Conservatives Claim Bush, Not Obama, Deserves Majority Of Credit For Bin Laden Death

Wash. Times: “Had Mr. Obama Been In Mr. Bush's Position On Sept. 11, 2001, Bin Laden Would Still Be Alive Today, And Probably Winning.” In a May 2 editorial, The Washington Times wrote that Obama showed “no class” in his speech announcing bin Laden's death, claiming that Obama “snub[bed]” Bush and “prais[ed] himself.” The Times further wrote: “Had Mr. Obama been in Mr. Bush's position on Sept. 11, 2001, bin Laden would still be alive today, and probably winning.” From the Times' editorial, headlined, “No Class: Obama snubs Bush, praises himself”:

It can be awkward when a dove tries to pass himself off as a war hero. From the tone of President Obama's speech Sunday night, it'd be easy to conclude he was the one who came up with the idea that America should hunt down and kill Osama bin Laden.

[...]

The national unity, sense of purpose and offensive posture were largely the result of Mr. Bush's decisive action and strong leadership following national tragedy. Had Mr. Obama been in Mr. Bush's position on Sept. 11, 2001, bin Laden would still be alive today, and probably winning. [The Washington Times, 5/2/11]

Wash. Times' Decker: “Bin Laden's Death Is More Mr. Bush's Victory Than Mr. Obama's.” In a May 2 Washington Times column, editorial page editor Brett Decker wrote:

President Obama took to the airwaves shortly before midnight to confirm the good news and take credit for it. The wording of his short statement made it clear that the campaign season for his 2012 reelection bid is fully underway. He used the words “I,” “me” and “my” so many times it was hard to count for such a quick message. Not only is this consistent with his view that everything is about him, it also reflected the reality that this president is weak and perceived by the world to be a lackluster leader who has undermined American power. He needs to grab any opportunity he can to make himself believable as a commander in chief. Crowds flocked to White House gates to celebrate bin Laden's demise, giving this unpopular president a rare glimpse of public support that won't last long.

Mr. Obama called his predecessor, former President George W. Bush, to tell him the news. This was only fitting as it was Mr. Bush's policies that took the fight to the enemy and didn't back down despite opposition from timid politicians such as then-Sen. Barack Obama. Bin Laden's death is more Mr. Bush's victory than Mr. Obama's because American forces wouldn't even be fighting in South Asia had Democratic doves had their way. Mr. Obama may indeed have instructed CIA Director Leon Panetta to make the capture of bin Laden a top priority, as he boasted Sunday night, but he was reiterating a mandate already established as national policy. [The Washington Times, 5/2/11, emphasis added]

WSJ Asked: “Should Bush Get Credit For Bin Laden Killing?” A post on The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire blog asking, “Should Bush Get Credit for bin Laden Killing?” highlighted arguments by several former Bush administration officials arguing that Bush deserves credit for putting in place the policies that led to bin Laden's capture:

Could the successful U.S. operation that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden lead to a reassessment of the Bush administration's national security apparatus, much of which has been the focus of political controversy?

Some former Bush administration officials are arguing for that in light of the U.S. operation that killed bin Laden. U.S. officials say some of the initial strands of intelligence that eventually led to Sunday's military operation came from terror detainees captured after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, including some held at the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. [The Wall Street Journal, 5/2/11]

Palin: “We Thank President Bush For Having Made The Right Calls To Set Up This Victory.” In an article about Sarah Palin's appearance at Colorado Christian University on May 2, The Denver Post reported:

Less than 24 hours after the world learned Osama bin Laden was dead, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin took the stage at Colorado Christian University to headline a group of speakers who paid tribute to American troops and hailed the killing of the world's most-wanted man.

“Their courage and their determination brought us justice,” Palin said of those who hunted the terrorist figurehead for nearly 10 years. “They know that freedom isn't free. It's a God-given right and worth fighting for.”

Palin never mentioned President Barack Obama by name -- instead saying, “We thank President (George W.) Bush for having made the right calls to set up this victory.” [The Denver Post, 5/3/11]

NRO's Lopez Hyped Argument That “Obama Might Have Noted That This Work Began Under President Bush, But As Usual He Did Not.” From the National Review Online blog, The Corner:

Elliott Abrams writes:

President Obama will bask in the satisfaction of all Americans that justice has finally been done-and done through an assault that combined the best of intelligence work with a courageous and well planned military operation. It is entirely appropriate that Mr. Obama and the Administration get and take a fair amount of credit.

