Andrew Sullivan: Victory is an article of faith for Bush

The Sunday Times (U.K.) ^ | 10/28/2001 | Andrew Sullivan

[desertcry]

WOW! Thanks very much for this post.

[x]

Stimulating article that makes GWB look deeper and more intriguing than many would have thought. I'm not sure how much I buy it. Some of his earlier comments, like the "please don't kill me" line in reference to a condemned murderer make me skeptical. One thing that does distinguish recent generations of politicians from previous ones though, is their great reliance on speech writers and ghost writers. GWB may very well have spiritual and emotional debts that he might find very difficult to express. If things go bad, though, Bush's faith will be used against him by his political opponents.

BTW, the word "pious" has changed it's meaning radically in the last century. The original meaning was reverent, religious or devout. But so many people have only heard the word used in phrases like "pious hypocrite" or "pious fraud," that they presume it means hypocritical or fraudulent or sanctimonious.

[ClancyJ]

Despite the frustration of the slow going war, I too have faith that we will win this war.

Actually a slow going war may be better since we are in such upheaval now. It will allow us time to adjust to the reality of war.

[Reagan Man]

Thanks for the ping deport.

A good article by Andrew Sullivan.

George W.Bush is trying his best to be the President to all American's and I believe he is succeeding very nicely.

The President may have been dealt a bad hand by Satan on 9-11, but his faith in God, along with his strong character, solid integrity and love of America will enable him to make it through this extremely difficult time.

[McGavin999]

Excellent point, I hadn't thought about that. It also keeps the journalists busy. This is a slow going war where the one with the most patience wins. Our president strikes me as a very patient man who's not afraid of being mocked while he plots the final blow.

[GretchenEE]

and Rev. Robinson (I cannot recall his first name now.),

His name is James Robison, and I am very glad these two are friends. Robison is from Texas. When W decided to run, Pastor Robison said W told him he'd "heard the call," he was going to run for president, and said James was the sixth person he called to tell. And he specifically called to ask James and Betty (his wife) to pray for him.

From what I've seen of James and Betty Robison, I really like them and their heart for God and His people. They seem very balanced, decent, and loving.

[GUIDO]

Thanks deport, YES, I do like Andrew Sullivan. I had my doubts but have liked what he has written lately. That is good enough for me. It is on paper and will come back to haunt him if he does a 1 80. hehehe. I think he started coming around about the time of the election debacle and really was insulted for algore. thanks again.

[Torie]

Your post seems all about sex. I had hoped you would branch out. I do agree that Sullivan was not very gracious about Falwell's apology. But I think the main thing Falwell was upset about was that he got caught. But that is speculation. At least he tried to make amends publically.

[Lady In Blue]

Thanks very much for the post.Sullivan is right about Laura.She, like GWB,is underrated.

[joathome]

"I was with the author but the former drunk reference at the end was a little unkind but I guess he was trying to make a point"

But the author knows that this is not an unkind comment to a Christian who knows he has been saved by God's grace. Regardless of the author's personal beliefs, he understands that Christians believe that God sometimes calls the most unlikeliest of people--Paul, of course, being the prime example.

Who would have thought, when Dubya was drinking heavily, that he would go on to become president of the United States?

[Lady In Blue]

Thanks,deport for the bump.A really good read.GWB's sister,Robin was younger and like another poster said,he overstated GWB's taste for drink a bit but other than that,it's a great article.

[Penny1]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who had this reaction. Just because he stopped drinking altogether doesn't automatically make him a heavy drinker prior to that. He sure didn't speak about that in those terms in his biography, yet this article makes it sound as though GW actually saw himself as a heavy drinker.

I also was uncomfortable with the implication that he wasn't really a believer until that talk with Billy Graham, whereas in his biography he talks about that moment as being a time that he "recommitted" his life to Christ. There is an important difference, IMO.

The final comment in the article again draws a very uncomfortable parallel between GW and "former drunks" that I find rather offensive.

The overall gist of the article I like. I think it's long past time that people began writing articles about the President's strong faith, because it's very obvious in his leadership and IMO it's the only thing that's going to see him and us through this crisis. But it would be nice if there weren't all these backhanded slams against him, particularly when they're unsubstantiated and there is no real evidence presented.

-penny

[Bombard]

I see you know very little about the Methodist Church. There are many consevatives in the church mostly in the south with Texas being a major area for consrvative thought. As to the anti-terrorism bill being a threat to religious groups, my take is that if you obey the laws of the USA you have nothing to fear and that is as it should be.

[Penny1]

Oh, that is wonderful news to hear about the UMC and churches in general in Texas....

I live in Seattle, and practically any mainline church up here is unbearably liberal including the United Methodist Church. I'm so thankful to know it's not like that in other parts of the country.

-penny

[Penny1]

But the author knows that this is not an unkind comment to a Christian who knows he has been saved by God's grace.

While I can grant the author that, if the veiled accusations about GWB's drinking aren't verified he shouldn't have mentioned it the way that he did. Perhaps it was not meant unkindly, and the author felt he needed to make the conversion story more dramatic so he played the drinking angle up in order to add to the drama. IMO, it was not an ethical way to do so and was entirely unnecessary.

Is there any real proof to the seemingly widely-accepted idea that GW was a heavy drinker prior to his giving up drinking altogether? I mean, beyond that DWI that hit the press in the middle of his campaign.... I don't like assuming that just because people act as though it's true I should just believe it without seeing any evidence myself, but I also don't want to make an idiot of myself by continuing to question it if it's a proven fact.

-penny

[DB]

Well Mr. Tattor you make some good points there...

The restraints of law and future Clintons have little in common...

[DB]

Sorry for the double T error...

[Bombard]

You should come to the central part(the red part of the electorial map) of the nation sometime we tend to be a little more conservative than you folks on the coasts. The UMC does have a clergy and national lay leadership that tends to the liberal side but there are many people in the church that have conservative views and for the most part the consevatives are able to control the liberal excesses of the others.

[floriduh voter]

I didn't even know anything about Dubya until the primaries were all done. The more I saw of him after that, the more I liked. Seeing him in person is hard to explain. Dubya's not a larger than life figure (his brother Jeb is) but I was impressed by his humility when others were at the podium and it wasn't his turn to speak yet. He accepts standing in the spotlight as part of his job description but his mission has always been to be our unwavering public servant. He says "we" not "I" which is a refreshing change from WJC.

Remember my bumper sticker "Help is on the way." We desperately needed a man who walks with God and enough of us prayed for him even before he became president and still do. Enjoy your Sunday.

[floriduh voter]

All people, be they an alcoholic or not, should turn their care over to God. He's my everything. He went to soc security disability court with me as my only attorney and I won. He guides me every day because I need it.