Ben Stein: Bush Is Not All Bad
Iraq Is A Mess, But There Is A Lot Of Good In the U.S.
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Sunday Morning commentator Ben Stein says Iraq is a mess, but things are not all bad under President Bush. (AP)
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After the State Of The Union speech a few days ago, a muttering chorus of media critics told us endlessly that Bush was irrelevant, a loser, out of touch, even pitiful. NPR actually had Merle Haggard, the Okie from Muskogee, claim that the state of the nation had never been worse. And suddenly it hit me. The media is staging a coup against Mr. Bush, just the way they did against LBJ and Nixon and tried to do against Reagan. They cannot impeach Bush because only Congress can do that. But the media is doing what it can to basically oust Mr. Bush while still leaving him lifting weights in the White House. Look, Merle Haggard is a great singer. But he knows nothing of what's up in America right now.
The truth is that we are in a huge economic boom. We are coming off a mammoth real estate explosion that put the most Americans in history in their own homes. We have totally full employment. After decades of stagnation, real wages are rising. The nation is wealthier than it has ever been (although this is very unevenly distributed). Most important of all, there has not been one major or even minor successful terrorist incident against the U.S. homeland in over five years. Bush may not have done it by himself, but he had something to do with it.
True, we are mired in a war without end, costing us far too many great young and old Americans and too many limbs and wrecked families and vastly too much money. But we all know we're getting out soon.
It was a huge mistake, but I'd like to see a President who did not make immense mistakes. What about Vietnam? What about Korea?
True, the rich often get away with murder in the executive suite. Bush is partly to blame, but all politicians cater to the rich. What America's high degree thieves suck out of the system is nauseating and I fight it constantly, but that's life.
Let's be honest. Let's admit that Bush has presided over a lot of success in addition to some serious failures.
But no one elected the media to anything. In the TV studios and newsrooms, there is a lynch mob at work. Let's see it for what it is. Mr. Bush is the only President we have, and, with all his faults, I trust him a lot more than I trust the unelected princes and princesses of the newsroom.
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See all 245 CommentsI think most Americans agree with you. I know President Bush hasn't done everything right, but, as you said, What president has. The "unelected" media has had a lot to do with the dragging on of the war in Iraq by trying to make news instead of reporting it.
Thanks again,
Don Jeffries
Your "trust" of Bush is misplaced. Did you forget to mention squandering the surplus in favor of the already rich? Didn't you also neglect to mention 600,000 dead and maimed Iraqis, in an illegal war he lied about to wage? Ignoring global warming? Stem-cell research? In fact, there is nothing at all Bush has done that is any good. Maybe he did clear some brush on his ranch.
I used to trust you, but now...
I never thought anyone from the media would have the guts to call out the liberal media like you have. Will you be black listed now? Thank you for articulating what so many americans clearly see...it is as if they have consulted marketing firms to form an anti-Bush campaign! They have lost all objectivity. Isn't the media suppose to report just the facts? Hollywood and the media live in this liberal bubble, oh well, the smart people of this country will just elect another Rep. President and the media will claim cheatting AGAIN, except of course if a Democrate wins, then of course it will be a clean win.
Bush is that bad, Ben. I'm a Republican, but even I am able to acknowledge he has been the worst thing for this country and the global community. You seem guilty of practicing the same behavior you accuse the Press of committing. Twisting the truth for some self-serving purpose.
Please CBS.....give us somebody with credibility and fairness. Or is the Press assisting Stein's views?
Bush is that bad, Ben. I'm a Republican, but even I am able to acknowledge he has been the worst thing for this country and the global community. You seem guilty of practicing the same behavior you accuse the Press of committing. Twisting the truth for some self-serving purpose.
Please CBS.....give us somebody with credibility and fairness. Or is the Press assisting Stein's views?
Ben, wake up and smell the coffee - Bush is stubborn, arrogant, misguided, and woefully ill-prepared to lead the free world. He should be impeached.
Thanks again Ben!
Yet Mr. Stein is looking at this administration through rose colored glasses. Booming housing market, try a large number of foreclosures. And let us not forget it took arm twisting to get him to agree to the 9/11 commission,and his failure to act on securing our country. Nor the misleading information on Iraq, and his ignoring the military asking for more troops, and also ignoring the Iraq Study Groups findings. Lastly the media isn't ganging up on our President, they are just finally waking up to what has happened during their six year nap, and actually have started reporting the facts as they actually happened.
First, it seems that too many Americans are uneducated and simply repeat propaganda as a mocking bird would do. We research cars we intend to purchase more thoroughly than we research whom to vote into public office. Our political system should hold more respect from us as a nation. Whether the person or party of our choice is in office, it is our NATION and should be treated with pride. We teach our children to disagree with respect and should do so ourselves.
Secondly,since when has the media had the right to present only one side of any story. Their jobs are to inform, not to manipulate. I am truley sorry for the lack of pride our media shows to the great men and women who are in our armend forces. They need the country to support them in a war that they may or may not agree with, but was not their decision. Their moral can fall greatly when some of the U.S. media makes a mockery of all that they risk their lives to do.
Your commentary was a breath of fresh air and I challenge more journalists to try to be less biast.
Thank you again Ben Stein!!!!
stayed in Afghanistan and "surged" there we would have Osama and not Hussien. If we would of kept our attention to Afghanistan there would be a eastern front to Iran strongly behind America. Hussien still would of hated Iran which would of played into our hands. Of course we had a strangle hold on Iraq anyway. Remember NoFly Zones, and our base in Kuwait and the economic holds? Seems to me theres alot of things missing in the mix not being brought out.
