Posted on 01/21/2005 3:57:34 AM PST by airedale
No Country Left Behind
"President Bush's speech was impressive, and also frightening to those who suspect that he really meant it.
President Bush stood at the apogee of his life Thursday, and he rose to the occasion. A small man (in our view), who became president through accident of birth and corruption of democracy, he has been legitimized by reelection, empowered by his party's control of all three branches of government and enlarged by history (in the form of 9/11). His second inaugural address was that of a large man indeed, eloquently weaving the big themes of his presidency and his life into a coherent philosophy and a bold vision of how he wants this country to spend the next four years........[[SNIP]]
.....In his brief discussion of domestic issues, Bush astonished again by endorsing a "broader definition of liberty" than the one in our founding documents. [[SNIP]]..... But the language is more Democratic than today's Democrats. Liberty does not just mean freedom from government oppression. It means "economic independence," he said. This is civic religion as promulgated by Franklin D. Roosevelt in his famous "Four Freedoms," but by no other president, Republican or Democrat, ever since.
In most other presidents, we would take all this talk with a grain of salt. But we suspect that Bush means it, which will make the next four years interesting, if nothing else."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
"...a small man..."
I guess Kinsley likes'em big.
When Michael Kinsley calls President Bush a small man, we can just roll our eyes.
I said there were shots and I left that one in. Read the entire piece and then consider the source and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Well at least as you can be when reading the LA Times. This is kind of a match for Peggy Noonan's Op-Ed in the Opinion Journal.
BTW when people compare President Bush’s positions to Woodrow Wilson’s you might want to point out all the invasions for United Fruit and others in South and Central America as well as his and his wife’s racism. Those are the antithesis of the message President Bush just delivered. The media only wants you to remember the League of Nations and the high sounding rhetoric that went with it.
I find the "accident of birth" a stupid comment... I'm sure George senior fully intended, well , you know...
What I find really asinine is the "corruption of democracy" statement. The United States is a REPUBLIC, it even says so in the Constitution - - I wish people would stop using the "democracy" description, even our own political allies...
I find the "accident of birth" a stupid comment... I'm sure George senior fully intended, well , you know...
What I find really asinine is the "corruption of democracy" statement. The United States is a REPUBLIC, it even says so in the Constitution - - I wish people would stop using the "democracy" description, even our own political allies...
When a liberal compares a Republican favorably to Franklin Roosevelt it's worth noting. Give them a day or two for the shock and awe to wear off and the battle fatigue to set in and they will mount a feeble response lead by Scherer and Kinsley. But for now that's a very surprising editorial for the LA Times.
The NYT also wrote an ALMOST complementary piece. This was really one heck of a speech to get that much from both of these toilet paper rolls.
how did I miss the positive part?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.