It is therefore unfortunate that Mr. Obama seems to want more than that fair share the American people will naturally and rightly give him. His remarks last night were far too much laced with words like “I met repeatedly,” “at my direction,” and “I determined,” trying to take personal credit for the years of painstaking work by our intelligence community. Mr. Obama might have noted that this work began under President Bush, but as usual he did not. It was also a mistake for him to use this occasion to deliver unrelated comments about “the pursuit of prosperity for our people” and “the struggle for equality for all our citizens.” A shorter and more straightforward announcement would have been more appropriate for this occasion. [National Review Online, 5/2/11]

Breitbart's Big Peace: “If Any One Person, In Addition To Our Military Personnel, Deserves To Be Singled Out For Adoration At This Time It's George W. Bush.” In a May 2 post on Andrew Breitbart's Big Peace website titled, “George W. Bush Vindicated,” contributor AWR Hawkins wrote:

Let's be honest folks: if any one person, in addition to our military personnel, deserves to be singled out for adoration at this time it's George W. Bush. It was Bush who stood when Democrats -- Obama and others -- did their best to undercut him as he launched and maintained the War on Terror.

In 2001, it was Bush who launched the War on Terror to exact justice on those behind the 9/11 attacks: who so memorably stood with the firemen at Ground Zero and promised, “I can hear you, the rest of the world hears you, and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon.” And in 2003, it was Bush who famously said of Bin Laden: "[He is] on the run ... he's certainly not leading any parades these days. ... He's probably in a hole somewhere hiding from justice. We'll get him - dead or alive." (Admittedly, I always liked the “dead” option best.)

In response to these things, Obama's fellow Democrats and his friends in the mainstream media (MSM) mocked Bush for acting like a cowboy.

[...]

Yet Bush did not budge. Regardless of the ridicule, he stayed the course. (The mockery Bush faced from Obama and other Democrats has been well documented by David Limbaugh.)

[...]

Therefore, the point that needs to be made is that George W. Bush deserves our gratitude for refusing to back down when the war was unpopular. He merits all the honor we can bestow upon him for not giving in when he was called every name in the book and openly slandered by MSM personalities. He is to be commended for standing with our troops when Democrats (like Obama) threatened to cut their funding, and for staying out of the limelight when our troops achieved great things (like capturing Saddam Hussein), because he wanted the troops to have the honor. (Obama, on the other hand, can't wait to tell us what he authorized, decided, etc.)

Thank God for George W. Bush: the man who possessed the fortitude to make certain the people “who knocked [those] buildings down [have heard from] all of us [now].” [Big Peace, 5/2/11]

Fox & Friends Graphic: “Does President Bush Deserve More Credit?” During the May 3 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, the following on-screen text aired during a segment on the killing of bin Laden:

[Fox News, Fox & Friends, 5/3/11]

Fox's Bolling: “Thank GWB For This Not BHO!” In a May 2 post on his Twitter feed, Fox Business host Eric Bolling wrote: “Andrea Mitchell just said 'this is a game changer for Barack Obama'.. WHAT?? Thank GWB for this not BHO!” Bolling later posted a follow-up “correction” on Twitter, writing: “correction.. thank The men and women who risked and lost their lives and GWB...not BHO.”

[Twitter, 5/2/11; 5/2/11]

Laura Ingraham: Obama “Should Have Thanked GWB.” In two May 2 posts on Twitter, Fox News contributor Laura Ingraham accused Obama of turning his remarks on bin Laden “into a campaign speech,” adding: “He should have thanked GWB, not reminded us OBL escaped.” Ingraham later posted, “BHO: ” 'America can do whatever we set our mind to' ... like keep spending according to my budget and raise the debt ceiling!"

[Twitter, 5/2/11; 5/2/11]

But Conservatives Previously Said Obama, Not Bush, Is To Blame For Economy

Doocy Complained Obama “Blamed Bush” For Poor Economy. From the April 22 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends:

STEVE DOOCY (co-host): The president had a message throughout yesterday and that was: You know, we've done our best, but this is a tough slog. And once again he went to a recurring theme: he blamed Bush. Listen:

[begin video clip]

OBAMA: I have to say that, you know, at the time, I cautioned people. I said, “We may not get there in one year. We may not even get there in one term.”

[...]

OBAMA: It turns out that the climb was even steeper than some of us had anticipated.

[...]

