September 23, 2003, Can't Buy Me Love
The President is in town today (around a kilometer from where I'm writing this, more or less) to address the United Nations General Assembly. (The Loquacious Pup and I looked up in the sky on our walk to school this morning, to see two large Marine Corps helicopters heading for the Wall Street area-- a sure sign that, indeed, the President is in town.) I'm expecting a somewhat lukewarm reception of the President this round-- whether he gets one or not, he's earned it.
Consistent with Bush Administration doctrine (and also with most toddlers) the President will be absolutely unapologetic about his having dissed the rest of the world in his unilateral aggression against another sovereign nation that posed no threat to the United States, while still chiding the rest of the world that they must now chip in their own blood and treasure to clean up the mess we made. French President Chirac's suggestion that we simply leave Iraq to our interim puppet government within the next thirty days or so is not realistic for a variety of reasons (mostly because its insane). French support, however, for whatever it is we want to do can still be bought: I just happen to think that having a free-hand to let more no-bid contracts to Bechtel, Dynegy and Halliburton is far more important to the President than is easing the burdens on American troops; in short, don't expect any breakthrough UN deals here.
As the President is on the defensive on the world stage, it appears he has some other problems at home: General Wesley Clark, the newest announced Democratic candidate, has instantly moved into a virtual dead heat with the sitting President. (As The Poor Man has noted, this is all part of Clark's brilliant strategy to become Howard Dean's Vice-Presidential running mate!) Of more concern to Bush should be his own 50% approval rating (lowest of Presidency post 9-11), and the fact that several Democratic candidates were in a virtual dead heat with Bush in a one-on-one, according to polls.
Well, well. The challenge now facing the President is to demonstrate... what's that word again... ah yes... leadership. Having haughtily taken the first budget surplus in generations and turned it into a record deficit before anyone could blink, and having taken America at the apex of its power as the world's moral
and military leader and made it less so, in order to turn all of this around, we will need to see actual leadership. Not the bullying to get what he wants that he defines as leadership, but actual leadership accomplishing actual results. Iraq and Afghanistan cannot be allowed to deteriorate further. Our relations with our NATO allies and other nations must be strengthened as we engage in the "War on Terror". Our relations with Pacific powers must be strengthened, especially in dealing with North Korea. We must stop the domestic budgetary hemmoraging, and make the tough choices of either raising taxes, lowering spending, or both (but in no event, neither).
Paradoxically, Bush is going to have to take more political chances (not just rolling dice and American lives in adventres like Iraq), but chances such as pissing off campaign contributors, to get the house in order. Otherwise, he will be crushed in November, 2004 by almost any Democratic challenger, and deservedly so. While Karl plots for pockets to pander to, the big picture is crumbling. And it won't turn around unless the nation sees... leadership. Real leadership-- not just photo-op leadership.
I'm not holding my breath either.
Comments
Hey Lefty Douchebag,
What's with this kilometer bullshit.
You're in America, son. Try half a mile.
Save the metric crap for your French buddies.
Posted by Orenthal James Smithers at September 23, 2003 01:29 PM
Bush is leading us. He is leading us down the path to the most reviled nation on Earth.
Similar to the budget, there was a surplus of pro-American sentiment around the world after 9/11.
Also similar to the budget, he managed to reverse that quicker than you can say, "Send in the bombers."
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