It%u2019s refreshing to find a new magazine who will allow both the conservative and liberal point of view. Keep it up!
THe middle class is shrinking. We find ourselves becoming the working poor. While rich people like yourself get all the breaks from our current administration.
Wake up and smell the coffee. Thanks be to King George and supporters like you.
THe middle class is shrinking. We find ourselves becoming the working poor. While rich people like yourself get all the breaks from our current administration.
Wake up and smell the coffee. Thanks be to King George and supporters like you.
CBS please air his comments on the evening news and get everyone thinking. Since when does the press represent the opinion of U.S. Citizens to the rest of the world. Instead of impeaching our president they need to talk about the positive things that Ben Stine stated. I wonder if the rest of the world hears about those things, I doubt it. The public should think about the damage the press does and demand equal time for the positive things. Yes, I am a proud American
Connie
I absolutely hate how the majority of people think, 'Oh the war isn't going how I want it to, so let's just quit, or do something else.' Are we that childish? Does anyone recall the word perseverance or dedication? Yes, sometimes it is better just to cut you losses, but I don't think I have ever heard of a war being won over night. Like President Bush said, this victory isn't going to be like the victory that our fathers and grandfathers saw because this isn't like any war that our fathers and grandfathers ever fought. I don't think that the public realizes what would happen if we were just to pack up and leave. That is the worst possible thing that we could do. War is that, war. I don't understand why there aren%u2019t more citizens that see that victory is essential for the future. I'm so glad that you pointed out that there hasn't been a large or small terrorist attack on the homeland since 9-11.
I totally agree with your comments. I wish that all the %u2018celebrities%u2019 that just take their paychecks to the bank would actually step up and make a difference with what they have been blessed with. I don't know who told them that any of us cared.
I just wanted to write you in support. I'm sure that you will get plenty in opposition.
I absolutely hate how the majority of people think, 'Oh the war isn't going how I want it to, so let's just quit, or do something else.' Are we that childish? Does anyone recall the word perseverance or dedication? Yes, sometimes it is better just to cut you losses, but I don't think I have ever heard of a war being won over night. Like President Bush said, this victory isn't going to be like the victory that our fathers and grandfathers saw because this isn't like any war that our fathers and grandfathers ever fought. I don't think that the public realizes what would happen if we were just to pack up and leave. That is the worst possible thing that we could do. War is that, war. I don't understand why there aren%u2019t more citizens that see that victory is essential for the future. I'm so glad that you pointed out that there hasn't been a large or small terrorist attack on the homeland since 9-11.
I totally agree with your comments. I wish that all the %u2018celebrities%u2019 that just take their paychecks to the bank would actually step up and make a difference with what they have been blessed with. I don't know who told them that any of us cared.
I just wanted to write you in support. I'm sure that you will get plenty in opposition.
I absolutely hate how the majority of people think, 'Oh the war isn't going how I want it to, so let's just quit, or do something else.' Are we that childish? Does anyone recall the word perseverance or dedication? Yes, sometimes it is better just to cut you losses, but I don't think I have ever heard of a war being won over night. Like President Bush said, this victory isn't going to be like the victory that our fathers and grandfathers saw because this isn't like any war that our fathers and grandfathers ever fought. I don't think that the public realizes what would happen if we were just to pack up and leave. That is the worst possible thing that we could do. War is that, war. I don't understand why there aren%u2019t more citizens that see that victory is essential for the future. I'm so glad that you pointed out that there hasn't been a large or small terrorist attack on the homeland since 9-11.
I totally agree with your comments. I wish that all the %u2018celebrities%u2019 that just take their paychecks to the bank would actually step up and make a difference with what they have been blessed with. I don't know who told them that any of us cared.
I just wanted to write you in support. I'm sure that you will get plenty in opposition.
Aren't you kind of bias since you credit Bush for the large number of Americans owning their own ome when in reality it all began after World War II with Levitown, NY.
Let's tlak about your comment about full-employment. What about all of the jobs going overseas. I think if you made the same comment to any autoworker or any software engineer you wouldn't get a a positive reaction from them. Losing your high-paying job to get a minimum wage job isn't full-employment.
Let's face it you backed a liar and a cheat and no PR job isn't going to change history. I think you are better off being remembered for your role in Ferris Bueller than being known for the guy trying bail out a sinking ship.
I must stongly disagree with you on that.
You do finally make the admission that Iraq was a mistake, and for that I give you credit.
You then go on to say that the economy is doing well.
If I hear that statement one more time, I am going to explode.
Let me give you a little background on myself. I have been a unit employee of the Maytag Corporation for 29 years. At 30 years I would have been eligible for retirement. The Maytag organization merged recently with the Whirlpool Corporation making my retirement not possible. But that is not the point of this e-mail.
You made the statement our economy is doing well but is not evenly distributed. I consider this a serious understatement. In this community in Central Iowa we have experienced the loss of several thousand jobs due to this merger. This presently is going on throughout the country. I defy you to talk to any of these people and make the statement that the economy is doing well. The economy is doing well for a select few at the expense of the majority of the middle class blue collar workers. This cannot be considered good for our country. When a man producing the goods to make this country function cannot live on the wages of one job, there is a problem.
Jim H25
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