There has been a lot of theorizing on why the left hated George W. Bush so much, and now it’s my turn. The reason the left became so deranged and hateful about Bush is that he never reacted to their hatred. They’d scream, wave puppets, stomp their little feet, be as vulgar as possible, and even throw shoes, and they couldn’t even get a wry comment out of him. They’d pour all their energies into their mindless hatred and then get absolutely nothing from their target. This lack of reaction had to make the left feel impotent and realize how pointless their screeching was, which would only enrage them further. With everything invested in their hate, they wanted dividends, but they never got it. So they kept doubling down, hoping if they only became more vulgar and obnoxious, maybe Bush would dignify their existence with some reaction.
But he never did. Bush has been the model Christian, always turning the other cheek to the hatred shot at him and never appearing to let it get to him. The left’s incoherent rage was pointless and never a threat to him, so he just let it go. Something to learn from.
They wanted to be marched off to camps so they could write lengthy memoirs about being political prisoners and instead they were ignored.
Instead of being silenced, they got muted.
Bush turned the other cheek so often he ran out of cheeks and started in on other unseemly body parts.
We were constantly standing up for a man who would not stand up for us or for himself. Being a Christian is no excuse for that.
He sold out Scooter Libby and the border guards. He sold us all out – and most of all himself.
Compassionate Christian Conservative? He had a right to sacrifice himself, but did he have to sacrifice us all?
While I agree with the frustration of defending a guy who wouldn’t defend himself (or other conservatives who needed it), I think you’re off-base with Libby and the border guards. Libby’s conduct during the investigation was the problem and left little room to defend his actions and statements, which were not designed for full disclosure. The guards did not act appropriately, even if I agree with their decision to shoot a drug transporter. The right move was to commute their sentence, but not excuse their actions.
Amen, Frank.
“Bush has been the model Christian, always turning the other cheek to the hatred shot at him”
Hilarious, Frank. Hardest I’ve laughed all week.
Frank:
You nailed it. President Bush did what he thought was right, even when he was wrong. And the thing is, he wasn’t wrong often. But his actions were always the right way.
I sincerely feel that the mistakes he made … few as they were … will not have as negative an impact as some of the mistakes made by other presidents I hold in high esteem. Reagan, for instance.
Reagan, great president that he was, made some mistakes, particularly with pulling the Marines from Lebanon following the 1983 Beirut bombings; the consequences we’re still feeling today.
However, Reagan was able to build support for most of his initiatives. Those where he couldn’t get the support, he abandoned or delayed. Bush (George W., that is), on the other hand, didn’t always wait for support. Rather, he did what he thought was right, damn the consequences.
As much as I’d like to have another Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office, we’d actually do better with another George W. Bush. Ideally, it would be a combination of the two.
Unfortunately, we now have the worst of McGovern and the worst of Carter, with a touch of Clinton thrown in.
I have to agree. I think it infuriated them to no end that he wouldn’t say anything. But, if he would’ve defended himself, it wouldn’t have made it better. Not much, anyways.
And I do think, in some ways, he let us down by not telling them to shut it.
I think I agree with this? I am however less charitable with Mr. Bush. I believe he went soft in the head when it came to liberals in congress and DC. He made it a point to get all kissy face with people like Ted Kennedy and other liberals when he first came to Washington and they paid him back by sticking it up his keister!
It’s one thing to be “compassionate”… It’s quite another to be naïve, gullible and willing to work with RINOS and liberals at the expense of his own party and principles…
The Left will never forgive Bush for staying the course in Iraq and essentially winning the war. Like Lindbaugh was saying yesterday, they pronounced the War lost in 2004, ripped Bush’s strategy and morality, gave the press their cliffnotes every day to destroy the public’s confidence in the war and strategy, and waited for Bush’s humiliation and retreat.
Instead, he pressed on, ignoring their venom and shrieking, and prevailed in Iraq. They will NEVER forgive him for that.
The cost of the Iraq war was steep…in lives, dollars, and world opinion. (I think we can argue that the plan is working, and that Iraq, while still problematic, has a fledgeling democracy that might actually survive.)