OBAMA: We took office in the middle of the worst recession in our lifetimes. One that left millions of Americans without jobs, hundreds of thousands of people without homes."

[end video clip] [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 4/22/11 via Media Matters]

Hannity: It's “Time For [Obama] To Man-Up And Stop Blaming Bush” For The Economy. From the August 19, 2010, edition of Fox News' Hannity:

HANNITY: Democrats, they're not running on the stimulus, they're not running on health care. They are not running on their association with change, and yes we can, or the economy or the jobs. They're running from the president. I don't think they can be successful, they're stuck at the hip now.

CAROLINE HELDMAN, OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE: Well, this is quite standard, right, Sean, for an economic down turn.

HANNITY: Quite standard.

HELDMAN: It is pretty standard --

HANNITY: It's Obama's economic down turn.

HELDMAN: No, it's not. He inherited it from George W. Bush.He inherited the deficit from the George W. Bush.

HANNITY: Bush, Bush, time for him to man-up and stop blaming Bush. Get over it. Two years get over it.

HELDMAN: Two years -- a year and a half and he still hasn't been able to cleanup his mess.

DENEEN BORELLI, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Playing the Bush card is over.

HELDMAN: It's history, I'm sorry I don't revise history.

BORELLI: We're looking at government gone wild with the spending, debt and deficit. The American people are tired of the policies coming out of this administration as well.

HANNITY: They're rejecting it and he's had two years and this blame Bush mentality is not - look, let him try it for the next 75 days, but you know what? He ran for the job. He begged for the job. He got the job. He promised unemployment wouldn't go above 8 percent. Now, he doesn't want to take responsibility for what he passed. [Fox News, Hannity, 8/19/10, via Nexis]

Limbaugh: Obama “Owns” The Bad Economy; “It Is His.” During the August 2, 2010, edition of his radio show, Rush Limbaugh said: “Forty-eight percent -- latest Rasmussen poll -- 48 percent blame Obama for the bad economy, 47 percent blame Bush. Forty-eight percent now blame Obama for the economy. He owns it. It is his.” [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 8/2/10, via Media Matters]

Fox Business' Sandra Smith Suggests Obama Administration Should “Take Ownership Of What Has Happened And What Has Not Happened So Far.” From the July 14, 2010, edition of Fox News' Hannity:

HANNITY: All right. Do you see any hope -- any chance that they turn this around in 111 days?

WALLACE: Well, look, I hope they turn the economy around. I hope for the people looking for jobs.

HANNITY: And 112 days from now, I hope the economy turns around.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

WALLACE: I hope for the good for the country, I think --

HANNITY: I know. I do, too.

WALLACE: But I don't see any sign that this White House is capable of punching out of their ideology and their -- the bubble that they're in. And it seems like the arrogance and the supreme confidence keeps them --

SMITH: Yes. And until the administration -- until President Obama is able to step in front of the American people, admit mistakes, take ownership of what has happened and what has not happened so far, the American people think that their -- that Washington is just not listening to them and that's the biggest problem. [Fox News, Hannity, 7/14/10, via Nexis]

Limbaugh: “This Is The Democrats' Economy -- Obama Didn't Inherit Anything. This Is Not Bush's Economy.” From the July 12, 2010, edition of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:

LIMBAUGH: Look at this headline at Politico. This is from a couple days ago. “Liberals analyze their Obama 'despair.' ” I wonder if Kathleen Sebelius has a shot for this. Any H1N1 vaccine shots left?

“For many liberals this is the summer of their discontent.” Really? You know, it's really hard to see why the Democrats and the media are getting so wee-weed up here just when Obama's war against prosperity is finally beginning to show results. What is there to have any despair about?

Look, folks, an informed electorate would realize that after three and a half years, it's safe to say this is the Democrats' economy. Obama didn't inherit anything. This is not Bush's economy. There's no Republican on Earth, not one, not even the worst RINO you can imagine -- there's not one Republican who, in the last 18 months, would have implemented even one of Obama's ideas, stratagems, or policies -- not one.

An informed electorate would -- I mean, Obama ought to be in the 30s. Obama's approval ought to be at best 25 with an informed electorate, because they would realize, after three and a half years, this is what you get with Democrats. This is what you get with socialists. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 7/12/10, via Media Matters]

Van Susteren: “Obama Owns The [Economic] Trend. Had It Been A Good Trend He Would Get Credit.” During a July 2010 discussion on Fox News' On the Record about polls that heralded “bad news for Democrats,” host Greta Van Susteren asked pollster Doug Schoen what Democrats could do to turn things around. From the discussion that followed:

SCHOEN: They could articulate some core principles about what they want to do to stimulate the economy. More likely what they are going to do is blame George Bush.

