Aug. 21, 2008
Dubya Made Obama Possible
National Review: Bush Deserves The Credit For Making The Liberal Democrat's Candidacy Palatable
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(AP)
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In-Depth VP Hot Sheet: Obama CBSNews.com ranks the top contenders to be Obama's running mate.
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In-Depth VP Hot Sheet: McCain CBSNews.com ranks the top contenders to be McCain's running mate.
People in America feel safe, and President Bush - thanks to his advocacy of tough FISA laws, winning in Iraq, taking on the Taliban in Afghanistan, etc. - deserves the credit. Therefore, Bush also deserves the credit for making the Obama candidacy palatable.
Why? Because Americans simply will not elect a liberal when they feel fear. Without Bush’s success against terror, a leftist newcomer with little experience - like Barack Obama - would never be considered for the presidency.
Similarly, Americans could only elect Jimmy Carter because they felt safe. The chill between America and the former Soviet Union had thawed considerably by 1976. The countries collaborated on the immensely successful Apollo-Soyuz space missions, signed a nuclear agreement (the SALT Treaty), and entered a period of détente.
Yes, there were international incidents that threatened to derail this precarious understanding. The 1973 Arab-Israeli war, for one, certainly heightened tensions. But by and large the late ’60s through the early ’80s was a time of significantly less anxiety. The architects of Détente were Republican President Nixon and his Republican Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. They made Carter possible.
(Of course, a safe-feeling citizenry doesn’t guarantee a Democratic win, as Reagan took over in 1980.)
It’s the same story with another liberal, Bill Clinton. If the Soviet Union hadn’t come apart, no one would have considered the young, unknown governor of Arkansas for the top job in 1992. It’s only because Ronald Reagan brilliantly managed the end of the Cold War, and George H. W. Bush defanged (at the time) Saddam Hussein in Gulf War I, that our country would even contemplate such a thing.
Democratic presidents with neither foreign policy experience nor impressive legislative accomplishments - charismatic, good-looking, and well-spoken agents of “change” - seem to come along in 16 year intervals: JFK in 1960, Carter in 1976, and Clinton in 1992.
Now here we are, 16 years after Clinton, and Barack Obama is another young, unknown liberal. Does anyone really believe, if we had been attacked a number of times over these past seven years, the empty bromides of “Yes We Can” from a former “community organizer” would have registered in Iowa?
Of course, the Left insists that we’re no safer than we were before 9/11. But, until they come up with a number lower than zero, as in the number of attacks against us since then, that argument remains silly.
If the atmosphere remains as calm through November as it is today - and Senator Obama is elected - his first “thank you” note should be addressed to his predecessor. But if Russia continues to rear its head (by continuing provocations in the Ukraine, for instance), or if a confrontation with Iran unfolds, Americans are unlikely to elect a liberal.
By Seth Swirsky
Reprinted with permission from National Review Online.
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Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
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See all 80 Commentsubrew12
Accept your statement - IF
Expand definition of ''tax''
Include ''petro-hidden''
Direct Deposit
Cut out Middle Man
Pay each day at the pump
BC
Depressing, isn''t it? On the bright side, they''re building a ski resort in Dubai! (your tax dollars are work).
The American electorate has had it with REPUBLICANS.
They puke listening to Republican spin on Iraq, the economy and how much the world despises the Republican administration.
Posted by zgomer
But did we learn from our mistakes voting for that idiot Bush? Sounds like some of us didn''t. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, fool me three times (McCain = Bush), then I''m a complete moron.
Obviously this writer is completely incapable of seeing the irony of Bush, a miserable failure at everything he''s ever touched, getting enough votes to steal the election in 2000. Seems Bill Clinton''s obviously successful presidency had allowed enough misguided voters feel "safe" to pull the lever for such an incompetent dolt.
...and the right wingers wonder why we think they''re not very smart.
They were warned, over and over and over. They ignored the warnings
1. Ronnie Reagan''s failure to respond to the US Marine deaths in Lebanon, his amnesty for illegals, and his trickle down economic mess.
George H. W. Bush''s failure to address social issues and the economic mess created by him and Reagan.
Dumbya for so many reasons I probably can''t remember them all. His failure to be alert and awake before 9/11, his attack on our Constitutional Freedoms, his lying us into invading Iraq, his mismanagement of both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, his blatant disregard for the American Citizens in favor of Drug Companies, Oil Companies, Foreign countries, and Illegal Invaders. His overall stupidity didn''t help either.
The main Republican problem is that it works for special interests rather than the American public.
1. Ronnie Reagan''s failure to respond to the US Marine deaths in Lebanon, his amnesty for illegals, and his trickle down economic mess.
George H. W. Bush''s failure to address social issues and the economic mess created by him and Reagan.
Dumbya for so many reasons I probably can''t remember them all. His failure to be alert and awake before 9/11, his attack on our Constitutional Freedoms, his lying us into invading Iraq, his mismanagement of both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, his blatant disregard for the American Citizens in favor of Drug Companies, Oil Companies, Foreign countries, and Illegal Invaders. His overall stupidity didn''t help either.
The main Republican problem is that it works for special interests rather than the American public.
Posted by zgomer
So you voted for W.
Brilliant.
Posted by doctor--o
This is true. The US cannot operate like this is the 19th century anymore. War as foreign policy and colonialism against brown people will not be tolerated anymore.
We feel bankrupt, lied and misled. We are PRAYING for the election of someone with a BRAIN AND CONSCIENCE who won''t sell us down the river like those crooks did. I STILL SAY TRY BUSH AND CHENEY FOR WAR CRIMES! They DID make Obama possible, and that''s the ONLY thing they did right.
I have hoped for years now that the only good that could potentially come out of our journey through Hell is that people would see the problem of Republican thinking.
Unfortunately, too many would choose to believe that the problem is Bush. That is clearly false. The problem is the Republican worldview.
Even worse, we see only what we choose to see and interpret it the way we want to believe. That''s why we will always have an NRO.
But we WILL remember!
Obama 08!
The last 8 years have done nothing but inflame hatred of the USA under Bush.
Did you FORGET about 9/11, Glenncinca? Who was in charge on that day? Who FAILED to protect this country from terrorism? Who was WARNED by the CIA, "Bin Laden determined to attack USA," and who was it that continued his merry vacation, doing NOTHING to protect us?
The repugs have FAILED at EVERYTHING, except to stir up fear. They thrive on fear. It''s the only game they know.
Now they want us to be afraid to vote for a democrat because the boogey man might come and get us if there isn''t an "all-powerful repuglican" running the show!
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
Drink the repug Kool Aid, children, and live your miserable lives in fear... daddy will "keep you safe" if you give him all your money, your jobs, your health, your country, your lives.
Ol'' seth is one hallucinating POS.
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