Posted on 02/22/2005 6:05:40 AM PST by NorthOf45
Bush tapes value to history
By Peter Worthington - For the Toronto Sun
February 22, 2005
Should a matter of historical importance take precedence over personal ethics? It is a question that has surfaced in the U.S. over the secret tapings of casual conversations with George W. Bush before he became president.
The New York Times broke the story of Doug Wead, a "friend" of the Bush family who was an aide for the senior Bush when he was president, and who secretly taped conversations with George W. Bush between 1998 and 2000 when he was Texas governor and contemplating running for the presidency. Wead is author of the best-selling Raising of a President, and before that Families of the Presidents.
The 12 tapings provide an intriguing insight into the thinking of the man who would be president. To future historians, Wead's tapes may be invaluable. To many, they are an unforgivable invasion of privacy and a betrayal of trust.
Wead told the Times: "I just felt the historical point I was making triumphed a personal relationship." He thought it important to secretly tape Bush, because "like him or not, he is going to be a huge historical figure."
Consistent
That rationale can justify almost any abuse of confidence with a political or famous figure. What's intriguing in the pre-President Bush views is his consistency, moderation, basic decency. He's the same in private as he is in public.
In the course of conversations, he said he wouldn't answer questions about possible drug use, because he didn't want some kid saying "if the president tried it, why shouldn't I?" Bush ruminates on his religious convictions, and there is little evidence of a fundamentalist zeal that some of his foes claim to fear.
He is frank about his "wild behaviour" as a youth," which he tells Wead he has no intention of denying -- or explaining in detail. He simply matured, and put wildness behind him. He is also sympathetic to Bill Clinton, whom he felt never grew out of a certain immaturity (Oval Office antics?) but also thinks Clinton "disgraced the nation."
As for Wead, feelings are mixed. In some ways he has done a service by his secret tapings -- a service to Bush, even, as there's little in the tapes that will hurt him, and a lot that look both human, decent and visionary. But at what cost to Wead? Ethically, what he did was reprehensible, for which it's hard to see any defence: The betrayal of a friendship.
In the continuing probe of what makes this president tick, Wead's secret recordings lend substance to the book my son-in-law -- that nice David Frum -- wrote after he left the White House as a speech writer for Bush during 9/11: The Right Man. Prior to the 2000 election, David and I saw the candidacy of Bush slightly differently. I was more enthusiastic than he for John McCain. In his book, David notes he was uneasy about accepting the White House job because of Bush, but gained enormous respect for his character, resolve, leadership during 9/11.
Oddly, The Right Man is a better book today than it was at the time, and observations can be tested against actual events. This isn't an attempt to promote a family member, but to give perspective on a president who, depending on Iraq, has the potential of being one of America's greatest leaders -- or a failure who miscalculated history. I lean to the former, but time will tell. As for Doug Wead, he has contributed to historical understanding of George W. Bush -- at the cost of his own reputation.
Ping to GMMAC, in place of Clive
The LIEbbies will be the main buyers of his NEW BOOK and turn every 16 words into 10 when reporting it's contents to each other so that their inept bretheren may possible understand their slant on it!~}
With friends like that you do not need any enemy's.
Perhaps, but there appears to be little there that will actually hurt Bush.
It will be interesting to see how Wead's book does. There are those, like me I suppose, who won't buy it because I wouldn't give a dime to this horrid man, but I have to think that there won't be many on the left who will buy it either because it shows the President to be a good, decent and very intelligent man...something they do not want to see or believe. I am guessing it will be a dud.
So as long as something has historical significance it's OK to trample individual rights, is that it?
No, but it's a done deal ... there's nothing you and I can do about it now. We can, however, talk about it.
These tapes only prove that Bush is the genuine article. What he is in private, he also is in public. That is the real historical value of these tapes. Bush has integrity.
Precisely
Yep!
It is remarkable how little the libs ever get on Bush, and we know they have pulled out all the stops.
Every time something like this comes out it reminds us how good Bush is. Integrity. Integrity. Integrity.
Bush comes across well in the tapes. He's was the man then that he is now. Bush is no phoney or poseur, and the tapes prove that.
Agreed. Which, of course, will drive his critics on the left and on the right, nuts.
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When I meet people who, out of sincere conviction (usually religious) believe homosexuality is sinful and that public policy ought to be deployed to prevent this sinful behavior, I disagree with them. But, I also understand that this sort of deep moral disagreement rooted in religious faith is shared by others.
When you see someone like Bush who knows perfectly well that the view he's adopted for political purposes is wrong, but who adopts it anyway out of cyncial thirst for power, well, then, that's just totally disgusting.
Spam!!!!
I certainly hope you don't call yourself a Christians.
REAL Christians don't bash gays. But you aren't even a real freepers, let alone a Christian.
A former Clintonista wrote an article just a few months ago. I've forgotten which one. Lanny Davis? He went to college with Bush. He told a story in the article that he was present when some frat boys made fun of a gay guy walking by. Bush, who didn't even know the fellow, told his friends to knock it off.
If HE knows that the president has always been opposed to gay bashing, it's just darned amazing that you don't seem to understand that.
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