Nelson Mandela Released From Hospital, But George Bush Thought He Died

19.80K

Max Rivlin-Nadler

09/01/13 11:30AM

Filed to: Mandela

Nelson Mandela, former South African president and global anti-oppression icon, has been released from a hospital in Pretoria where he has been ailing since June. He will continue his difficult recovery from home.

But in a statement earlier this morning, George H.W. Bush (or the people running his website) jumped the gun on Mandela's death with a pre-written statement:

"Barbara and I mourn the passing of one of the greatest believers in freedom we have had the privilege to know. As President, I watched in wonder as Nelson Mandela had the remarkable capacity to forgive his jailers following 26 years of wrongful imprisonment — setting a powerful example of redemption and grace for us all. He was a man of tremendous moral courage, who changed the course of history in his country. Barbara and I had great respect for President Mandela, and send our condolences to his family and countrymen."

Mandela's representatives maintain that the 95-year-old leader remains very much with us. "It is clearly incorrect," presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj told reporters.

George H.W. Bush's people admitted their mistake shortly afterwards:

The 41 stmnt sent this morning was the result of my mis-reading the header on the WaPo news flash. Stupid mistake by me. Apologies to all.
— Jim McGrath (@jgm41) September 1, 2013

Mandela remains in critical condition, but will attempt to recover in the confines of his home, away from an encampment of press that have surrounded his hospital since he fell gravely ill in June. Several news companies, as well as public representatives, have already prepared obituaries for the famous leader (as is the custom with any major public figure), and they're ready to be published the second the news of his death breaks.

But for the moment, Nelson Mandela is still with us.

The following replies are approved. To see additional replies that are pending approval, click Show Pending. Warning: These may contain graphic material.

3

RoboBadger Max Rivlin-Nadler 09/01/13 11:17AM

Hope he's well enough to call Obama. Obama doesn't really seem to have learned anything about Mandela's message of how much positive change can accomplished WITHOUT war.

20

Set Fire to the Room--do it now (fiends NOT friends) RoboBadger 09/01/13 11:26AM

He's going home to continue receiving intensive care. He's not well enough to call Obama.

Also: what? This doesn't make any sense.

7

Bostonistoodamncold RoboBadger 09/01/13 11:30AM

Maybe he should call Assad...

2

jemee'l RoboBadger 09/01/13 11:30AM

Positive change includes standing up to corrupt governments. Mandela has stood by silently as wages have dropped, crime has increased, education and government services have declined and South Africa has comfortably settled into its current position of 'most-successful one-party African barely-functioning pseudo-democracy'. That is not saying much. Unless Mandela stands up to the ANC before he dies, his legacy will forever be tarnished.

2

BigSteve RoboBadger 09/01/13 12:13PM

Haha, this is like "Cortez the Killer" of Internet comments.

4

DrPrincess Max Rivlin-Nadler 09/01/13 11:57AM

I require my presidents to be smarter than I am. They have an incredibly hard job; intricate in details, intensive in history, laws, economics, public speaking, to list a few needed skills. I never felt that George Bush fit this requirement. And now I have more proof.

5

isgk DrPrincess 09/01/13 12:42PM

Exactly, it's not like he's almost 90 suffers from parkinson's, can no longer walk and is recovering from heart surgery right now... oh wait.

1

Sonofadog DrPrincess 09/01/13 02:52PM

As if Pres. Bush had anything to do with sending that prepared statement. Seriously. Wake up.

Riddles McUnderwear DrPrincess 09/01/13 04:11PM

You obviously think this article is about George W. Bush, despite the fact that it is clearly about his father, so maybe you shouldn't be calling people stupid.

1

Azazel28 DrPrincess 09/02/13 06:03AM

There are constant rumours that he's died. I don't blame him for this. I work at a newspaper in Johannesburg and one of our sister publications was on the verge of publishing news that he'd died after getting confirmation from sources high in the ANC and then it came out it was bullshit. It's partly because his shyster children said in court papers that they were on the verge of pulling the plug because they wanted to move the graves of his children so that they could bury him somewhere else in the hope that his burial place would become a tourist attraction. Winnie Mandela and her children are scumbags.

26

HashTagYoloisback Max Rivlin-Nadler 09/01/13 11:16AM

Oh shit, is Morgan Freeman okay? Maybe that's why Bush got confused.

13

sb Max Rivlin-Nadler 09/01/13 11:45AM

Is this the first time anyone in either Bush administration has ever apologized for anything, ever? Aren't we witnessing an historical moment here? If this was Ari Fleischer, wouldn't he say, "The information we received at the time of the release was thought to be accurate and we feel we should be praised for making the correction rather than be criticized and you all should know that your criticisms are noted and will be remembered." Honestly, we should mark this date in history.

JRW sb 09/01/13 01:29PM

I think after he lost the election Bush the Elder apologized for raising taxes.

unfairpoint sb 09/02/13 07:41AM

wasn't ari fleischer the press sec. of w and not sr.?

Lena Martin sb 09/16/13 01:38PM

We know Obama would never admit to a mistake.