The Right Man - at the right time

Before that nice David Frum's new book came out and rocketed to No. 2 on the New York Times best-seller list, he was apprehensive that it didn't contain enough kiss- and-tell stories or sensational exposes to excite reviewers.

He seemed mildly uneasy that it would be ignored - a typical reaction, I suspect, of all writers with a new book.

Fat chance. The Right Man (Random House) is into its sixth printing and is a best-seller across America, and is soon to be published in Europe and Asia.

As one who has read most of the reviews - Economist, British papers, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, L.A. Times, etc., as well as the Globe and Mail's understated approval by Rex Murphy - the critics seem to concentrate on the personalities rather than on other observations Frum makes about U.S. President George Bush.

What I found intriguing was David's observation that when Bush entered the White House he had fewer Jewish friends and supporters than any president since perhaps Dwight Eisenhower.

"His social conservatism worried Jews, his anti-intellectualism offended them, and they mistrusted his 'born on third base' background," writes Frum.

In Bush were fused three personality types "most calculated to frighten and annoy Jews: the redneck, the Bible-thumper and the upper-class frat boy."

So how is it that within a year of assuming office, "in a stunning turnabout of history, that George W. Bush should have emerged as one of the staunchest friends of Israel ever to occupy the Oval Office ... not because of Jews, but almost entirely despite them"?

By contrast, Bush's predecessor, Bill Clinton, was "the most philo-Semitic president in U.S. history," whose closest friends and most trusted aides were Jewish, whose two nominees to the Supreme Court were Jewish, and "even his most famous girlfriend was Jewish."

Despite his obsessive interest in securing peace in the Middle East (Yasser Arafat was the most frequent guest at the White House) Clinton's efforts were disastrous for Israel and peace, and encouraged Palestinian militancy.

Bush, on the other hand, was determined to be a hands-off-the-Middle East president, and vaguely went along with the State Department's fixation for an independent Palestine (which Arafat had rejected). It was believed Bush's strong Christian faith somehow prejudiced him against non-Christians - quite wrong because, as Frum says, "Those who believed most strongly in the Bible naturally felt the strongest affinity to the people of the Bible."

After 9/11 "it was precisely the most religious members of the Bush administration who tended to be the friendliest to Jews as individuals and most sympathetic to the state of Israel."

Initially, even Palestinian terrorism and suicide bombers didn't deter support for the West Bank eventually becoming an independent Palestinian state.

Last April, polls showed that although 90% of Jewish voters are Democrats, 45% of Democrats supported Israel while 21% favoured Palestinians. Republicans overwhelmingly supported Israel - 67% versus 8% for Palestinians.

What tipped the scales for Bush's outlook was the Israelis capturing that ship from Iran loaded with 50 tons of arms for Gaza. Bush realized irrevocably that Arafat was a liar, and that ended any dealings with him.

As America's president most motivated by morality, Bush had seen the evidence: "Arafat was a liar, a thief, a killer and a protector of killers."

In other words, Bush became a spiritual Israeli and understood Israel's dilemma and determination not to bow to terror. It matched his own resolve against terror ("axis of evil").

In the summer of 2002, Americans sided with Bush. While fewer than 50% of Americans favoured a Palestinian state, nearly 66% of American Jews did.

Bush wouldn't compromise with terrorism, and saw Arafat as a terrorist. All American presidents pay homage to Israel in varying degrees. What Bush has done, and which Frum identifies so persuasively, is support Israel not for political expediency, but because he sees the issue much as Israelis on the front line see it. He makes his stand because it is the only way to combat evil.

Bush has refused to deal with Arafat and urged Palestinians to elect a new leader. To him, the "Palestinian authorities are encouraging, not opposing terrorism," which he finds "unacceptable," and has pledged to veto any UN resolution against Israel "that does not also condemn Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Arafat's al-Aqsa brigades by name."

Thus it is that this most Christian of presidents, who expects his staff to attend daily prayer meetings, has become both the greatest supporter of Israel and, curiously, the most tolerant and understanding president on behalf of the Islamic religion and Muslims that do not incite or indulge in terrorism.

I just finished reading it. Great read. I loved it. The funny thing is, I literally stumbled over it at Barnes and Noble. They had no copies on display or on the new releases shelf, but they had stacked this book on the floor nearby. Obviously people were finding it though, cause the stack was pretty small.

There aren't many Jews in Midland, Texas. That's my explanation for the President's lack of Jewish friends.

I'm always bemused that American Jews fear Evangelical Christians. In my experience they're the most Pro-Israel Non-Jewish group in America. Heck, they're more Pro-Israel than some Jews. What Jews have to worry about are the European & American left. They are a critical swing group supporting the Islamists, who want to exterminate World Jewery. President Bush is instinctively Pro-Israel. The right detests the Islamists. The Israelis can defend themselves, but if they're ever at risk, we'll be there for them. The Patriot brigade now in Israel aren't there as tourists.

To me, this is an astonishing and reassuring facet of the Bush.

He continues to astonish and reassure.

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