Posted on 10/17/2019 7:48:39 AM PDT by sickoflibs
George W. Bush’s presidency is an interesting period to reflect back on. By a certain sect of Republicans, Bush is held up as a good man that did the best he could in a difficult time. There’s some truth to that characterization in so far as the challenges after 9/11 were real.
As time has passed though, Republicans at large have taken a more critical eye at his myriad of missteps, not just on foreign policy (of which the ramifications we are still suffering today), but also in his inability to accomplish much of anything for the conservative cause in his eight years. When one thinks of his “signature” achievements, the mind is more likely to go to his expansion of Medicare than any conservative victory. Is John Roberts as the new swing vote on the Supreme Court really a decisive win at this point?
But perhaps the thing that bothered some Republicans the most was all the wasted political capital. For eight long years, Republicans rallied around Bush and his failures, supporting him even when he wouldn’t speak out to support himself. He was given the benefit of the doubt even when he probably didn’t deserve it. In the end, he left the party in shambles, ushering in the era of Barack Obama.
Despite all the capital expended on his behalf, Bush couldn’t be bothered to return the favor. He spent most of his post-presidency palling around with Bill Clinton and painting pictures. He refused to speak out even as the Middle East and North Africa burned the ground. This left some Republicans disillusioned. Where was the reciprocity for all those years of support?
Apparently, Bush has found his tongue again though, because he’s speaking out against Trump’s pull out of Syria in a comment that can only be described as face palm worthy.
Josh Rogin ✔ @joshrogin · 15h President George W. Bush tonight at the Nir School of the Heart event: “I don’t think the Iranians believe a peaceful Middle East is in their national interest.”
Josh Rogin ✔ @joshrogin George W Bush takes a direct shot at Trump: “An isolationist United States is destabilizing around the world. We are becoming isolationist and that’s dangerous for the sake of peace.”
2,896 7:26 PM - Oct 16, 2019 1,617 people are talking about this After nearly a decade of refusing to say a cross word about Obama’s policies, the moment Trump steps out of line and becomes too “isolationist,” he’s ready to talk again. It’s this kind of thing that produces so much of the angst from mainline Republicans toward the establishment figures in their party.
We’ve seen this same thing with Mitt Romney. When Republicans needed voices to speak against Obama, Romney was nowhere to be found. When it’s Trump and it may benefit him personally, he’s ready to talk again though. It’s opportunism at its worst and it makes Republicans feel like their own leaders don’t have their back. In short, it’s how you got Trump.
The easiest thing in the world to do right now is criticize Donald Trump. There’s no bravery in that. It’d have been much more impressive had they been willing to withstand the onslaught that would come by criticizing Obama when Republicans needed their voices.
Further, the topic in question is something Bush should sit out for the rest of his life. His track record on the Middle East simply does not lend him the credibly to speak on the issue any longer. It’d be like Donald Trump criticizing someone for having an affair. It just doesn’t make sense.
I’ll end by nothing that when the Obama administration propagated a civil war that led to 500,000 dead people, Bush didn’t speak up. When Ben Rhodes helped orchestrate the disastrous Arab Spring, Bush had nothing to say. When ISIS formed in the rubble of it all, Bush had more pictures to paint. But now, all of the sudden, he finds his voice to go after a fellow Republicans president? Really odd how that works.
Big surprise!
How about going after Obama for us going into Syria and funding ISIS.
Military-Industrial-Complex whores, all of them. Very highly paid whores I might add.
Trump made Jeb look like a fool
No doubt GWB supported that.
This will only help Trump.
G.W.B. was everything there was/is to dislike about a politician of either party.
Dishonest, disloyal, a neocon warmonger, not particularly intelligent, trusted and listened to the wrong people.
The worst thing to ever happen to the Republican party and one of the worst things to ever happen to this country.
Bush is an idiot. His foolish incursion into Iraq destabilized the area and led to ISIS.
Unwittingly confirming (to those who still need confirmation) the existence of the Uniparty / Deep State. Iow, confirming that Trump has been right all along about you globalist, America-last traitors. Thanks for your contribution to Trump’s re-election in 2020, Jorge.
GWB turned into an Obama fan-boy. Nice guy, just not a conservative any more.
Ashamed that I voted for such a wimp. Dude didn’t stand up to any attack launched against him.
The Bush crime family never gave a damn about regular Americans and they never will.
His whole family is CIA bred and born.....
GWB speaks out against Trump...
Monkey see, Monkey do.
“his inability to accomplish much of anything for the conservative cause in his eight years”
Hey, he only had the House and the Senate. Whattya want from the guy?
But on a positive note, he and they did go on a massive spending spree dumping billions into donor companies. Victory!
I wrote in Mickey Mouse in 2004. It was a better alternative.
“ Trump made Jeb look like a fool”
From everything I’ve read, Jeb was a very good governor of Florida. But his brother’s screw ups as president ruined Jebs prospects for moving up. Jeb compounded his disadvantages by endorsing his brothers open borders and interventionist policies
Silent George.
“Ashamed that I voted for such a wimp. Dude didn’t stand up to any attack launched against him.”
GW Bush is a catcher, not a pitcher - a bottom boy who likes being abused.
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