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Showing Class.
- Filed under: Congress, President Bush
- Date: Nov 6,2008
No matter what you think of the policies of President Bush, the way he has handled himself throughout this campaign has been nothing but classy. He has afforded a much better transition to Obama than he was given. He put in place months ago procedures to make the change much easier than it had been previously. President Bush understands far more than any of us the challenges the next leader of our country will face and he was determined to make sure that everything goes as smooth as possible. His invitation extended to the Obama family to come to the White House early was as sincere as it gets. His Rose Garden speech on Wednesday AM could not have been more gracious, despite Obama's consistent blasting of him. Thats how he always was towards Democrats, even though they never returned the courtesy. Something can be said for that.
Bush has constantly said that both sides kicking him while he was down during this campaign did not bother him. I doubt that is true; it had to hurt tremendously. But he never let it show, instead focusing on doing the best job he could until the end. He has handled the whole thing with dignity, like he has since Day One back in 2001. His knowledge of what we are truly up against seems to have led him to the conclusion that it was best that he stay above the fray. Bush's non-partisan passivity in the face of the attacks against him and his office was nothing short of stunning. Sometimes I feel like he should have fought back more, but for whatever reason he did not.
Bush had to face obstacles and situations which few presidents have ever seen and hopefully never will again. His success in protecting the country after September 11 returned us to a pre-9/11 times in regards to homeland security, and the irony is that it was to the detriment of the party even though it was clearly good for the country as a whole. He never seemed to care about his legacy, instead just trying to do what he thought was best. I hope that Obama will act in the same manner - country above politics. President Bush is a decent man and he did not deserve much of what he was subjected to, and certainly not that display we saw early Wednesday morning outside the White House.
Other news: Norm Coleman clings to a small lead (336 votes) over Al Franken in Minnesota. This race won't be decided for at least a few weeks with the pending recount. The good news for Coleman is that recounts typically add a few votes the tally of the candidate leading. The bad news is that many powerful people in Minnesota are determined to see him be defeated. This one very well could get ugly, along the lines of what happened in Washington State in 2004 in the race for Governor. This is a seat, I hate to say it, that the GOP might have to end up fighting for in court if things play out the way they are headed. We must hang on to this seat.
My Senate picks, so far, have been pretty good. Deep down I knew Sununu was going to lose in New Hampshire, but that was the only one I said I was half picking with my heart. It appears Ted Stevens will win in Alaska, but it is not yet determined. That was an upset I had called. In Georgia, whether or not it goes to a runoff, which also is still in the air but looks likely, Saxby Chambliss will be favored to win.
17 Responses for "Showing Class."
The Treatment of Bush Has Been a Disgrace
What must our enemies be thinking?
By JEFFREY SCOTT SHAPIRO
Earlier this year, 12,000 people in San Francisco signed a petition in support of a proposition on a local ballot to rename an Oceanside sewage plant after George W. Bush. The proposition is only one example of the classless disrespect many Americans have shown the president.
AP
According to recent Gallup polls, the president's average approval rating is below 30% — down from his 90% approval in the wake of 9/11. Mr. Bush has endured relentless attacks from the left while facing abandonment from the right.
This is the price Mr. Bush is paying for trying to work with both Democrats and Republicans. During his 2004 victory speech, the president reached out to voters who supported his opponent, John Kerry, and said, "Today, I want to speak to every person who voted for my opponent. To make this nation stronger and better, I will need your support, and I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to deserve your trust."
Those bipartisan efforts have been met with crushing resistance from both political parties.
The president's original Supreme Court choice of Harriet Miers alarmed Republicans, while his final nomination of Samuel Alito angered Democrats. His solutions to reform the immigration system alienated traditional conservatives, while his refusal to retreat in Iraq has enraged liberals who have unrealistic expectations about the challenges we face there.
It seems that no matter what Mr. Bush does, he is blamed for everything. He remains despised by the left while continuously disappointing the right.
