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MISSING IN ACTION: THE POST 9/11 PRESIDENT HAS VANISHED.....
Iconoclast.ca (Daily Notebook) ^ | June 5, 2002 | The Iconoclast

Posted on 06/05/2002 9:37:31 AM PDT by Apolitical

Has the bold post-9/11 President George W. Bush been spending a lot of time with magician David Copperfield lately? How else to explain why this strong and committed leader has vanished, only to be replaced by a wavering, wishy-washy replica?

Whether it's over the question of identifying freedom's mortal enemies (e.g., Saddam Hussein) and steadfastly toppling them, or remaining true to the principles of free trade, or standing up to the America's self-loathing tree-hugger contingent on the question of global warming, the real George W. Bush appears to have gone AWOL, and a sinister clone resembling a certain other George Bush of the 1980's seems to have taken control.

Like the '80's George Bush, this new malfunctioning Bush clone doesn't seem to believe in anything but pleasing the media and special interest groups, and getting re-elected. And one suspects that if the FBI can't find the old bold Bush soon, the new clone Bush will duplicate the questionable claim to fame of the '80's Bush -- squandering unprecedented popular support earned by showing unwavering leadership in a time of crisis and then being soundly defeated in the next election because of all the dithering and pandering to special interests.

It's clear that what American voters are hungering for most in these trying times is a principled, focused leader with a moral vision for the nation. They yearn for someone who can define the important issues of the time in a clear and principled manner that reflects the eternal certainties and enduring vision of America's founding fathers. And they wait for that leader to show them the path to securing America's prosperity and future while remaining true to those eternal principles.

What they don't appear to want, or need, is another poll-obsessed leader who zig-zags all over the moral highway in a frenzied attempt to be all things to all voters and to the editorial boards of the New York Times and Washington Post. As the '80's Bush demonstrated, all that such a hollow, indecisive, toadying opportunist like that does is alienate the American heartland and encourage his liberal enemies (the moral equivalence, America-hating crowd) to attack him even more viciously because he is so weak and spineless.

Sadly, in the light of the mysterious disappearance of the old bold Bush, all that disillusioned Americans can do now is start posting "LOST! PRINCIPLED PRESIDENT! " signs around the D.C. area, and perhaps pressure the likes of Cheney and Rumsfeld to ramp up the search for the missing George W. Bush. After all, only these two committed members of the Bush administration possess the internal moral compass to allow them to find the missing Bush and restore the man to his proper leadership role.

Of course, power can be such a corrupting ambrosia. Let's hope those strong poll numbers of the last seven or eight months, and the misguided perception that further electoral success is imminent if only the liberal media and special interest groups can be won over, has not led to the disappearance of the bold, principled Bush who inspired America in the nation's most dire hours. Political M.I.A.'s who are overtaken by such an ambition-laden delusion are often difficult to find again.

Tragically, the last thing America needs right now is a repeat performance of that hollow, pandering pantywaist who was the 80's Bush. As Yogi Berra might put it, it seems to be deja vu all over again. But tragically, the current epoch is post-9/11, not the 1980's. And there is much more at stake these days -- tense terrorist times in which America can least afford the shenanigans of a weak, empty leader.

The only possible consequence of a repeat of the 80's Bush's naivete and foolishness is doom for America in its war on terror -- resulting in a future nightmare of suicide bombs and nuclear blackmail on American soil (the direct result of all that dithering and pandering intended to pacify the liberal establishment's America haters). And of course, the final consequence of such a path will be the end of the United States long reign as the world's pre-eminent economic and military superpower.

One can't help wonder if through the blank mental fog in which fate has shrouded his existence, Ronald Reagan can still make out what's transpiring in Washington. If so, then this aging beacon of Amerian freedom must be weeping.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: pandering; policyreverses; president; timidity
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What a wuss the pres has become lately.
1 posted on 06/05/2002 9:37:32 AM PDT by Apolitical
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To: Apolitical
A wonderful (s)creed for the Bush Bashers. The adults are still in charge in the White House, and there's no better way to insure that GWB doesn't get Republican control in Congress than to nitpick every action immediately without seeing the results. Granted, there have been some aspects of this administration that don't fit our Reagan image of Republicans, but the alternative is horrifying. (Hillary or Gore? I'd rather die fighting a revolution than submit to their rule.)
2 posted on 06/05/2002 10:08:58 AM PDT by 11B3
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To: Apolitical
And this piece is a rambling, disconected bit of drivel. I would comment further if I could make sense out of it.
3 posted on 06/05/2002 10:12:05 AM PDT by Russ
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To: Apolitical
bflr
4 posted on 06/05/2002 11:06:56 AM PDT by Captainpaintball
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To: Russ
It's interesting how the conservative columnists/publications/sites/editorials that were so welcome on Free Republic 18 months ago have now become beneath contempt because they dare to say what needs to be said. And there is hardly one of them who has not verbalized some variation on the above theme in the past few months.

And the mantra in response always boils down to: the Dems are worse. Yes, the Dems are a fate worse than hell, but for that very reason, the RNC political strategists are suspending conservatives in purgatory, smugly confident that we are so appalled at the alternatives that we have become a captive constituency (or irrelevant, if they can just cast the pandering net wide enough). There's another alternative to the Dems that the strategists seem not to consider: no-shows on November 5. Sure, not voting is counter-productive, but when anger and disappointment finds no response but more of the same, it usually finds some form of negative expression, other than words.

End of rant.

We can now return to exulting over RNC press releases, since they seem to be the only acceptable opinion pieces nowadays.

5 posted on 06/05/2002 11:18:46 AM PDT by browardchad
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To: Apolitical
The Buchannanites are still heard from time to time on this board.
8 posted on 06/05/2002 11:27:39 AM PDT by Mike Darancette
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To: 11B3
Tell us, oh Great One, when does the time come to criticize Lord Bush?
9 posted on 06/05/2002 12:17:32 PM PDT by Kermit
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To: trancejeremy
It's all a matter of timing. This war will be in full swing in about another year or so. During the election process we'll for sure be in Iraq kicking Saddam..... and anyone else who crosses us. But we don't want to do it now. It's to soon to guarantee a re-election. Remember the Gulf War? Ended 2 years to soon. Bush senior had record high ratings at the end... and was defeated after two years of pounding on the economy. This Bush won't let that happen again. Give him credit... at least he learns from other's mistakes.
10 posted on 06/05/2002 12:22:41 PM PDT by kjam22
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To: trancejeremy
IMHO, Bush should be impeached. He's done nothing to protect the US, nothing to avenge the US, he completely betrayed the republican principles that got him elected (free trade and all that).

How do you know what's been done?

"Avenge"?

Your little rant sounds like something a kid would write. Are you a kid?

15 posted on 06/05/2002 12:54:58 PM PDT by sinkspur
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To: Kermit
Tell us, oh Great One, when does the time come to criticize Lord Bush?

When does the time come when Bush does everything that pleases Kermit?

16 posted on 06/05/2002 12:57:09 PM PDT by sinkspur
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To: trancejeremy
Did we kill Hitler?? If not then we didn't win WW II!! This is not McWAR!!
18 posted on 06/05/2002 1:05:14 PM PDT by kaktuskid
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To: trancejeremy
Did we kill Hitler in WWII ? Therefore, we did not win the war! This is not McWAR!!
19 posted on 06/05/2002 1:06:42 PM PDT by kaktuskid
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To: Alias Sandman
I agree with you.. But that's why we ain't president.
20 posted on 06/05/2002 3:01:28 PM PDT by kjam22
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