And there's a lot of poll evidence that shows independents, while not being comfortable with the Democrats, are deeply suspicious of the Republicans as well. What I think the president and his allies are going to do is try and demonize the Republicans as the means of being the lesser of two evils.

VAN SUSTEREN: You say articulate principles. The problem I would think is voters are tired of hearing. They really want to see some action. Democrats were in a good position of blaming Bush and on the economy they took office, but once they did the stimulus bill they changed the way of restructuring the economy, and they did something dramatic.

President Obama owns the trend. Had it been a good trend he would get credit. I don't understand how in the world blaming Bush after you do that, how he can do that. [Fox News, On the Record with Greta Van Susteren, 7/7/10, via Nexis]

K.T. McFarland: “The Bottom Line Is Obama Now Owns The Economy. ... He Can't Blame It On [Bush] Anymore.” During a July 2009 edition of Hannity, discussing a poll finding that "[m]ore American blame Barack Obama for the bad economy," guest K.T. McFarland stated:

McFARLAND: The bottom line is Obama now owns the economy. Whatever he can, he can't blame it on the predecessor anymore. He's had TARP one, he's had the stimulus. He's got unemployment figures. And so it's now his, and it's not going well. And I think what you're seeing is a reflection of people getting really nervous about the debt. [Fox News, Hannity, 7/9/09, via Nexis]

Conservatives Attacked Obama For Criticizing Bush-Era Policies That Were Blamed For Gulf Oil Spill

Perino: Democrats Are “Ridiculous” And “Offensive” To Lay Any Blame For Oil Spill On Bush Administration. On June 14, 2010, on Fox News' Fox & Friends, former Bush press secretary Dana Perino said that it was “offensive,” “small,” and “ridiculous” to put any blame for the Gulf oil spill on the Bush administration. From Fox & Friends:

BRIAN KILMEADE (co-host): So there you have it on the Sunday shows as if the president Bush left yesterday. He's blaming -- I mean, does President Bush have to go back, or someone like yourself go back and say what you inherited?

PERINO: Well, you know, we could, but I think that the American people by now they've -- it's gone from being, okay, yeah, we get it, you're blaming them to being ridiculous to now just being offensive and I think they look so small. And I think about those leaders -- they know that that is not true. They know that there are answers to every single one of those things and they chose not to talk about them.

And if you -- if one of those reporters had had the guts to say name one, name one regulatory piece that was repealed during the Bush administration that led to this or that. And instead they don't ask them about their role in the housing crisis or in the banking crisis. And I think I'm pretty sure that there are a lot of Democrats suggesting that we also try to drill for our own resources here in America because we have a national security and national economic security situation when it comes to our oil resources so it's just ridiculous.

KILMEADE: Right. Dana, also there's been at least 30,000 different wells drilled over the last 50 years in the Gulf. There's never been any accidents. Because one happens, it's George Bush's fault?

PERINO: Right. That's why it sounds so ridiculous. And I think, you know, if it was children that parents would fight - you know, children fighting in the back seat of a road trip, I think the parents would finally turn around and say, shut up or we're going to kick you out of the car. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 6/14/10, via Media Matters]

Morris: “What's He Going To Do, Posthumously Blame Bush?” In a May 2010 interview with Newsmax, Dick Morris responded to the Obama administration noting the lack of oversight of the Bush administration's Minerals Management Service, which oversees offshore drilling, by asking if Obama would “posthumously blame Bush.” [Newsmax, 5/28/10, via Media Matters]

Huckabee: “Next, George Bush Will Be Responsible For The Kidnapping Of The Lindbergh Baby.” In an interview on Fox News' Hannity, Fox News host Mike Huckabee said it was “outrageous” for blame to be laid on the Bush administration for MMS mismanagement, and that “next George Bush will be responsible for the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby.” From Hannity:

TUCKER CARLSON (guest host): So, earlier this week, the center for American progress basically the in-house think tank of the Obama administration from which many Obama administration officials have come, issuing a report referring to this oil spill as quote “Dick Cheney's Katrina” and trying to lay the blame, you can imagine, on the now retired former vice president and the reasoning was so tortured and stupid, I won't repeat it here. We are seeing this again and again from the left trying to make this somehow a product of conservatism, this bill.

