Well done.
FGS
Posted on 09/01/2005 11:19:09 AM PDT by Pukin Dog
Bear with me folks, this is a long one.
Sometimes I wonder what it must be like to be President of the United States of America. I like to write out the whole phrase, instead of writing ‘POTUS’ or some other less gracious way of describing the single most important job in the entire world. I wonder what it must be like to hold the future of humanity in your hands each and every morning. When I awake each morning, my biggest issue to deal with is my transition to decaf, while George Bush wakes with the problems and concerns of the entire world weighing him down before his first cup of coffee arrives.
I like to wonder what it was like for Ronald Reagan, the morning after the Challenger explosion, being responsible for restoring the confidence of a nation after its shining example of technical ability had failed in spectacular fashion over our TV screens. I remember how it was up to Reagan to restore our confidence, to remind us that we were Americans and that we could do anything we set our minds to.
I remember talking with my father about Vietnam when I was a teenager after my announcement that I wanted to be a pilot, and him telling me that while we could win every battle over there, we were not going to win the war because of how it was being fought. We had every battlefield advantage imaginable, but we did not have the will to fight for a decisive victory. When I asked him why, he told me that Americans don’t kick ass until we get too pissed off to do anything else, and we just were not pissed off enough to win that war. My father also told me to never, ever expect glory or appreciation for anything, to never use that as a reason for doing anything; that we do what we do because we think it is the right thing to do, and that appreciation is a bonus.
I was thinking about that talk with my father this morning when I read some of the editorials about George Bush’s speech yesterday, and his overall performance in dealing with the current crisis in the Gulf States. I was thinking about what it must be like to have to perform in the midst of a crisis, while at the same time knowing that at least half of this country will have no appreciation whatsoever for his efforts. Not only will Bush not receive any appreciation, he will continue to be derided, abused and lied about by persons who see an opportunity to do real political damage to the man.
I find myself looking back in history at moments where past American leaders were tasked with defending this nation against a storm of public protest and criticism and how they either rose to the occasion, or shrank from their leadership responsibilities. I think about D-Day, and what kind of courage it took to order the invasion, after the death of hundreds of soldiers during Operation Tiger, where 749 men were killed in training for the big event that would be D-Day.
I think about the men who flew the first daylight bombing raids over Germany who awoke that morning knowing that there was a 50% chance that this was the last morning they would ever see. Somebody had to order them to go anyway, and go they did. I think about the Doolittle raid over Tokyo. Where men knew that they had fuel only to get there, drop their bombs, and find a place to land outside enemy territory. We know that many pilots that day did not live to ever see wives, children or home again. Somebody had to order them to go. And go they did. I even think about Jimmy Carter, and his failed-attempt to save Iranian hostages, who instead lingered for 444 days in captivity. Carter had the responsibility to order that mission, and I have no doubt that on occasion he thinks about the children who were made orphans that day, the wives who became widows, and the hostages to were forced to wait for America to get it right.
I wonder sometimes about Truman’s morning, on the day that he decided that he would kill a hundred-thousand Japanese citizens to save the lives of hundreds of thousand American citizens. How history might judge him; how he would have to respond if the mission over Hiroshima had failed or if it would only stiffen the resolve of the Emperor to continue the war, and force America to invade Japan.
The job of President of the United States has forced this nation to put out on display the full measure of the men who are installed in that role. We as a nation get to have a daily insight into whether or not these men have the stuff necessary to do the job, and which of them will crack and shrink from the stress of it all, so giving us a chance to witness the public destruction of a man instead. We all know the recent failures: Johnson, Nixon, Carter and Clinton. We know that each of their failures were the result of sum total of their characters not being sufficient for the stresses of leadership. We know that in each case, these men were brought down by their own personal demons, and not by the job itself. We also know that successful presidents did not always lead lives of great character either. We know that Reagan had tumultuous personal relationships with family members, had been divorced, and worst of all, he was once a Democrat. So, we know Reagan was not a perfect man. What he was, along with Truman, Ike, and the current inhabitant of the White House, is that they were successful leaders.
True leaders are an endangered species in America. Not because there are not men willing to take up the challenge, but because there are fewer and fewer people in society willing to be followers. Never before in society have so many people been willing to attack a sitting president and their own nation at a time of war. Never before during a crisis have there been so many Americans been so willing to blame their situation on an American president.
