Posted on 01/31/2005 6:53:13 PM PST by doug from upland
Historians are inevitably going to compare the presidencies of George W. Bush and William Jefferson Blythe Clinton.
They do have a few things in common. Each won two terms, each was involved in a military campaign, each was married and had a family, each was a consummate politician, and each was loved by his fans and loathed by his political enemies.
Perhaps they have a few similarities, but it is the differences that are most important. One is a man who respects the office. The other is a man who defiled the office.
President Bush is a man with vision and purpose. He does not put up his finger in the wind and make a decision because it will be popular and enhance his political power. To say Clinton was disingenuous, cunning, and Machiavellian is to understate his attributes. There have never been politicians like Bill and his wife.
Yesterday's historic election in Iraq, an election that would have never happened if the other side were in charge, is a part of a legacy being carved out by President Bush that may well have historians calling him one of the greatest presidents.
We all saw the pictures. The fingers were either blue or purple, depending on the clarity of the photos and your own interpretation. Those who voted didn't get an I VOTED sticker as we do when we vote. No, they were branded for all to see with some ink that would stay there for awhile and prevent them from voting multiple times. The Iraqis have paid attention to what the DemocRATS did in Washington, Wisconsin, and probably all of the other states. There would be no cheating in this election.
That stained finger also had another consequence. It made all who voted subject to being beheaded by the bad guys. In this part of the world, the bad guys are serious about voter suppression. Unlike here, it is real and it is deadly.
As we celebrate the historic day let us remember the stark contrast of two presidencies. One will have the legacy of a stained finger that represents the greatest gift that can be given to the oppressed Iraqi people -- their freedom.
The other stain was on a blue dress. It represents a failed eight years. Anyone good CEO and any number of Democrats or Republicans could have presided over the economy in the 1990s. It just so happens that a man without character or conscience, a man who is truly a sociopath, was at the helm during an economic expansion. Terrorism grew around the world while he spent his time thinking about satisfying his sexual needs, intimidating witnesses, commiting perjury, suborning perjury, and trying to deny a lowly state employee her day in court.
President Bush is changing the world for the better. Freedom will not be stopped because man yearns to live free. Bill Clinton just watched it go by while he spent his time taking down his pants in Oval Office.
Let us continue to pray for the safety of those brave warriors who are in danger and for the souls of those whose lives were cut short because they were brave enough to want to make a difference in the world. You can know for certain that, when this president sheds tears for those we have lost and for the families left behind, those tears are not for a photo-op. They are real.
The legacy of the stained finger or the legacy of the stained dress. Which man do you admire?
lol also. I tried so hard to not make errors but it happened anyway. I can just see Boxer grilling me to admit I made a mistake.
^5 Doug!!!!!
They were trash indeed. Imagine, casual Friday in our White House. It was not a small business office where you bring goodies and have fun on Friday.
The purple fingers were, as it turned out, powerful visual images.
My own reaction (and I can't claim it as original; other FReepers arrived at similar conclusions before I did) was reflected by my question yesterday to the North Carolina board: "What are the more profound badges of courage... John Kerry's Purple Hearts, or the purple fingers of Iraqi voters?"
A purple badge of courage is a good saying.
This requires a good graphic.
I'm hoping that President Bush will put blue ink on his finger for the SOTUS. Perhaps all the Republicans would too, to show solidarity with the Iraqi people and for those who yearn for freedoms wild and wonderful song.
To continue the stain analagy, the stained finger was helded up in the open light of day for all to see and as a badge of honor, and the stained blue dress was secreted away as long as possible and hidden from all. The stained finger is a badge of honor for President Bush. The stained blue dress is forever the indelible mark of Clinton. These images will be written into the history books for all to know.
What a great idea. The president and all of the GOP should have a blue (or purple) finger for the SOTU. Of course, it should be ink that comes off easily. :)
I haven't heard you on the radio lately. What are you up to? Have you called into that new liberal's show on 790 KABC?
Indeed, I believe some historians will pick up the analogy. Maybe not in Ithaca or Berkeley or Madison, however.
We should do this when we vote, it would keep the DUmmies from voting twice.
I haven't called a show for awhile. The Bush times have been good times for earning a living. Besides, I got spoiled and don't want to wait on hold for more than 10 minutes.
What new liberal show on KABC?
If we all accepted the message and ignored the typos, Dan Rather would have gotten away with it. Close looks at both caused Dan to crash. Heh, heh.
Amen
As long as we're pointing out grammatical errors, there's another in your above sentence. But two in a piece that long is nothing. Good work!
As usual, you cleverly captured what nobody else did.
Doh, again.
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