HUCKABEE: That, to me, is an outrageous, ridiculous approach. I mean, next George Bush will be responsible for the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby. I mean, where does this stuff stop? You know, at some point is I've been trying to say, Barack Obama bought the cow, it's his to milk. He can no longer blame everything he experiences on George Bush and Dick Cheney and the Republicans. He has a majority in the House. He has it in the Senate. He got the White House, and he's had it for a year and a half. He has to man-up and accept responsibility to be president of the United States. [Fox News, Hannity, 6/4/10, via Nexis]

O'Reilly: “Dishonest” For Democrats To “Continue To Lay It All On Bush.” On the June 14, 2010, edition of his Fox News show, Bill O'Reilly said that “there was not much difference in the Bush oil policy than the Clinton oil policy” and that “there's plenty of blame to go around,” so “for the Democrats to continue to lay it all on Bush is flat out dishonest.” From The O'Reilly Factor:

O'REILLY: President Bush did ban drilling off Florida's west coast. And there was not much difference in the Bush oil policy than the Clinton oil policy. Both presidents allowed deep water drilling in some areas, as did President Obama. And Congress went along with it.

So there's plenty of blame to go around. And for the Democrats to continue to lay it all on Bush is flat out dishonest. [Fox News, The O'Reilly Factor, 6/14/10, via Nexis]

Hannity: Chris Dodd Has “Lost His Mind” To Blame Bush For Spill. On the May 25, 2010, edition of Hannity, Hannity responded to Sen. Chris Dodd's comments about the Bush administration's role in the mismanagement of MMS by saying, “clearly, he lost his mind,” and that “maybe a guy like Chris Dodd, who was shamed into retirement and amid the stench of corruption -- maybe he should keep his opinions to himself.” From Hannity:

HANNITY: Now that the administration says they're in charge and they own this crisis, I guess that means anything and everything that happens from this moment on is on their watch. They are responsible. They will be held accountable. But at least one Democrat isn't on message and is still blaming all of this, believe it or not, on George W. Bush. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DODD: They come into office a year ago with all of this. And so after the last eight years of...

IMUS: Oh, come on!

DODD: ... a regulatory environment where ... drill, drill, drill. You -- what -- I think you were quoting “Drill, drill drill” a few months ago, weren't you, and Sarah Palin, the two of you? Drill, drill, drill?

IMUS: Now, I wasn't saying it. Don't try to lump me with Sarah Palin. And don't use that lame excuse to me about the Bush administration. Have you lost your mind!

DODD: Not at all.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HANNITY: Well, clearly, he lost his mind, and I'm glad Imus was there to call him out on that. Now, maybe a guy like Chris Dodd, who was shamed into retirement and amid the stench of corruption -- maybe he should keep his opinions to himself. [Fox News, Hannity, 5/25/10, via Nexis]

Hannity: “When Do We Get Over This Idea That Everything” Is Bush's Fault? From the May 25 edition of Hannity:

HANNITY: Let me deal with the issue of Imus and Chris Dodd. I mean, the economy is Bush's fault. The financial crisis is Bush's fault. The terrorist, you know, watch list is Bush's fault. Everything is Bush's fault. Eighteen months Barack Obama has been president of the United States. When do we get over this idea that everything is George W. Bush's fault?

PERINO: Well, they seem that they can't help themselves. Like Chris Dodd, right, like, on the shampoo bottle, it says “rinse and repeat”...

(LAUGHTER)

PERINO: That's all they do. It's, like, over and over and over again. And it's a common response. [Fox News, Hannity, 5/25/10, via Nexis]

Andrew Malcolm: Dodd Is “Eager To Spread Blame Elsewhere.” Responding to Dodd's comments, Los Angeles Times blogger and former Laura Bush press secretary Andrew Malcolm wrote: “Chris Dodd has been in the U.S. Senate now for five six-year terms and might have been looking into drilling safety precautions instead of special mortgage deals. So he too is eager to spread blame elsewhere.” [Los Angeles Times, Top of the Ticket, 5/25/10]

Conservatives Deflected Responsibility For The Nation's Deficit Problems Away From Bush