We as a nation have been witness to some of the most irresponsible personal behavior imaginable over the past few weeks, from a wacked-out, anti-war mother in Crawford, TX, to looting in the streets of New Orleans. As I sat and watched TV last night with my girlfriend, she said something that stuck with me while we were watching hurricane refugees huddled together on a freeway overpass complaining to the media about their need for food, clothing and shelter. My girlfriend said: “Where are all the men?” I looked, and noticed that the entire crowd of refugees, black, white or whatever, consisted solely of women young and old, and children with the occasional elderly man among them. Younger, stronger, capable men were nowhere to be found. The other thing missing were people taking responsibility for their situation in the slightest sense. This is the mentality of the poor, and needs to be dealt with. But not today.
We have an entire media trying to ignore the simple fact that from the Mayor of New Orleans, to the Governor of the state of Louisiana, there is a leadership gap down there wider than the holes in the levees. The mayor of that now liquid city of New Orleans, where I once had shrimp bisque that brought real tears to my eyes, was reduced to a deer-in-headlights frozen form against the prospect of ordering an evacuation of his city. We have a Governor of a state who when called upon to lead, could only cry on national television in a demonstration of her ability to ‘feel-your-pain’. I have read criticisms of the President for flying over the flood areas without landing, without the slightest consideration of the fact that there was no place nearby to put down a 600,000 pound 747 anywhere in the flooded city.
I was watching some stupid news person the other day asking why we are about to reach a 4 year anniversary since this nation was attacked on 9-11, without being attacked again, as though it was some freak happenstance. No thought is given to the idea that there have been numerous attempts since 9-11 to attack this nation again, which have been thwarted largely due to the efforts of our current President and his administration. One of the problems of leadership is that you can’t always take credit for your successes, if in taking that credit; you review how you arrived at your success. Take comfort in knowing that the actions of President Bush and those who work directly for him have saved lives in America in ways that they cannot reveal without disclosing their methods to the terrorists who want to kill us.
As the war in Iraq continues, and the administration deals with the crisis in the Gulf States, you are going to see and hear things that will cause you to question the Bush administration and its actions in dealing with both of these ongoing events. You are going to see Democrats and Liberals say and do things that you would not believe as they attempt to gain power through bringing down George W. Bush.
I am going to ask you Freepers for a favor.
For the next month, I am going to ask all of you to hit your knees, and offer up prayer and support for your President. It is you and I who are going to make the difference between whether or not our President, our Conservative movement, and our way of life in America are going to stand up against the attacks that will be coming our way. One thing I know about America is that we are all in this together. None of us succeeds solely on our own. Some would say that I have had a successful life and career, but none of you know about the people who sacrificed, fought and suffered to get me to where I am today in my life. I know that this is true for many of you folks as well.
Every Navy Carrier Pilot has a story to tell of their bad-day-at-the-boat, where for one reason or another, you cant seem to get the airplane to do what you need it to do to get you safely aboard. When I was on my first tour with VF-111, I was out over the Pacific Ocean one night, with almost no gas, almost no visibility, and facing the prospect of having to put my Tomcat in the water if I could not get my act together and get it right. The problem was, as I came down the shoot, I could not see the ship until it was too late to correct my lineup. By the time I saw the ball, I was always too high and left, and would have to break every rule I learned in training to get lined up in time to get abord. It was raining, and I didn’t have the gas to give up and go to Miramar. My choices were to get it on the deck or put it in the water. I had a RIO in the back who would not shut up, who was convinced that I was about to kill him, and I’m 25 years old and responsible for this big-ass jet that someone stupidly trusted me with. I’m close to 50 today, and from then to now, I have never been more afraid in my life. I had gone around 8 times, and was coming up on my last attempt before I would be forced to ditch, with as good a chance as any that they would not find me in the water, and I am literally in tears when CAG (Air Group Commander) came on the radio. The first thing he said was for my RIO to shut his mouth, and don’t say anything to me unless it’s about altitude or airspeed. In other words, he was telling him to say only what would help me, as I dealt with my crisis. Complaining about my performance would only help to get us both killed. I needed to be left alone so that I could remember my training and talent to get us on that boat.
