Listen, basically this is unacceptable

The Washington Post ran a piece that indirectly points out the increasingly crazed nature of Bush's rantings by remarking on his growing reliance on the word "unacceptable":

Bush's decision to lay down blunt new markers about the things he deems intolerable comes at an odd time, a phase of his presidency in which all manner of circumstances are not bending to his will: national security setbacks in North Korea and Iraq, a Congress that has shrugged its shoulders at his top domestic initiatives, a favorability rating mired below 40 percent.

But a survey of transcripts from Bush's public remarks over the past seven years shows the president's worsening political predicament has actually stoked, rather than diminished, his desire to proclaim what he cannot abide. Some presidential scholars and psychologists describe the trend as a signpost of Bush's rising frustration with his declining influence.

So instead of actually doing something about these problems, like negotiate or seriously reflect on his options and work towards solutions (for example, actually defining what victory means in Iraq) or, I don't know, RESIGNING, the President tells whoever will listen that the world is unacceptable. Yet another practice of the Bush administration I wish I could use in my everyday life.

Meter maid: Well, the meter is expired, so I'm going to have to write you a ticket.
Me: Considering I was only five minutes late, I find this ticket UNACCEPTABLE.
Meter maid: Okay sir, but I still have to give you a ticket.
Me: This seriously is UNACCEPTABLE!
Meter maid: Oh, I see! Well, sorry, carry on!

Oh, that would be sweet...

The Washington Post article ends though by referencing one my favorite Bush speech patterns, and something I think is inherently better than declaring things incontinent to your world view. Good ol' fashion raising your voice and condensation!

Bush's proclamations are not the only rhetorical evidence of his mounting frustrations. One of his favorite verbal tics has long been to instruct audiences bluntly to "listen" to what he is about to say, as in "Listen, America is respected" (Aug. 30) or "Listen, this economy is good" (May 24). This year, he made that request more often than he did in a comparable portion of 2005, a sign that he hasn't given up hope it might work.

For me, starting a sentence with "Listen" works just as well as using "basically", which I believe is a fav of VP Dick. Both serve well in letting your audience know something along the lines of "I have little respect for their ability to understand things, so I am going to speak to you like a moron in hopes my words will get through that mush of cells you call a brain." Here are two great examples from the Dick VP in the same interview in March of this year on CBS's Face the Nation:

..Q Mr. Vice President, all along the government has been very optimistic. You remain optimistic. But I remember when you were saying we'd be greeted as liberators. You played down the insurgency. Ten months ago, you said it was in its last throes. Do you believe that these optimistic statements may be one of the reasons that people seem to be more skeptical in this country about whether we ought to be in Iraq?

THE VICE PRESIDENT: No, I think it has less to do with statements we've made, which I think were basically accurate, and reflect reality, than it does the fact that there is a constant sort of perception, if you will, that's created because what's newsworthy is the car bomb in Baghdad.

...

[in response to former Scowcroft's "I don't know Dick Cheney anymore quote"] And I think a lot of my friends out there look and see some of the policies, we've pursued and disagree. But to suggest somehow I've changed, or my fundamental views of the world have evolved over time, basically, I don't think that's valid.

Oh man, here's another great example from Cheney from just this June, using it twice in the same sentence!

...What the Democrats are suggesting basically you can call it withdrawal, you can call it redeployment, whatever you want to call it, basically it's -- in effect, validates the terrorist strategy.

What it really is unimportant. Basically, I could care fucking less about your questions, but I pretend to do. Listen, that's how it's done. Now, let me tell you about how all this shit is unacceptable!

Here's a google search full of more examples

Ah, good times.