Bush sort of reminds me of Norma Desmond with his staff being Max.
“All right History, I’m ready for my closeup.”
Sorry for the semi-hijack, but I find this an interesting statement.
I’d like to argue that only low self-esteem would cause someone to say/do this. After all, if you did well and truly suck, would you even consider the possibility that you do? I say no. I also think it’d be a strong indicator if you (general you, not Whack-a-Mole in particular) did so without even considering the personalities and even “worthiness” of all these people “you know around you.”
Anyway, as villa said, it’s not like NO ONE supports Bush, so the situation isn’t quite the same, and he probably considers those people the only ones that matter.
Why should he care? Popularity is fleeting, and, outside of ego-gratification, worthless.
Has anyone informed Bush of the price of a gallon of gas lately, ot does he still believe its around $1.47 a gallon?
I am sure thay have told him about the latest honor for which he is being considered:
I think George W. Bush is the bravest President in my lifetime. He does what he thinks is right knowing it is unpopular.
Brave?
When the only real negative (personal) consequence of your actions is not being popular among people who you don’t like anyways, bravery isn’t really the right word for it.
I do not think George W. Bush is disingenuous at all. You may have big problems with his policies, but do you really think he enacts policies that he does not believe in?
I have no idea if he really believes in everything or not, but even if he does, that’s not necessarily a virtue. Osama bin Laden does what he thinks is right.
That’s a complete non sequitor.
My point is that it doesn’t take any particular degree of bravery to stick to your guns when the only personal drawback for you is that people who you don’t like, dislike you back. Or, even, for that matter, to keep doing the same thing when it’s unpopular.
Carrot Top, for instance, is not possessed of herculean bravery.
Cares? Oh, yeah, if only by wretched comparison. Remember the State/Union address, the first one after 9/11, when he had been promoted from likable *shlub *to The Leader? How he would deliver his punch lines, and a roomful of arthritic old farts had to jump up and applaud, sit back down, he maunders for a few seconds and then hits them with another one…our heroes!..courage!..our heroes…me!..our heroes. And every time he hit that bar in his cage, he got another jolt! of pure endorphins striaght into the rodent brain stem.
Nobody had ever had that much love and respect for him, but now all he had to do was deliver some cornball hokum from where George Patton intersects with Hallmark Cards, and they would jump up again! and again! Remember how he beamed with sombre ecstasy? “I am *important!”
*
And I worry some, about what he might be willing to do to get that buzz again.
Ok let me put it this way. George W. Bush is doing the right thing. The right thing is difficult. It is difficult to people that do not understand that tough situations take tough courses of action. I know that many tire of the struggle against global terrorism, but it must be met. Those of you that think the Islamic aggressors can be talked to will be histories fools. To sit and wait for the next move of the enemy is just stupid.
There has not been a second terrorist attack in the US since 911.
G_D Bless GWB.
Yours is a very exceptional viewpoint. Bordering on unique.
And in the long run, Nixon was right.
He sunk to the lowest position possible, but most historians remember him now a good President for his foreign policy(opening up China , starting detente and setting the USA in the right direction. )
Nixon was totally rejected by the nation,(much more than Bush) , but he later recovered his pride ,as the news talk shows proudly hosted him for his valued experience and analysis.
Bush probably feels the same way.
After all, what other options does he have?
Part of that with Nixon was the constraints of courtesy, we had not had a truly *disgraced *President before, Warren G. Harding had the good taste to drop dead.
So unique that he was re-elected. Whether or not you agree with his positions they have not changed.
Do you know where your candidate stands on withdrawing troops from Iraq? How about his opinion on Iran’s nuclear threat? What’s his position on FISA or telecommunication companies liability? “Change” takes on new meaning once the Primary is over.
It’s one thing to stand in front of teleprompter and read focus group sound bites. It’s another thing to actually do the job.
Yes there was, and Dubya didn’t catch that terrorist either. He is 0 for 2 in catching terrorist masterminds.
heheh Yes he knows. What is supposed to do “go into the fetal position” because of your polls heheh.
I think he is certain of his course. Maybe he thinks he made some mistakes and fouled up some, but these are small things and the overall course he has laid out in the ME was correct.
I don’t think you can overestimate the “God angle” in his thinking. In Plan of Attack, Woodward quotes him as saying, “I’m surely not going to justify the war based on God.” But he also told Woodward that he prayed always “for the strength to do the Lord’s will.” He has characterized what he has done WRT to the ME as “choosing life” & I think he would react the same way a devout Baptist would react to news that most of the world isn’t Baptist and doesn’t share his beliefs. He would shrug and say “Its a matter of faith” Bush has faith in the overall rightness of what he is doing. I do not believe he thinks he is infallible or divine - just in line with the general overall Divine PLAN.
Anyone so completely stupid as to suggest bombing Al Jazeera in the belief that it was a terrorist organisation instead of a T.V. channel(And this total moron has the finest information gathering resources and advisors on earth) probably is too intellectually challenged to even UNDERSTAND approval ratings.
So no I doubt if Bush does understand just in how much contempt so many people throughout the world hold him.
I was in the U.S. just before he was “elected”,I despised him and his mindset then and I despise him and his mindset now.
I think another point is: why should he care? No re-election. He’ll be rolling in money after his term. Some people will still idolize him. What, him worry?