Yet it should seem obvious that many of our country's current problems either existed long before Mr. Bush ever came to office, or are beyond his control. Perhaps if Americans stopped being so divisive, and congressional leaders came together to work with the president on some of these problems, he would actually have had a fighting chance of solving them.
Like the president said in his 2004 victory speech, "We have one country, one Constitution and one future that binds us. And when we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America."
To be sure, Mr. Bush is not completely alone. His low approval ratings put him in the good company of former Democratic President Harry S. Truman, whose own approval rating sank to 22% shortly before he left office. Despite Mr. Truman's low numbers, a 2005 Wall Street Journal poll found that he was ranked the seventh most popular president in history.
Just as Americans have gained perspective on how challenging Truman's presidency was in the wake of World War II, our country will recognize the hardship President Bush faced these past eight years — and how extraordinary it was that he accomplished what he did in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
The treatment President Bush has received from this country is nothing less than a disgrace. The attacks launched against him have been cruel and slanderous, proving to the world what little character and resolve we have. The president is not to blame for all these problems. He never lost faith in America or her people, and has tried his hardest to continue leading our nation during a very difficult time.
Our failure to stand by the one person who continued to stand by us has not gone unnoticed by our enemies. It has shown to the world how disloyal we can be when our president needed loyalty — a shameful display of arrogance and weakness that will haunt this nation long after Mr. Bush has left the White House.
Mr. Shapiro is an investigative reporter and lawyer who previously interned with John F. Kerry's legal team during the presidential election in 2004.
It's grossly humorous hearing people like Connie Schultz opine on how we as a country need to come together and work together for our new president.
I don't remember them extending the same courtesy to Bush in 2000 or 2004. Screw the hypocrites.
Make that lead down to 236!
I think it is about a 45% chance Franken will win. I just hope that Franken takes the lead w/ re-tabulations (before the hand recount), because Coleman "honorably" said he would step aside if he trailed….and at the current pace, he will be trailing by next Monday.
I do like the conspiracy crap you are throwing out there…..in a state where the governor is a Republican….and in a recount process that will have republicans while every vote is counted.
Reality is, there are a lot of people that for someone idiotic reason do weird things to their ballots, and this vote will change a good deal when they do the hand recount.
Either way, you were wrong about Franken's chances, but I give you great credit for your Stevens pick….highlight of your night (sort of sad your highlight comes from an upset victory by a convicted felon, though)
Bush was gracious on Wednesday….but what else is he going to do?
Probably didn't make it too hard for him, since McCain was throwing him under the bus so much
What else was he going to do indeed. He's the lamest of the lame ducks. Completely and utterly powerless. He's only trying to save some sort of legacy and have the country remember him well in the end. I'm glad he's not taking the stance some of your righty blogger friends in Ohio are taking (as distinct from you I might add).
If Coleman wins by 1 vote or 5 thousand, my pick of him to win the race is still correct.
Actually by this pace, it will be gone by tomorrow, not Monday.
And yes, I think if the tables were turned a Republican kept gaining votes in these counts that were being overseen by a Republican SOS, you would be concerned. Coleman had every right to declare victory, the votes were in and he had more.
I always thought the race would be close, but this is absurd.
Agreed Clueless, pretty interesting that Schultz is so much about working together now. A new twist for her.
Your pick was that there was no chance of Franken winning…which I took to mean a convincing win…..i don't think you will cover any sort of spread….but i am sure you will be equally happy.
And honestly, i would not be concerned in any scenario in a state like Minnesota that has a very clear law on recounts. It is scenarios like Florida 2000 or Washington 2004, where there were not clear guidelines in place is where BS can ensue. I don't see, outside of just stealing ballots, that this can be tampered with….and anyone that steals ballots should go to prison for a long time.
