President Hits Home Run!
By Michael R. Bowen (01/29/03)
George W. Bush stepped up to the plate last night and, with poise and confidence, knocked the ball out of the park.
It's irrelevant whether you agree with his policies or not, although the State of the Union speech was certainly more satisfying for those of us who agree. But the sweetest part of the speech was not the text or the policy details. No, its glory was elsewhere: it was in the solid character which it radiated.
This is a president whom the Wise Ones have pronounced stupid and inarticulate, warlike and simple minded, weak and a puppet of older and smarter advisers, and the tool of wealthy industrialists. But last night he showed us that what drives his decision-making is anything but what people think of him. Last night he told us flatly what he believes must be done, and he told us just as flatly that he intends to do it.
There were no weasel words and almost no euphemisms, except perhaps when he remarked that certain terrorists "are no longer a problem". He made no attempt to disguise the character of his policies. His position on taxes was not a policy wonk list of cleverly targeted rule changes, but a forthright declaration that high taxes cripple our economy and hurt everyone. No attempt to defend himself against charges of favoring the "rich"; high taxes are bad and must be ended.
Likewise with tort reform, abortion, and, especially, Iraq and North Korea. He completely ignored the many criticisms of his policies, and without even a nod to his opponents, he charged ahead. When was the last time we had a president like this? And there were no poster children last night. Special guests there were, but no part of the speech was devoted to encomiums for any individual who was singled out, and there was none of that putting on of someone else's glory that we have seen in so many recent State of the Union addresses.
Not since the days of Ronald Reagan have we had a president who stuck to his guns like this. As the speech went on, I began to squirm because soon that dreaded word would come up: "nucular". And sure enough, it did, not just once, but over and over. The president made no attempt to correct his pronunciation. Can you imagine how either of the last two presidents would have handled a weakness like this? Their speechwriters would have worked overtime finding ways to make the point without using the problem word. Mr. Bush, in effect, told the world that he doesn't give a hoot whether we are bothered by the way he pronounces "nuclear"; those who define his presidency by his pronunciation are so far beneath his notice that he went ahead and mispronounced that word again and again.
And here is a President who isn't afraid to say out loud that he believes in God.
The cynics and doubters will carefully parse every word and gesture as a political ploy, thus proving that they can't see the forest for the trees. What happened last night was completely obvious: Mr. Bush said what he said because of what he believes, and his opponents will now have to attack him on principles and not on slogans and minutiae. In this they will lose, because slogans and minutiae are the only weapons they have.
In the past I have endlessly corrected my children on the pronunciation of the "n-word". After last night, I don't think I'll bother anymore. I could not be more proud to have this man as president.
That wasn't just a powerful speech. It was downright nucular.
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