Posted on 11/03/2008 4:34:10 AM PST by lewisglad
I have a dark secret to tell before the election so that it's on the record. It's something that is difficult to say to certain friends, peers and family.
I still like George W. Bush. A lot.
For starters, I am convinced he is a fundamentally decent man.
President Bush is far smarter, more articulate and less ideological than his plentiful detractors scream, and, ultimately, he will be judged by history - not by vengeful Democrats, hate-filled Hollywood, corrupt foreign governments, an imploding mainstream media or fleeting approval ratings.
George W. Bush is history's president, a man for whom the long-term success or failure of democracy in Iraq will determine his place in history.
The fact that the United States has not been attacked since Sept. 11, 2001, far exceeds the most wishful expert predictions of the time.
By most accounts, al Qaeda is reeling. Yet reflexive enemies of the president - including Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee - shamefully mock him for not having caught Osama bin Laden.
While President Bush has been marshaling a multinational force to take on modernity's enemies in foreign lands, the American left has decided to go to war against not only Republicans but also moderate Democrats.
Much of Mr. Bush's approval rating is born of the ill-gotten gains pilfered from a pre-Bush inauguration strategy to send the message to Republicans that the Democrats play politics harder and better.
Mr. Obama said it best: "If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun."
Right now, America appears to be leaning toward electing a man for whom popularity is a paramount concern. That means he must trust the American media and the American electorate to guide him to difficult decisions, not the other way around.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Thanks George for taking it to the enemy and replacing the carpet in the Oval office.
Allowing Congress to spend like drunk sailors on leave was the start.
Hell, he turned the education bill over to the swimmer to write.
His can’t we all get along routine has done nothing for him.
His allowing Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia to get off killing our soldiers is inexcusable.
His giving billions to Pakistan only to be told to pound sand is inexcusable.
I can go on and on.
I just think he sold us a false bill of goods...
He didn’t have to sell it, the alternatives were worse! It’s time to get over it! Just look at it this way; the bulk of the spending was on 2 wars worth fighting!
Two great accomplishments of George W. Bush: He kept Al Gore and John Kerry out of the White House.
W did some things right, but his crossing of the aisle, expecting no reach back, as well as the Republican Congress spending like drunken Democrats, has cost the GOP the enthusiastic support of conservatives. It will probably cost them this election, which will be very costly for America and our liberty.
I do not get angry at Democrats. They can’t help what they do, it’s their nature. I am seriously angry at the GOP. They should know better.
Amen. No other politician in my lifetime has ever chosen his duty over his political standing. President Bush, like Babe Ruth, called his shots, then hit them. He said his political standing would not dictate his actions in defense of the country, and he has defied the odds by doing just that. He sacrificed popularity for our safety and he will be judged as unique among all of our presidents in history.
Amen. No other politician in my lifetime has ever chosen his duty over his political standing. President Bush, like Babe Ruth, called his shots, then hit them. He said his political standing would not dictate his actions in defense of the country, and he has defied the odds by doing just that. He sacrificed popularity for our safety and he will be judged as unique among all of our presidents in history.
Are you folks nuts? Over and over he told us to trust him. trust him on Iraq, trust him on growth of government, trust him on immigration, trust him on the bailout, trust him on the deficit. (Iraq was the big one.) In Sept when he told congress they must give him 700B immediately or great depression reminded me of vote before 2002 election when he told us he must have immediate authority to attack Iraq or nukes would drop on USA. He also said war would pay for itself. Once he invaded it was too late to go back. Remember 2005-2006 he kept on saying , “trust me, we are winning” ?
Here in Maryland 2006 we lost a popular republican governor to a loser mayor of Baltimore because the mayor ran TV ads with the Rep governor next to Bush, Yes, the media demonized him, and praises Obama. But GWB leader of party gave them everything they needed to destroy the republican party. And he gave the liberals everything they need to use government to run business.
Lastly, I am bitter because I really beleived in him, that he would do great things, and he betrayed that trust with recklessness.
State sponsors of terror: Libya, Afghasnistan, Iraq, N. Korea, Syria, Iran
President Bush leaves office Jan 2009
No longer State sponsors of terror: Libya, Afghasnistan, Iraq, N. Korea
And Israel and the US just destroyed Syria's plutonium enrichment reactors and Iran is pinned in on both sides by what are now US allies: Iraq & Afghanistan.
