Bush: The Texas Getaway

US President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush went to Midland, Texas, on 4 October 2008; to visit his childhood home. Which is kind of ironic at this time, a little like a Bonnie and Clyde getaway or what some older Texans use to call, 'A Texas Getaway (on the run usually to home)?'

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 4, 2008

THE PRESIDENT: It's an amazing experience to come back to a place where you were raised. Laura was raised in Midland, I was raised in Midland, this is -- this is one of the three homes I lived in, and I kind of remember it. (Laughter.) The bedroom -- actually I do remember the wood on the wall that -- in the bedroom.

You know, I love Midland, and Texas. We've got a lot of friends here. I learned a lot of values that I hold dear here. It's good to see mom's -- Laura's mom here. And it's the first time I've been back here since I've been the President, and it's -- it was just a very heartwarming experience.

You know, I've told my friends here, I said, you know, I'm not going to change as a person because of politics or Washington -- that's what I said when I left. I think they appreciate that. I want them to know that, you know, even though I had to deal with a lot of tough issues, that I'm still the same person that they knew before and that, you know, I'm wiser, more experienced, but my heart and my values didn't change.

So it's great to see our friends. You know, we got a couple more hard months to go, and obviously we've got to deal with this financial situation. Congress took a big step in the direction of at least giving us the tools necessary to bring some stability into the marketplace. Got to get credit for them of course so that people feel -- feel comfortable about conducting business. So there's a lot of work to be done. In the meantime it's good to come back here to where it all started for us.

Anyway, thank you all. You're welcome to pay the fee to go in and see the house. (Laughter.)

END

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Who where Bonnie and Clyde?

This question was asked of me, after I mentioned Bonnie and Clyde under the above caption of Bush’s sudden visit to his childhood home and from my understanding, I am not the first person to equate the Bush’s with this infamous couple.

Apparently, some people did not know certain details about Bonnie and Clyde in the history of crime.

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow clowning for a camera, which they also were famous for doing.

Bonnie Parker (age 23) and Clyde Barrow (age 25) were notorious outlaws, robbers, and criminals who traveled the Central United States during the Great Depression; both where from the state of Texas and ran into Texas numerous times to visit family in Dallas or when other places got to hot for them, to hideout.

They where shot to death by officers in an ambush on a road near a Gibsland, Louisiana hideout, after one of the most colorful and spectacular manhunts the U.S. had yet seen at that time, at approximately 9:00 a.m, on 23 May 1934; also a lot of the US was relieved when they died for they where considered cold blooded killers. The ambush lasted approximately fifteen minutes and 130 rounds was said to have hit the car.

This pair will always be famous in the history of US crime.

The car Bonnie and Clyde where in after the ambush.

Bonnie and Clyde Death Scene Aftermath

This was also during the time the FBI called the “Public Enemy Era.”

It was said Bonnie and Clyde came to the attention of the FBI, because of Clyde stealing cars and taking them over Stateline, for Clyde never owned any of the cars during this time of crime sprees; his favorite was Ford make.

On the day they where killed from my reading on criminology, it was at the hands mostly by Texas rangers and police from Dallas, which was unusual in those days, since local police were not allowed to cross Stateline to chase a fugitive.

Bonnie and Clyde are also considered by many criminologists, to be the poster children to detour people from the life of crime or that crime does not pay.

The above photography of them clowning for a camera, is one of the most famous of this outlaw pair.

It should also be known, that Texas for a time had the reputation of being a safe haven for wanted criminal’s because people wouldn’t "turn them into the law" so it was easier to hideout; hence the term, “The Texas Getaway;” came into being as mentioned in the title to this post. Another place that had this same reputation was a part of Oklahoma, which used to be called the Cherokee Strip.

While there is much information on this pair of criminal’s either falsely glorifying or more accurate information, it was my hope to give a good idea of who this pair of criminals actually where and a little about the Great Depression time period.