Saturday, October 11, 2008

Lest We Forget Who Deserves the Most Blame For the Status Quo

TW: Bush fatigue has settled in so pervasively that he hardly garners the slightest attention these days. Yes he is a lameduck, but the Economist reminds us that most lameducks were not nearly as reviled as this one. W. Bush has, of course, gained his derision the hard way...he earned it.

From Economist:
"The dismal handling of the financial crisis over the past fortnight is not only a comment on Mr Bush’s personal shortcomings as a leader. It is a comment on the failure of his leadership style over the past eight years...is nothing about the political cycle that dictates that an outgoing president should have an approval rating of 27% and an army of enemies on Capitol Hill. Bill Clinton ended his two terms with ratings of close to 70%...The [financial] crisis underlined Mr Bush’s two biggest personal weaknesses—his leaden tongue and his indecisiveness...

...This succession of failures is a verdict on Mr Bush’s leadership style. The Bush administration has been defined by two things—ruthless partisanship and an iron commitment to presidential power...Mr Bush leaves the Republicans in the worst state they have been in for decades; riven by divisions, confused about their identity and facing Armageddon at the ballot box..."
http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12341613

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