Kilmeade: Obama's Speech Was “Blame Bush.” On Fox & Friends, Kilmeade claimed that the theme of Obama's budget speech amounted to “blame Bush.” Guest co-host Peter Johnson Jr. responded by saying, “All the way. Very perceptive, Brian.” Kilmeade then stated, “How could you possibly, three years into your presidency, blame what happened eight years ago or along the way?” From Fox & Friends:

GRETCHEN CARLSON (co-host): And even people on [Obama's] own debt commission, Republican and Democrat -- you have Alan Simpson, a former senator from Wyoming, and Erskine Bowles, the Democrat who is the co-chair -- apparently they were sitting in the front row of this speech. Now, according to one account, Erskine Bowles would not even turn around to talk to reporters after this speech. And, apparently, Alan Simpson said to a reporter, pray for the gang of six -- those are the three Democrats and the three Republicans who are trying to come together to hammer out their own plan with regard to the debt, and he says pray for them.

KILMEADE: What do you mean by that? What do you think he meant?

CARLSON: I'll let the viewers decide what Alan Simpson says about that.

JOHNSON: Well, he was scoffing at the notion that somehow it was a plan. There had been all this build-up that this was going to be a plan by the president to counter what the Republican Party had been talking about in terms of cutting the deficit, and then we had a 44-minute speech.

KILMEADE: Which was blame Bush.

JOHNSON: All the way. Very perceptive, Brian.

KILMEADE: How could you possibly, three years into your presidency, blame what happened eight years ago or along the way. And plus there's a problem with that argument, which we'll debate later in the show. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 4/14/11, via Media Matters]

Kilmeade: “The Thing That I Was Most Stunned About Is The Way He Brought Up, Without Saying The Name, President Bush.” Later on Fox & Friends, Kilmeade stated, “The thing that I was most stunned about is the way he brought up, without saying the name, President Bush.” He continued:

KILMEADE: The thing that I was most stunned about is the way he brought up, without saying the name, President Bush. He said, we used to be on the right fiscal path in the 90s, and we would have been fine today if it wasn't for the last 10 years where we got off track and we ran up huge deficits. Because he claims these tax cuts - you know, the tax cuts where 1 percent of this country pay almost 40 percent of the total tax burden. They're already shouldering it. Let alone the state tax that comes in. But yet the president seems to be couching it as the fortunate people, who, of course, come from royalty and don't earn money -- they just have it. Those fortunate people -- those are the ones that got to give more. Then everyone will be OK. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 4/14/11, via Media Matters]

Carlson: “Obama Back To The Bush Blame Game When It Comes To The Deficit.” Later on Fox & Friends, Carlson teased an upcoming segment by stating: “And as we told you, President Obama back to the bush Blame game when it comes to the deficit. But now that he's holding the checkbook, does that argument really work?” While Carlson spoke, on-screen text stated, “Bush blame game”:

[Fox News, Fox & Friends, 4/14/11, via Media Matters]

Kilmeade: “President Obama Is Still Playing The Bush Blame Game.” Introducing a segment on Obama's speech, Kilmeade stated:

KILMEADE: Well, the national debt has increased by $3.65 trillion since President Obama has taken office. But despite that fact, the deficit is now more than $14 trillion, President Obama is still playing the Bush blame game. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 4/14/11, via Media Matters]

Doug Powers: Obama's “Obligatory Bush Blame” Was “Predictable.” In an April 13 post on Michelle Malkin's blog, Doug Powers wrote that "[t]he 'predictable as the sun rising in the east' part was, of course, the obligatory Bush blame." From Powers' post:

The “predictable as the sun rising in the east” part was, of course, the obligatory Bush blame:

To give you an idea of how much damage this caused to our national checkbook, consider this: in the last decade, if we had simply found a way to pay for the tax cuts and the prescription drug benefit, our deficit would currently be at low historical levels in the coming years. [MichelleMalkin.com, 4/13/11]

Jim Geraghty: “There Is A Lot Of Blaming Bush” In Obama's Budget Speech. From an April 13 National Review Online post by Jim Geraghty:

There is a lot of blaming Bush in this speech. Quick perspective: Using numbers from the U.S. Treasury, we see that the debt during Bush's eight years in office increased from $5.7 trillion to $10.6 trillion, or $4.9 trillion over eight years. That's bad; that's basically $610 billion per year. But in the less than three years Obama has been in office, the debt has increased from $10.6 trillion to $14.2 trillion, a $3.6 trillion increase in about 27 months. In other words, Obama is increasing the debt by $1.6 trillion per year, three times as fast as Bush. [National Review Online, 4/13/11]