the only men ever able to pull off a brown suit. That deserves some respect.

He was a movie star, not really fair to judge other politicians by the same standard.

[Admiral Yi]

What level of public interest makes it ethical?

To justify use of hacked materials?  I think you need a crime.

[Sheilbh]

What level of public interest makes it ethical?

To justify use of hacked materials?  I think you need a crime.

Of hacked materials already in the public domain?

[Admiral Yi]

Of hacked materials already in the public domain?

Yes.

[Sheilbh]

Yes.

So what's the ethical limits of reporting on the hacking?