The double binds of George W. Bush

Townhall.com ^ | July 19, 2004 | Rich Lowry

[livesbygrace]

Sometimes a political figure becomes so hated that he can't do anything right in the eyes of his enemies. President Bush has achieved this rare and exalted status. His critics are so blinded by animus that the internal consistency of their attacks on him no longer matters. For them, Bush is the double-bind president.

If he stumbles over his words, he is an embarrassing idiot. If he manages to cut taxes or wage a war against Saddam Hussein with bipartisan support, he is a manipulative genius.

If he hasn't been able to capture Osama bin Laden, he is endangering U.S. security. If he catches bin Laden, it is only a ploy to influence the elections.

If he ignores U.N. resolutions, he is a dangerous unilateralist. If he takes U.N. resolutions on Iraq seriously, he is a dangerous unilateralist. If he doesn't get France to agree to his Iraq policy, he is ignoring important international actors. If he supports multiparty talks on North Korea, he is not doing enough to ignore important international actors.

If he bombed Iraq, he should have bombed Saudi Arabia instead, and if he had bombed Saudi Arabia, he should have bombed Iran, and if he had bombed all three, he shouldn't have bombed anyone at all. If he imposes a U.S. occupation on Iraq, he is fomenting Iraqi resistance by making the United States seem an imperial power. If he ends the U.S. occupation, he is cutting and running.

If he warns of a terror attack, he is playing alarmist politics. If he doesn't warn of a terror attack, he is dangerously asleep at the switch. If he says we're safer, he's lying, and if he doesn't say we're safer, he's implicitly admitting that he has failed in his core duty as commander in chief.

If he adopts a doctrine of pre-emption, he is unacceptably remaking American national-security policy. If the United States suffers a terror attack on his watch, he should have pre-empted it. If he signs a far-reaching anti-terror law, he is abridging civil liberties. If the United States suffers another terror attack on his watch, he should have had a more vigorous anti-terror law.

Bush's economy hasn't created new jobs. If it has created new jobs, they aren't well-paying jobs. If they are well-paying jobs, there is still income inequality in America.

If Bush opposes a prescription-drug benefit for the elderly, he's miserly. If he supports a prescription-drug benefit for the elderly, he's lining the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies. If he restrains government spending, he's heartless. If he supports government spending, he's bankrupting the nation and robbing from future generations.

If he opposes campaign-finance reform, he's a tool of corporate interests. If he signs campaign-finance reform, he's abridging the First Amendment rights of Michael Moore (whose ads for "Fahrenheit 9/11" might run afoul of the law).

If he accuses John Kerry of flip-flopping, he is merely highlighting one of the Massachusetts senator's strengths -- his nuance and thoughtfulness. If he flip-flops on nation-building or testifying before the 9/11 commission, he proves his own ill-intentions, cluelessness, or both.

If he doesn't admit a mistake, he is bullheaded and detached from reality. If he admits a mistake, he is damning his own governance in shocking fashion.

If he sticks with Dick Cheney, he is saddling himself with an unpopular vice president, giving Democrats who can't wait to run against Cheney a political advantage. If he drops Cheney, he is admitting that the Democratic attacks against his vice president have hit home, thus giving Democrats who have made those charges a political advantage.

If he loses in November, the voice of the American people has spoken a devastating verdict on his presidency. If he wins, he stole the election.

[Happy2BMe]

"If he loses in November, the voice of the American people has spoken a devastating verdict on his presidency. If he wins, he stole the election."

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Thanks for the ping, Geist!

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This is the corner Democrats want to paint Dubya into for this election - READ IT for insight on just how thd Dems distort, twist, and reconstruct the truth according to their corrupt agendas of bringing communism to power in the United States. (Ann Coulter would love this if anybody knows how to ping her.)

[KriegerGeist]

Now, Joe Wilson's exposed lying is not reported or "ho hum". Former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger stealing classified documents and destroying them is not a crime, but leaking that he did it to the press at such and such a time is... Henry Waxman even suggested an investigation concerning the "leaker" and the timing and not the theft of classified documents. So, now the press is downplaying this crime as a political attack by the Republicans and that the whole thing is no big deal. Berger is saying that theft of classified documents regarding national security was an "honest mistake". (Well then, so was what Martha Stewart did) Say that loud enough and long enough and the average American will think it was no big deal...

[mondoman]

Yep, got this right. Heard it on Rush yesterday as well.

That's why I change my tagline with each post "....it is all George W. Bush's fault!"

for example, "Sandy Berger stuffing his socks is all George W. Bush's fault!"

[mondoman]

Again, I agree with the position espoused in this article. However, couldn't the same be said about us on the Right (especially FReepers) and our animas towards the Clinton Administration and the Democrats?

Makes one think, doesn't it?!

[Jaysun]

Outstanding article. It seems to me that it would become obvious at some point that the liberals are simply nuts that try to bitch their way into office. I guess not.

[MeekOneGOP]

Texas Democrats are quickly becoming an endangered species.

The Texas Dodocrat:

Remap could create an endangered species -
Texas' white Democratic Reps struggle for survival

Texas Redistricting starts a National Trend !:

[MeekOneGOP]

Hear the Donkey Bray
(RealPlayer)

[Expletive deleted] !!!