Posted on 05/30/2004 5:37:38 PM PDT by KMAJ2
May 30, 2004
COMMENTARY A Leader for Perilous Times
Bush has risen to the challenge from an enemy that hopes to litter our landscape with dead Americans.
But my admiration for the man — for whom I refused to vote in year 2000 — grows ever higher...
A president's chief duty is to keep the nation safe in the dangerous tides of international politics. In 2000, I found candidate Bush too little engaged with this challenge. But since 9/11, he has offered the kind of leadership that ranks him with the greatest presidents of my lifetime, Harry Truman and Ronald Reagan...
Like them, Bush is taxed with having a weak intellect and little mastery of policy details. Maybe so. But what Bush has, as they had, is a clear-eyed recognition of a great threat to our country, the courage to face that threat and a willingness to risk his political standing for the policies he deems essential to our security.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
I agree with many of the assessments made, I think Bush is cut out of the same visionary cloth as Ronald Reagan, without Reagan's charisma, but with a common man appeal. He does not come across as a high brow intellect, but he also does not come across as the spoiled rich kid, unlike Kerry. He seems more like the guy next door in his manner and speech patterns. Maybe that is one of the reasons elitist intellectuals of the left despise him.
For me, the part of the article that sums up my assessment of Bush best is:
"what Bush has... is a clear-eyed recognition of a great threat to our country, the courage to face that threat and a willingness to risk his political standing for the policies he deems essential to our security."
Everyone is free to agree or disagree, but this is the main reason I support him. I prefer a man of conviction to one guided by political expediency and ambition for power, one who switches positions more often then he changes his underwear. During this dangerous time in the world's history, we cannot afford a waffler who:
"tells us that he voted against the Iraq war of 1991 although he was really for it and voted for the Iraq war of 2003 although he was really against it. Kerry offers, in short, all the leadership of a whirling dervish."
Bush is far from perfect, but we need strong leadership at this time in history, and Kerry has shown no evidence he is capable of providing that leadership. Too much is at stake.
Excellent read...good to see some people actually getting it.
The guy better define "weak
intellect"...for someone who is
looked down on with respect to
intellect, Bush surely has fooled
(read, outsmarted) lots of folks.
He is "street savvy", IMO, quick-
witted, and actually likes to read
History & Biography.
Not to mention a jet pilot...
The rest of this is good.
I have read in so many places, GW Dumb, Gore Smart, GW Dumb, Kerry Smart.
As soon as I see either of the above I dismiss the writer as either a Political Hack or a Moron and the remainder of the article goes unread, I move on.
God Bless my President G.W. Bush.
...Saved, can't get the full article. Will check out a copy at the library. Thanks...
I'll take conviction and common sense over smart any day. Jimmy Carter was a nuclear engineer - who told Americans they needed to get over their fear of Communism. Bill Clinton was a Rhodes Scholar who said he smoked but didn't inhale. Only in Washington DC could those two be considered smart.
Thanks for saying that! The absurdity is beyond the pale.
I admire President Bush more than any man I have ever known even thought I've never met him personally. If I had a chance to meet one famous person in my life time he would be it. When he talks he talks just like regular people. He's easy to understand and you know he means what he says. I trust him and I don't trust most people. The people that say he's stupid don't see what I see. I see a very intelligent man that is not always comfortable in the spotlight even though he handles it well. That's just my feeling about our President.
I doubt that Muravchik really believes that Bush has a weak intellect.
Doesn't Bush have an MBA?
If so, he ain't stoopid.
Yes, GWB has an MBA from Harvard and is the only US president to have an MBA degree.
The President is not a slick glib speaker like clinton but he's got the smarts and more importantly...he's got the resolve and decisiveness of a true leader.
Thanks be to God that those 537 Floridians gave him the edge to win FL's Electoral votes!
I think you're completely right, Melinda. Nicely said!
Ditto!!!
The people that say he's stupid
THEY are the ones who are stupid cause they can't give any constructive criticism. They just resort to name calling. George W. Bush is the man for our times. God bless him and I am proud to call him MY President.
The people that say he's stupid
THEY are the ones who are stupid cause they can't give any constructive criticism. They just resort to name calling. George W. Bush is the man for our times. God bless him and I am proud to call him MY President.
I wasn't saying Bush had a weak intellect, though I can't speak for the writer. But he does not come across as a high brow intellectual, which does not mean he isn't intelligent, but I think his common folk manner, if you will, is one of the things that appeals to the public.
What struck me most was the writer painting him as a man of conviction, willing to risk his political capital and the presidency by adhering to his beliefs of what is right for this country. Quite a refreshing change from his predecessor and current opponent.
......I trust him......
Melinda, I feel exactly the same way.....I trust President Bush. I may not agree with everything he does, but, I believe, like me, he loves this country and he will do whatever he needs to do to protect our country and her citizens. I would rather have an honest person as President than a super-intellectual (supposedly!)who looks at the camera and lies to the nation.
placemark
He also learned how to fly a high preformance jet aircraft. Not a job for dumbies. I think the president is a reflection of what makes America so great. Common sense and faith can carry a leader a long way. Sen. Kerry reflects an elitist point of view and comes off as one who is above the common man.
There is no doubt in my mind that GWBush is doing what he thinks is best for our country. If we disagree, and vote him out in Nov (and I pray that we don't) he will go back to Crawford feeling that he did the best he could for us.
We have had few enough Presidents that cared more about the country than they did about having power. Reagan did, and so did HST. JFK wants power more than anything; so do both clintoons. I'd also put Nixon in that category.
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