This…
"He has handled the whole thing with dignity, like he has since Day One back in 2001. His knowledge of what we are truly up against seems to have led him to the conclusion that it was best that he stay above the fray. Bush's non-partisan passivity in the face of the attacks against him and his office was nothing short of stunning. Sometimes I feel like he should have fought back more, but for whatever reason he did not."
…is what a hagiography looks like.
If Ben really believes what he wrote here, he truly has not been paying attention. Bush has been the most divisive president in modern history. That's why he stands at 24% approval. It was not the circumstances during his administration that brought him down….he did it all by himself.
History will repudiate the Bush 43 critics much like various past Presidents. The way he was treated was outright discraceful but in politics that's what you sign up for and should expect. It was born from the desperation the Dems had to regain power. Both sides do it and the country swings from R to D and back all the time. Sometimes children (the voters) want their mommy (Dems) and sometimes they want their daddy (Reps), now they want their mom.
I was particulaly appalled with the treatment of John McCain. Almost no subject of his life was not denagrated: his age, wealth, miltary experience, family life, Senate record, friends, associates, and campaign expenditures were all riduculed. But question his opponent on any of these topics and you were shouted down with the help of the media bias. I saw prejudice in this campaign on both sides: age, racial, socio-economic, and class. In the future I am hopeful to only see ideas debated.
The Rev said:
"If Ben really believes what he wrote here, he truly has not been paying attention. Bush has been the most divisive president in modern history. That's why he stands at 24% approval. It was not the circumstances during his administration that brought him down….he did it all by himself."
"Paying attention"? Indeed. Partisan doesn't have to mean disingenuous.
"Devisive"? What, he didn't cave enough to Democrats, giving them everything they wanted, just to keep them "supporting the troops"?
BTW, what was the approval rating for congress during the same time, I seem to have misplaced that number? It seems you did too Rev, eh?
Comparing Congress's approval ratings is one of the dumber things I know of.
It is always in the tank, and has been for well over a decade (except for just after 9/11)
"Comparing Congress's approval ratings is one of the dumber things I know of."
You must be a catalogue of dumb things and on that I congratulate you.
Historically Congress' approval rating has nor been in the "tank". In fact, the last time it was this low was when Democrats were re-elected in 1992. Otherwise the average has been in the 40% range since the 1970's, but judging more than just the Executive Branch of government doesn't fit your paradigm so it must be dumber than most things you know of.
Rev and others,
President Bush's approval rating is half of what it would be if he were the partisan you foolishly believe him to be. By acting like a Democrat and refusing to veto excessive spending bills he lost the base. The far left was never going to like him no matter what he did. He lost most of the middle because of the "in-the-bag" media & late night morons (Leno, Letterman, Stewart) disparaging him endlessly. Now that the leftist media wants to spread the idea of people getting behind the president to support the new guy they will start forgetting about running down Bush that much and his approval ratings will improve. It will get much better after the first few times Obama does something that shows he was a poor choice for the office.
Obama's first press conference after being elected gave us his first screw-up. Instead of sticking to the subject at hand, he felt it necessary to mock the ailing former First Lady Nancy Reagan.
Torture, rendition, Katrina, Iraq, Schiavo, spying on Americans, Nixonian "executive privilege" lawlessness,….
Those are a few of the reasons why a once wildly popular post 9-11 president became so wildly unpopular. Actions and decisions carried out by George W. Bush alone…the media had nothing to do with any of it…a media, by the way, who was extremely late to the Bush-bashing party.
Torture - Almost nonexistant (quit whining about waterboarding), but liberals & media will exaggerate
Rendition - Unknown to you and me and not really unpopular with most Americans except liberals & the media
Katrina - the most massive and successful effort to save lives except to liberals and the media
Iraq - yep, liberals & the media giving away the freedom of others
Schiavo - Get a life. You helped take her's
Spying on Americans - Yeah, I hate it when the government listens in on terrorists talking and planning
Nixonian "executive privilege" lawlessness - When liberals run out of whines, they drag out Nixon to cover up that they really have nothing. Nada. Zip.
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