But the political cost has been huge…almost catastrophic…for the Republican Party and conservatism. We have to decide whether it was worth the price we have paid in the court of US public opinion. Of course, the American electrolate has never been good at long-term thinking and patience, and the recent semi-illegal voter registration effort by the Left has diluted the overall electrolate IQ by registering too many younfg people who can’t name the VP of the United States, homeless people, welfare recipents, illegal immigrants, and a huge number of formerly dead people who suddenly are capable of haunting Ohio and Michigan vote locations 4-5 times every election.
In conclusion, there were many aspects to George Bush that I admired. I think he is fundamentally a good man with a good heart. But he failed miserably in the area of limiting the growth of government, and he has precided over a stunning setback for conservatism in this country. We are going to be decades re-building.
I wish Bush would have flipped off the entire crowd that was chanting sha-na-na-na -I don’t think I could have held back if i were him.
I rarely vote on your posts FJ, but this one I gave a 5.
Dubya and Ronaldus Maximus: My heroes have always been cowboys. Thank you for protecting us for 8 years, Mister President; may you enjoy a well-earned retirement.
W was a poser and not a real cowboy.
But the political cost has been huge…almost catastrophic…for the Republican Party and conservatism
The Iraq War didn’t break the Republican party or conservatism, “compassionate conservatism” did. Buying support for legislation by allowing the federal government to bloat broke it.
The support for the war inside the Republican Party remained/remains high. Support for the prescription drug plan, No Child Left Behind, a veto-less spending pen, and outright cowardice when good conservatives were attacked with baseless accusations (i.e. Cheney, Delay, Palin) broke it.
I do believe you nailed it. I gotta remember that the next time certain folks try and get under my skin.
Absolutely spot on. I wondered how Olbermann got that unhinged. Now we know.
Good observations about the shameless attacks on good conservatives. I have never understood the sheer hatred of Cheney. He’s not a schmoozer or politician, but a steady hand and a patriot. I think the real measure of the guy is his family. Nice bunch of people.
The only explanation for why he stayed in the game, bad heart and all, is love of country.
Cheney? I couldn’t stand that guy. Newsflash he was not Jesus Christ. I hope you quit trying to suck his ding-a-ling.
Having just heard Barak Obama’s speech on how he is going to socialize the entire private sector, I got this runny thrill rolling down the back of my leg…. I don’t get that too often.
I knew a dog like that once.
When other dogs barked at him, he just looked at them until they peed on themselves and slunk away.
I think he was mostly Boxer, with a little Great Dane and Alligator mixed in.
It’s terribly easy to criticize someone when we have NO idea the pressures, the extenuating circumstances, and the information we don’t have and will probably never have that went into making desperately critical decisions.
Was I frustrated by Mr. Bush? Yes I was. Would I have changed places with him? Absolutely not.
Will I give O’vomit the benefit of the doubt? Absolutely not. I believe in treating others as they have treated you, once they’ve already abused you. So……it’s now O’vomit Derangement season. Let the games begin.
You overlooked the fact that he was a moron. That may have generated some hatred too.
[Liberals don’t hate each other. -Ed.]
Frank: you make an excellent point. If I had to deal with that kind of a nusiance from the left, I personally would strike back. But Bush’s response is certainly more noble than mine would be. Let’s just hope that the liberals will stop using him as a scapegoat by the time the history textbooks decide what his legacy will be–he may be willing to sacrifice himself, but I’d still like to see him receive the recognition he deserves for doing a usually great job of leading our nation through difficult times.
On a lighter note: In response to #18 (“So……it’s now O’vomit Derangement season. Let the games begin”)–perhaps we can set it up as some kind of carnival, with fun little prizes for people who do the best job of Obama-bashing.
Great post. Bush was a class act. I was repulsed by the booers yesterday.
On the other hand the next Republican (former Democrat) president would be Donald J Trump. Somebody that bites back and has no filter. The left hates him 5 times more than they did Busshie.
Peter, I like it. Maybe we can give any monies raised to a camp for disgruntled candidates. It would give Mr Al Franken something to keep him busy and maybe he’s stop strutting around like a rooster and do something useful for a change. You know he ran for Congress because he need a new job. His comedy career has died and quick and irrevocable death. Thank goodness.
I get all of my news from IMW, so I have to disagree with the whole cheek turning thing.
I’ve been at this site and laughing for three days now, but your comment elevated my laughter to another level.
Good post, though, Frank – there is a lesson here.