Presidential Character: "Mr. Bush is a man who was reared in privilege, who succeeded in both business and politics because of his family connections. The question during the presidential campaign was whether he was anything more than just a very lucky guy. There were times in the past three years when he has been much more than that, and he may no longer be a man who expects to find an easy way out of difficulties. But now, at the moment when we need strong leadership most, he is still a politician who is incapable of asking the people to make hard choices. And we are paying the price."

Bush is asking people to make sacrifices--billions of them will pay for his policies. But he is not asking the wealthy in America to make any sacrifices. So, although I disagree with this column, I am glad that it has been published. Bush came to office claiming that his character was superior, but clearly he is a human being with failings and faults as small and as great as any average American. These are magnified out of all proportion by the immense power of the position he holds. And the extremism with which he wields it. The result is that his character does matter. The issue of his penchant for misleading arguments (and worse), dissembling, hiding the truth and closing off access to public information, as well as the chilling effect on our freedom of speech--all these issues need to be accounted for, as well as the ruinous impact of his appalling policies.




- posted by geoff @ #