The last time I felt this way about a US President was Ronald Reagan, who also managed to evoke a visceral hatred from many of my peers and colleagues for the same sort of moral clarity. History has since vindicated Mr. Reagan, and I believe it will do the same with Mr. Bush, who--whatever his failings--has, IMHO, got the one thing that is most important in our generation absolutely correct. And he has unflinchingly faced its reality with a clarity that is stunning for any politician, despite the unpopularity it has brought him, and despite all the anger, rage and hate that has been directed at him for it.
In many ways, George W. Bush is an extraordinary man and the sort of politician people say they want (someone who really brings 'hope and change'). Sadly, most such people are completely unable to recognize either of those rare qualities even when they are right in front of them, preferring instead the glib and easy promises of rather ordianry political hacks who look really good, but lack substance or moral character.
In WYSIWYG, I wrote:
Many have accused me of idealizing President Bush, and while it is true that since 9/11, I admire him quite a bit, I hardly idealize him. On the contrary, what I find most compelling about him are his obviously ordinary human qualities. He strikes me as a very REAL person--not a slick "persona" created by an ad agency; or a "celebrity" onto whom we project our own fantasies of perfection.
Bush does not pretending to be intellectually superior and can easily make fun of himself. Nor does it seem to matter much to him that everyone doesn't totally adore him. He tackles hard problems head on (which most politicians lack the courage to do) and perseveres in trying to fix them. He indeed "muddles along", misspeaks, and even screws up from time to time; but he presses on and actually gets things done.
That is what matters most to me.
Those who persist in portraying Bush as some evil mastermind, the BusHitler etc. etc. etc. who is determined to undermine American democracy and freedom are so far gone with BDS and out of touch with reality that they have lost all perspective and judgment.
Bush certainly has many failings and is by no means perfect. But on the issues of freedom and democracy -- he is a light in the darkness and voice in the wilderness compared to most people who presently identify themselves as "progressives" and "liberals".
President Bush's domestic policies are not particularly brilliant and may even be simplistic and obvious. When you observe President Bush you see what you expect: a normal man muddling along in trying times. But he has muddled along in the right direction and by doing so, he has brought the possibility of hope and change to a vast part of the world that never has seen either before. Their grandchildren will praise him.
Or, to put it more clinically: George W. Bush has acted as an adult living in the real world-- unlike most of his detractors, who live in a fantasy world where hope and change are simply words that are spoken; and where 'freedom' is just another word for nothin' left to lose.
I for one, will always be eternally grateful that there has been an adult in charge during these difficult days.
I recognized Ronald Reagan for the great President he was for facing down communism even while he was in office; and I suspect that George Bush will someday get the credit he deserves for facing down Islamofascist thugs and taking steps toward changing the world and setting it on a path where freedom might actually be possible for all the people of the world.
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