Sunday, May 07, 2006

An Apology From a Bush Voter


There’s nothing harder in public life than admitting you’re wrong. By the way, admitting you’re wrong can be even tougher in private life. If you don’t believe me, just ask Bill Clinton or Charlie Sheen. But when you go out on the limb in public, it’s out there where everyone can see it, or in my case, hear it.


So, I’m saying today, I was wrong to have voted for George W. Bush. In historic terms, I believe George W. Bush is the worst two-term President in the history of the country. Worse than Grant. I also believe a case can be made that he’s the worst President, period.


In 2000, I was a McCain guy. I wasn’t sure about the Texas Governor. He had name recognition and a lot of money behind him, but other than that? What? Still, I was sick of all the Clinton shenanigans and the thought of President Gore was… unthinkable. So, GWB became my guy.


For the first few months he was just flubbing along like most new Presidents, no great shakes, but no disasters either. He cut taxes and I like tax cuts.


Then September 11th happened. September 11th changed everything for me, like it did for so many of you. After September 11th, all the intramural idiocy of American politics stopped being funny. We had been attacked by a vicious and determined enemy and it was time for all of us to row in the same direction.


And we did for the blink of an eye. I believed the President when he said we were going to hunt down Bin Laden and all those responsible for the 9-11 murders. I believed President Bush when he said we would go after the terrorists and the nations that harbored them.


I supported the President when he sent our troops into Afghanistan, after all, that’s where the Taliban was, that’s where al-Qaida trained the killers, that’s where Bin Laden was.


And I cheered when we quickly toppled the Taliban government, but winced when we let Bin Laden escape from Tora-Bora.


Then, the talk turned to Iraq and I winced again.

The worm is turning against Bush. Even his own people are deserting him. Click title to read the whole article.

Click here to listen on Crooks and Liars.


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Powerful stuff. I don't usually read political articles all the way to the end. This one I did. It resonates, for me, with that sick feeling feeling when you know that things are going wrng and there's little that you can do to make it right.

I didn't vote for Bush the younger though I did vote for Bush the elder for his first term, not his second. I can't blame anyone, though, who voted for George W. the first time. I just thought he was an incompetant boob. There, too, I was wrong.

Kel said...

I don't blame anyone who voted for him the first time, though I must admit - as a UK resident - I was stunned when the US voted for him a second time.

I can't remember the exact figure but it was something like 78% of the planet who hoped the US wouldn't do that.

I actually do agree with McIntyre that Bush may well turn out to be the worst President of all time.

A war in Iraq that he admits will have to be sorted by his successor, tax cuts for the rich at a time when your country is running up a deficit that will have to be paid off by your grandchildren; and Osama bin Laden running free because Bush decided to invade a country that had no connection with 9-11.

It's depressing beyond words, especially when we consider that Bush is now making the same noises towards Iran; a country that is, at least, ten years away from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Anonymous said...

Kel, Europeans can't see to their own affairs without killing one another by the tens of millions. And inevitably, The United States has had to step in and clean up your messes at the cost of tens of thousands of American lives.

I know you'll understand when I say that maybe we Americans would be better served by keeping our own council. Your record seems a bit spotty when it comes to maintaining peace and stability.

Thanks all the same.

Kel said...

Jack,

Thanks for writing.

And I love the notion that the US "stepped in" to help us clear up "our mess".

As Hitler had plans for world domination I would argue that he was everyone's mess, not simply of concern solely to the citizens of Europe.

Nor did you "step in" as you euphamistically phrase it. You attempted to sit it out and only entered the war after the Japanese bombed you at Pearl Harbour.

So it wasn't quite the act of benevolence that you paint.

Nevertheless, we are grateful that you did.

Have a nice day.

Kel.