Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Reagan-esque

It's always essential in modern wingnut mythology to earn that most elusive of all prizes: a comparison to St. Ronald Reagan. Today, George W. Bush has achieved wingnut apotheosis by finally replacing Reagan as the most mentally vacuous president in U.S. history (from Attaturk):

Peter Wallsten of the Los Angeles Times begins to ask Bush a question at the press conference:


Bush: You gonna ask your question with shades on?

Wallsten: Yes...

Bush: But there's no sun out here.

Wallsten: It depends on your perspective.

Bush: Touche.


Ken Wallsten is BLIND!

Folks, this is the man that takes the "nuclear football" to Crawford with him. Do you feel safer now?

Certainly this is not the stupidest thing Bush has ever said. Trust me, I've got one of the numerous volumes of "Bushisms" (thanks NPR!) available and he makes moronic comments fairly regularly. Most of them, though, are just Bush trying to stay on message while not being able to think quickly on his feet (and possibly being, ah...shall we say, "impaired", seemingly). His exchange with Wallsten is something else entirely. It's a combination of Bush's disdain for the press and his complete lack of association with reality. His father was undone by charges of being "out of touch"; Dubya takes being out of touch to an entirely new plane of being.

After seeing the resurgence of Al Gore in recent months and now in light of this, I have to say that I'm struck once again with a profound sense of loss about the 2000 election. Just thinking of what we could have had and what we've been stuck with is almost too much to bear. Certainly Gore was not the perfect presidential candidate. But then, none are. We're a diverse country and no one candidate appeals to everyone's interests. However, no one could ever say of Gore that he lacked intelligence, focus or a comprehensive understanding of the issues facing the country. Regardless of how his public persona may have appeared in 2000, Al Gore is a brilliant man and would have made a fine president. George W. Bush is an embarrassment, an elevation of name and privilege over any substantive qualities. An empty suit, a brand name and an unmitigated disaster for the country.

Please, God, I will renounce my atheism, begin attending church again, tithe, whatever you want, so long as you don't give us another moron like Bush in 2008. Haven't we suffered enough?

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