Tuesday, September 19, 2006

President Bush

Click here: CNN.com - Bush to U.N.: Choose between freedom or extremism - Sep 19, 2006

I said it before. I will say it again.

After a slow start, President George W. Bush will go down among the great Presidents.

He is worthy heir to the tradition of Sen. "Scoop" Jackson, who re-introduced the idea of blending idealism and realism in our foreign policy.

And to Hubert Humphrey, who believed that the U.S. has an obligation to take care of the least of us. We are the richest, most innovative, most productive nation in history. We can afford it. We can't afford not to.

He may be bolder than even President Reagan.

President Harry S. Truman was ridiculed as a failed farmer, and bankrupt haberdasher, but stayed totally honest amidst the corruption of the Prendergast Machine in KC MO.

He set the course of American foreign policy to this day.

LBJ was reviled, but he made the two toughest decisions of the time, as he saw them: De-segregating the South and "containing communism" in SE Asia. (I agreed/agree.) Very tough calls. He then, in effect, killed himself back at the Ranch. He started smoking and drinking.

When they come to measure America in the years to come it will be known as great in large measure because it purveyed and promoted the views and values of human rights and human liberties, without shoving it down the throat of the recipient nations.

Read the penultimate paragraph of William MacNeill's Rise of the West. He says we live in dangerous times, hopes and fears abound. But we are honored to live that great company of men.

We have a job to do. President Bush is our point of the lance.

I salute him.

Ben





1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

God bless you Ben for that statement. As a fellow Bronx boy and FORMER Democ-Rat (I don't even enroll that way any more) I know exactly the sentiment that moved that statement and how those of us who think that way need reinforcement. Good for you and keep it up!

September 20, 2006  

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