Loving the Bush Haters

The Weekly Standard ^ | 11/07/03 | Noemie Emery

[Pokey78]

Is it wrong to take pleasure in the madness George W. Bush induces in his critics? Nope.

I LOVE GEORGE W. BUSH. I worship the man. I wake up every morning glad he is president. When annoyed by small things--traffic, the weather, an overcharge--I say to myself, "President Bush," and at once feel better. I like his worldview. I like his dogs and his wife and his mother. I think he looks cool in his shorts and his t-shirts. But it isn't these things that make my heart flutter: It's that he drives the people I hate the most nuts.

The Germans created the word schadenfreund to describe the pleasure one might feel at the woes of one's allies, but no one has yet coined a word for the happiness that can come to a person when those who annoy him complain. Open the paper, and there they all are: the hard-faced women who refer to abortion as "choice," the soft-faced male writers who look a little too pampered, the actors, the artists, the faculty hotshots, the with-it, the urbane and the urban, the concerned, the refined, the sincere.

They are enraged that someone unlike them has power; enraged because they think he is dumb, and he always outsmarts them; enraged that he pushed back when the Democrats, backed all the way by the Supreme Court of Florida, flooded the state with lawyers after the 2000 election, armed with game plans to subvert the result.

Above all, they are enraged that they can't sell their wrath to the rest of the country, which calmly remains unenraged. So, they write the same book over and over (and buy it in job lots), write the same pieces over and over, and post the same things on the web. I read them all.

And in them I find a perverse satisfaction. If, as Churchill maintains, it is exhilarating to be shot at and missed, it is also enlivening to have your opponent empty both barrels, to more or less meager effect. I read Sidney Blumenthal's mournful account of the Florida recount. I read junior writers at policy journals proclaim with no proof they are smarter than Bush is. I read them all, and I wickedly grin.

I grin because I have been once where they are, and have stood in their sandals myself. Liberals insist Bush exists in their minds as a vast malign presence, a huge psychic drag on their consciousness. I know, I know--I felt exactly the same way about Clinton, back in l999. Shortly later, I was told by a dentist that during the eight year reign of the Clintons, I had been grinding my molars to dust. "I've been grinding my teeth less since Clinton left office," I said, thinking he'd think it was funny. He didn't. His office is on Capitol Hill, and his practice is filled with political people, all gnashing their teeth in a frenzy of outrage.

It's your turn, now, fellas. Grind on!

Noemie Emery is a contributing editor to The Weekly Standard.

[Lady In Blue]

I know you'll just love this one,Brian!

[Lady In Blue]

Liberals insist Bush exists in their minds as a vast malign presence, a huge psychic drag on their consciousness. I know, I know--I felt exactly the same way about Clinton, back in l999. Shortly later, I was told by a dentist that during the eight year reign of the Clintons, I had been grinding my molars to dust. "I've been grinding my teeth less since Clinton left office," I said, thinking he'd think it was funny. He didn't. His office is on Capitol Hill, and his practice is filled with political people, all gnashing their teeth in a frenzy of outrage. I think you'll get a real kick out of this article! Made me smile.

[nopardons]

So are mine. I had to wear a nightgaurd, all through the Clinton madness.

[Burkeman1]

I too can relate. Never grinded my teeth. But I would lay awake at night fantasizing about some brave soul from within the Clinton administration coming forward to expose all the lies and crimes before a Senate committee. He and his wife even tormented me in my dreams.

I think everyone has a worst Clinton moment. Mine was the eve before the House vote on Clinton's Impeachment. I was driving home from work and the News came on and said that Clinton had just launched operation Desert Fox against Iraq. I pulled my car off I95 and sat in the dark and the rain in a rest area for about 20 minutes to compose myself and to make sure that what I had heard was correct. The next day Democrats were trying to stall the vote because we were "at war" and it would be "unpatriotic" to not support him. When some Republicans actually dared to question the timing the media pounced on them! Those were my "Days of Rage."

[nopardons]

I had many a " day of rage ", during the Clinton nightmare and yes, truthfully, I ground my teeth. I also used to scream at the T.V., the radio, and whatever newspaper I had at hand; sometimes all at the same time. :-(

Thank GOD, that those days of horror are over.

[Burkeman1]

There was a great essay written by a Freeper in the early days that basically dealt with the trauma that Clinton caused him on a daily basis. I wish I had saved it. Rjayne had made it an Essay of the Week. It was a great one.

[nopardons]

I remember that and yes, it was special.

Actually,most of us " old timers " came to FR, because of the Clinton truama. At least we had company here and misery loves company. It was far worse to have to deal with all of that garbage alone.

[NYpeanut]

One thing concerns me--my "remote" finger is degenerating because of the Bush administration. I used to make dives for the remote to change the channel whenever the rapist's bloated face came on the screen. Those dives would have made a NHL goalie weep with envy.

[SeeRushToldU_So]

Loved the toon!

[Coop]

WE may have picked up a few Governors, but we are getting our a$$ kicked in the Judge department

Oh yeah? So there's been a plethora of liberal judges being confirmed?

[Coop]

One thing concerns me--my "remote" finger is degenerating because of the Bush administration. I used to make dives for the remote to change the channel whenever the rapist's bloated face came on the screen.

I had a similar problem involving cramping and my middle finger(s).

[MeekOneGOP]

Loving the Bush Haters

Excerpt:

Is it wrong to take pleasure in the madness George W. Bush induces in his critics? Nope.

< snip >

The Germans created the word schadenfreund to describe the pleasure one might feel at the woes of one's allies, but no one has yet coined a word for the happiness that can come to a person when those who annoy him complain. Open the paper, and there they all are: the hard-faced women who refer to abortion as "choice," the soft-faced male writers who look a little too pampered, the actors, the artists, the faculty hotshots, the with-it, the urbane and the urban, the concerned, the refined, the sincere.

They are enraged that someone unlike them has power; enraged because they think he is dumb, and he always outsmarts them; enraged that he pushed back when the Democrats, backed all the way by the Supreme Court of Florida, flooded the state with lawyers after the 2000 election, armed with game plans to subvert the result.

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my General Interest ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[livesbygrace]

Rush is the one who helped me through the Clinton days. I didn't even know there was a Free Republic until we were waiting to see who won the Florida recount... Talk about a life-saver!!

[prognostigaator]

......"And in them I find a perverse satisfaction........."
those who find GW so dumb , and yet he outsmarts them,etc., etc.

How sweet it is.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[I_be_tc]

Great article. Thanks, MnM. I started lurking during the clinton "Reign of Terror". During the election fiasco, all I could do was read FR and refresh. This was my lifeline. I was so terrified during that time that we would completely lose this country. Now I have some hope. Course, I keep hoping that little tommy and babs keep being saddened and disappointed. It sure works for me!!

TC

[onyx]

Her column is a refreshing read, but I take their treachery too serious to laugh at them.

[sheltonmac]

I LOVE GEORGE W. BUSH. I worship the man.

What, no BARF alert? Respect for a leader is one thing--worship is reserved for God.

[Burkeman1]

Who was the reporter that said she would perform certian "favors" on Bill Clinton?

[Burkeman1]

Nina Burleigh- remember her?

http://www.rightgrrl.com/sexforacause.html