CAG then asked me if I loved my mama, to which I said yes. Then he asked if I wanted to see her again, and I of course said yes. Then he told me: “If you want to see your mama again, you fly that f&#%n’ jet like you were taught. You know what to do, or you wouldn’t be here. Now, get it done. Out.” Needless to say, I caught an OK-3, as though it was broad daylight. The LSO said it was a perfect pass, and why hadn’t I just done that before? All I could tell him is that I was afraid. I don’t have the slightest idea how I landed that Tomcat that night, except that more than not wanting to die, I did not want my mother to know that I had died a failure. I think that God and my love for my mother were literally the “wind beneath my wings”.
The reason I tell that story, is because I want all of you to consider your comments over the coming days. Things are going to get ugly, because the Democrats and MSM are in full Attack-Mode, and President Bush is making some ugly passes at the ship right now. What he needs, is not a bunch of folks on our side piling on, yelling in his radio, telling him what to do, and criticizing him when he doesn’t get it right. He needs us to remember that he would not be there, if he did not know what he was doing. We need to let him ‘fly the jet’, folks.
Each of us as the right to air our disagreements with the President and his administration. But as you all know by now, this web site is one of the most visited places on the Internet, and quotes from the left-wing blogs are already being quoted in the media this morning. As I write this, I hear Limbaugh already talking about it. I’m not asking anyone to shut up. I am asking all of you to consider how what you say and write might be used to help those who want Bush to ‘put it in the water’. They want him to fail, and fail in spectacular fashion. They want him to fail badly enough to make millions of Americans wonder why they ever voted for a Republican for the rest of their lives.
I believe that each of us has the ability to help make sure that George Bush succeeds as President, or fails in a way that allows our enemies on the left to regain the power to ruin this nation. We know, thanks to the Sheehan nut just what the left thinks, and what they plan to do to this country if they ever get their political power back again. I have no doubt that if Bush fails, thousands will die in Iraq, and terrorism on our shores will become something we have to live with every morning, instead of just having to deal with nasty decaf coffee. I believe that George W. Bush has it in him to become someone of the stature of a Truman, Ike or Reagan. I believe that these great leaders became what they were because of not only their courage to lead, but because Americans had the courage to support and follow them. These men were able to trust Americans to stay with them, as they fought for our survival. Because Johnson could not trust us, he lied to us, and then he failed. When Nixon could not trust us to stay behind him, he lied to us and he failed. When Clinton could not trust us to follow him because he was such a sorry man to begin with, he failed, lied, failed, lied, failed and lied some more, but his legacy is pure unadulterated failure.
When the MSM went after Ronald Reagan, we never abandoned him and he never abandoned us. Like I said, things are about to get really ugly and dirty in the coming months. The Democrats are desperate and there are no limits to what they will attempt via the media, and the wacko-left that supports them. You are already beginning to see how low they will go in suggesting that the Hurricane is actually Bush’s fault. This stuff used to be whispered in back rooms by idiots slinging conspiracy theories. Now this crap makes the front page of the NY Times.
Don’t let the bastards win.
Pray for your President, that God guide him. And in all that you do and say, try to be the ‘wind beneath his wings’.
Thank you for reading,
PD
Great post! The clean version is far more effective in the end, believe me.
FReegards,
LH
You're gonna be eMail famous over this, PD, cuz I'm sending the link to my entire Contact list. I haven't read anything this straight-up for quite some time. It's a top-tier job, you've done, and about time somebody stepped up and put it all in print.
Thank you, sir, for your service to this country and your well-stated thoughts.
And thank you, bitt, for the ping. I wouldn't have wanted to miss this.
I thank you for this ping.
My thanks to PD for writing this article, it was time.....
To the others, if you have not read this, you will want to do so.
Count me in...I am standing with ya!
BUMP
sorry if I pinged anyone more than once..
No problem.
Good job. I've been frustrated with the Bush bashing posts today.
I'm still glad and proud I voted for him.
And I wouldn't want to be in his shoes.
ping
This is so long I'll have to get a good night's sleep and come back tomorrow.
It's amazing The things that have happened on Bush's watch. No other president Has ever had to deal with so much.
Maybe that's why Bush IS president
BUMP to all Freepers. Good night. chena
Well done.
FGS
Great job, PD. Much food for thought.
bitt: thank you for the ping!
Nam Vet
Outstanding editorial. Thank you, PD.
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