Peggy Noonan- 2001: A Bush Odyssey

Opinion Journal ^ | 01/04/2002 | Peggy Noonan

[Pokey78]

One year ago he stood before us, right hand raised, a new president chosen by a shade less than half the American adults who are responsible enough to bother to vote. He had been certain of victory and shocked by the closeness and the Florida aftermath. The weekend before the polls opened, Al Gore strained for every vote; George Bush went home early, making the almost fatal decision of responding with what seemed wan disinterest to a well-wired last minute revelation of a drunk driving incident in his past.

[Guillam]

What a great line re Clinton, four plain words that describe eight full years: he wasted history's time.

[Jean S]

Bump for Peggy Noonan.

[DoughtyOne]

That was a good line.

[habs4ever]

That is the most cogent appraisal of the entire Clinton Presidency I've ever read, and it should be the epitaph too, the final judgement:He wasted history's time

[Snow Bunny]

Thank you so much Pokey !!!!!

[SuziQ]

There are some who knew he always had this potential, had the gift of figuring things out quickly, deciding, delegating, saying what he was doing and why, getting folks to see things his way.

It is too bad it took such a tragedy to remove the veil from so many eyes to see the man who was there all the time.

[jla]

She's done it again! *S*

[goldstategop]

Peggy Noonan was Ronald Reagan's speechwriter when he was President and wrote a great biography about our 40th President entitled "When Character Was King." Towards the end of her book she asked President Bush about President Reagan and its clear the President admires him. Its all there. And here in this article Peggy underscores that Bush is well on his way to becoming a great President because he was born to be one. And unlike the last one he doesn't make decisions based on what the polls say or whatever will make him popular at a given moment in time. No, President Bush is a leader great at delegating responsibility, has competent people around him who he trusts, and knows what he has to for the rest of his presidency. Now you know why 90% of the American people think this President has "all the right stuff."

[RonDog]

Please ADD ME to your Peggy Noonan PING list!

She is WONDERFUL!!!

[xsmommy]

Who among us doesn't wish we could say what Peggy Noonan says...in the way she says it?

Just as President Bush gives you arrows of speech that have a target so does Peggy. i love the way she writes. it is extremely powerful.

[nopardons]

Exactly so ! Well said

[Happygal]

People need a plain speaker who'll tell them what he thinks and why. Mr. Bush does this. He does it with the words of the average American, simple flat words.

Peggy Noonan also does this, hence her popularity. Her writing skill is second to none in my opinion. Smart, to the point, poignant where required, and heartfelt. Thanks for the ping J. *S*

I like the way he talks because I understand it. Bill Clinton was always issuing great smoggy clouds whose meaning I could not fully decipher. Mr. Bush gives you arrows of speech that have a target. It's good.

This is also something I can identify with, even living in Ireland. As part of the EU the public are continually bamboozled by Euro-speak, language that skirts about a topic without actually offering substance in hard, honest, bread and butter facts. In my line of work I deal with it every day, and am perhaps more versed in it than your average citizen, but I am constantly troubled by the lack of plain-speaking in public office. I'm glad America has found a leader, who may not be comfortable as a Toastmasters icon, but one who ``says what he means, and means what he says''.

Again J., thanks for the ping.

Pokey, I've freepmailed you about this already, but I think I'm still off the list :-)

[summer]

She's such a gifted writer.

[NeoCaveman]

Mr. Clinton spent all his time thinking about his legacy, and by the end he had one: He was the president who spent his time thinking about his legacy while Osama made his plans. He wasted history's time. Mr. Bush isn't like this. Be grateful.

I was about to copy and comment on the exact same line from the article. It sums up how much better we have it with our current president.

[xsmommy]

Amen.

[Iowa Granny]

Bump, and please add me to your ping list.

[Guenevere]

bttt

[mj81]

Please add me to the list.

Does anyone have Ms Noonan's email address?

[Wait4Truth]

Sniff! You left me off, too!

[Brasil]

Thanks for the ping. Peggy says, so well, what we instinctively know about W. Her comments bring a smile.