Why do you hate Bush?
Filed Under (Culture War, Terror War) by Don C on 25-04-2008
PEGGY NOONAN: The View From Gate 14
In Lubbock, Texas – Lubbock Comma Texas, the heart of Texas conservatism – they dislike President Bush. He has lost them. I was there and saw it. Confusion has been followed by frustration has turned into resentment, and this is huge. Everyone knows the president’s poll numbers are at historic lows, but if he is over in Lubbock, there is no place in this country that likes him. I made a speech and moved around and I was tough on him and no one – not one – defended or disagreed. I did the same in North Carolina recently, and again no defenders. I did the same in Fresno, Calif., and no defenders, not one.
He has left on-the-ground conservatives – the local right-winger, the town intellectual reading Burke and Kirk, the old Reagan committeewoman – feeling undefended, unrepresented and alone.
In other words, Bush abandoned the Conservatives and now the Conservatives have abandoned Bush. Either you believe conservative principles work, or you don’t. Abandoning conservative principles due to special circumstances is what liberals do, not conservatives.
Seeing how the liberals already hate Bush, I don’t think he will be enjoying much of a legacy, at least not while he is still alive. History may treat Bush well, though somehow I doubt it.
Bush has failed conservatives in many ways. The first time when I knew Bush was going to be a disappointment was way back in the beginnig when he compromised the hard-earned opportunity to overhaul and reform the dysfunctional public education system by letting Ted Kennedy, the fattest turd in the punchbowl, pass No Child Left Behind. That right there makes me hate his guts. I’m sure each of you have your own personal reason to hate Bush, but many of you, like me, rallied to support Bush after 9/11 only to be disappointed time and again.
But I believe Bush’s biggest failure, and not just for conservatives but for all America, is his failure to contain Iran when he had the chance after his re-election. That failure will cost us dearly in the not-so-distant future. The cost will be measured in terms we can’t imagine today.
