nearing the end of an error
by Edward Savoy
Published: April 28, 2008
While I distrust political labels as a matter of principle (were they not so unwieldy as titles, I’d call myself a Republicrat or a Demopublican), since maintaining relevance in our current party system requires that you have a label, I identify as an avowed liberal. As such, it is required by law that I hold George W. Bush in a state of utter abhorrence, that I must believe him to be so utterly and irredeemably vile as a president and as a man that I would think that Satan himself would kick him in the cojones if the opportunity presented itself. As least that’s what’s on the party literature I got. And, to a certain extent, I follow that party line.
Yet, at least nowadays, I can’t help but feel a certain pity for him. True, it is a pity akin to the kind that one feels towards Godzilla when he achieves his inevitable end, but it is pity nonetheless. My pity comes to the forefront for a couple of reasons. First, I am moved to it by his comments at the annual White House Correspondent’s Dinner, where Bush made the observation that his potential successor Senator McCain wasn’t in attendance, saying “he probably wanted to distance himself from me a little bit. You know, he’s not alone. Jenna’s moving out too.” While presented as a self-deprecating jibe, one can’t help but feel for the loneliness of a man who is treated by his party with all of the warmth and closeness that one feels towards nuclear fall-out.
I also can’t help but be moved by the widespread (albeit completely and utterly accurate) perception that, whoever is the next president, that that person will be better than George W. Bush. George W. Bush has always been presented as a man with an utter faith in the rightness of his actions and I’m sure that it is that insanity that has sustained him as president. Still, to be perceived as such a failure that people are already looking ahead to your successor with such an excess of enthusiasm has to sting even the most self-assured lunatic.
Whatever the nature of my sympathy for Bush, it can’t excuse the incompetence of his reign. Still, as the saying goes, even the wicked get worse than they deserve.
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April 29th, 2008 at 1:00 am
They said the same thing about Reagan. Until, of course 1989 hit, The Wall fell and Russia folded. Now he’s a god. Time will tell whether Bush is a demon or a demi-god. I wouldn’t condemn him yet.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:13 am
Reagan was elected and re-elected by overwhelming majorities in both 1980 and 1984 and, though scarred by Iran-Contra, left office a very popular President. At the very least, he never had approval ratings in the low 30s. Reagan never faced the outright (and deserved) loathing that Bush has. I think any comparison between Bush and Reagan, unless you’re comparing the fact that they are both homo sapiens who breath air, is inapt.
May 4th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
The Republicans are for the rich only!
I’m so **** glad that the Bush saga is over.
He and 55,000,000 just like him look so ****ed dumb.
He should have been impeached for putting us in the war in Iraq under false information. They got rid of a good president when they got rid of President Clinton, and now look a how much the US is in debt. Bush made America a laughing stock.