Thank you GWB! Steadfast leadership during difficult times and the world is indeed safer!
God Bless our President and his family. I am still an admirer and am grateful for his time in office.
At first, it was for his immediate tax cut..but after 9/11, his conduct and persecution of the war on terrorism and his unwavering, yes, stubborn commitment to keeping me and the rest of us safe have forever earned him my trust, honor and respect.
I will always wish him well.
I have vehemently disagreed with some of President Bush's policies and decisions, particularly spending and immigration. At the same time, I've never felt that he made a decision based on any rationale other than what he believed to be the best for the country. To me, that is a true patriot.
WOT - Kept America safe
Death to Hussein and his evil spawn
Tax Cuts (Make them permanent!)
Two terrific SCOTUS appointments (after we raised h#ll)
I like his Wife & daughters :)
Pretty much ignored his daily Media Thrashing and stayed classy (though I prefer to fight!)
Umm, well,see, according to a relative of mine who is over there right now, the Iraq war is more or less over as all our guys are doing is training the Iraqis to defend themselves and slowly turning things over to the Iraqis. There's no treaty, but it is a technical win. Paying for itself is in the long run. We've built bases that we will probably inhabit for some time, thus maintaining a foothold in the middle east in a strategic place. We've rescued an entire nation from a brutal regime that took a promising, advancing country and turned it into a 3rd world gutter, thus ensuring their gratitude (so long as we don't screw that up by, say, leaving before the job is done). The people there now have running water and sanitation.
I have my issues with W on various things but Iraq is not one of them, nor is taxes or Supreme Court picks.
Excellent column, and I couldn’t agree more.
“President Bush is far smarter, more articulate and less ideological than his plentiful detractors scream, and, ultimately, he will be judged by history - not by vengeful Democrats, hate-filled Hollywood, corrupt foreign governments, an imploding mainstream media or fleeting approval ratings. . .”
(. . . or short-sighted, one-issue FReepers.)
May GWB and Laura thoroughly enjoy their post-Washington years at home in Texas.
History will be kind to Bush.
I also think Bush is a fine stand up guy who was forced into exchanging some conservative values for political equity.To keep his grand military/anti terror plans on the table and running he had to give the voting legislature an open checkbook come budget time for absolute rubbish.
However,some also tend to forget where alot of this debt growth came from.The run of catastrophic events that plagued him are often overlooked.
Despite the leftist rhetoric, after the tax cuts in 03 the economy boomed-jobs growth boomed,tax revenues boomed yet to hear the media report youd never even know these days.
Fac
BTTT!
It does seem like Iraq stabilized and looks like a success, finally( that may change with a president Obama). Proof of that is the MSM refusal to report on Iraq after daily reporting for 2 years of bad news.
Iraq may not be an issue with you but it is with the voters. GWB sold the war as being easy and to win election in 2004 tried to fight it on the cheap (still billions $$). While things fell apart in Iraq he told public we were winning 2005-2006. Only after 2006 election he admitted we were losing and the war would be much more costly than he led us to believe.
You cant see how that hurts republicans? The public ties all economic problems to Bush taking the country into war on WMDs( seems unnecessary), because of cost, which GWB tried to downplay, until after HE got re-elected.
Like I said, I believed in him on Iraq and defended him, but no more.
I have long believed that the collective IQ of the populace of the United States hovers around 80. Most of the respondents on this thread have done nothing to change that opinion.
GWB has done all WE THE PEOPLE have allowed him to do. He has fought public opinion for eight years, during which there have been no further attacks on our soil. He has fought the MSM, the Congress, those who think that no one is conservative but themselves. And he has done it with grace and, occasionally, panache. You one note johnnies out there who refuse to vote for candidates who agree with you ninety-nine percent of the time have allowed RINOs to take over the “conservative” movement and bend it to their will.
Stick it in your ear. I’m tired of hearing you piss and moan about the things better men than you accomplish. Note the above reference to We The People. If you want to see the problem most pressing in this country, look in the mirror. Like what you see? Then you have the government you deserve. I am no longer one of you, I woke up and didn’t like what I saw so for the first time in my life I got involved in the political process. Could just be that I am too late to do much, but at least I tried.
We also got two good SCOTUS picks, although the Harriet Miers thing sort of sullied the good vibes. What the hell was he thinking?
I don’t disagree.
I will say this though.
I sure wouldn’t want to be in his shoes.
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