Saturday, November 06, 2004
Coping
It might be that the majority of Americans see President Bush as talented and reasonable.
That he does love democracy, and is trying to deliver the best for his country in circumstances including those unwanted.
Asked about the role his Christian faith plays in decision-making, he said:
"I will be your president regardless of your faith. The great tradition of America is one where people can worship the way they want to worship. And if they choose not to worship, you're just as patriotic as your neighbour."
Regarding Chief Justice Rehnquist's cancer he said. "when I told people ... that I'll pick somebody who knows the difference between personal opinion and the strict interpretation of the law - you might have heard that several times - I meant what I said."
Despite majority perceptions and the evidence of vision, actions and events, the new post-election world does not comfortably sit with many in public affairs.
For most of a dummy-spit of an article in the Guardian by Sydney Blumentahl (BBC commetator, Clinton advisor) he seems to deny that there are actually any new realities to be dealt with - not those foist upon the public by the paranoid demon Bush and his "(fear) machine of centripetal force ":
"Fear of the besieging terrorist, appearing in Bush TV ads as the shifty eyes of a swarthy man or a pack of wolves, was joined with fear of the besieging queer
" (T)he faithful ... were shepherded to the polls as though to the rapture.
"They grafted imperial unilateralism on to provincial isolationism.
"Only imposing manly authority against "girly men" and girls and lurking terrorists can save the nation."
As spin doctoring, great stuff to rally the brainwashed. But why so much recent MSN exposure for Sydney or for other recently aggrieved, who are getting plenty of attention, like here.
Perhaps there is general agreement amongst these Purveyors of Wisdom that Bush has graduated from idiot to puppet-master. Even master-minding 9/11 (says, eg, French author) and Osama's election speech (suggests Walter Cronkite).
Maybe he'll still prove to be an idiot. You can be sure that Syd and Jane and their many friends will keep you updated, and will continue to per- and conspire angrily rather than evaluate honestly or consider self-examination following another election setback.
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From Michael Barone:
"The victories of Lincoln, Roosevelt and Mr. Bush came despite the vigorous and outspoken opposition of media elites. The New York Herald in 1864, the Chicago Tribune in 1944 and the New York Times and CBS News in 2004 led the opposition...
"Millions were chagrined at the results."
