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We must not view my failures as my failures. October 26, 2006

Posted by admin in : Irrelevant, Political/Editorial , trackback

We must not look at every success of the enemy as a mistake on our part.

– President Bush, 10/25/2006

Oh, mustn’t we? I believe in war that is precisely how to view the successes of the enemy.

By extension, I guess he means, “We must not view the failures of people under my command and in my administration as my failures.” Or, more honestly, “We must not view my failures as my failures.”

The other thing that grated me about yesterday’s news conference was the sitting president’s active and shameless promotion of his political party in the coming election. I understand of course that the reality is his is a partisan administration, but shouldn’t the sitting president at least pretend to be above that? Especially in a time of war? It’s cheap, it’s profane. It’s like a commercial. “Oh, and while I have your attention, drink Coke! The pause that refreshes!”

So the news is all abuzz w/ the polls indicating a possible (and likely) Democratic takeouver of Congress in November. On the one hand, I’m not holding my breath. The shenanigans have just started. But even if it does happen, that means a whole lot of people who voted for W and the Repubs in Congress in 2000, then 2004 will suddenly decide to vote Dem. While I appreciate the idea that “It’s the war, stupid” — what’s really so different about now v. 2004? Things were going so well then? Suddenly the death toll is intolerable? Suddenly people are noticing that the rationale for war was built on false premises? Suddenly people see the injustice? They’ve lost faith in the leadership?

While it should be an encouraging sign, I find it utterly demoralizing. Where the fuck were you people in 2004? What goes on in the mind of someone between 2004 and 2006 that suddenly someone who voted for W will vote Dem this time?

Comments»

1. Drew Bixcube - October 27, 2006

“What goes on in the mind of someone between 2004 and 2006 that suddenly someone who voted for W will vote Dem this time?”

Man, I think about this all the time. All I can figure is that many people are able to function outwardly normally — hold jobs, raise families, even have conversations — all while being extremely stupid. Not in a funny way or a superficial way but in essence, at their core. Like if we were somehow to inhabit their brains for an hour we wouldn’t be able to find anything that we recognize as coherent thought.

I can’t prove it or anything.

+drew

2. ectostan - October 28, 2006

I’d like to allow for the possibility that maybe some number of people came to their senses. That doesn’t mean I want to drink a beer with them.

3. ectostan - October 28, 2006

And it also doesn’t mean I don’t totally agree with you. I’m just feeling a tiny bit hopeful, is all.

4. Phineas - October 28, 2006

There are such people, but I can take consolation from the fact that each election is comprised of a whole new composition of voters. Some who voted last time won’t or can’t — some brand new ones are voting for the first time. Some who skipped the last ones will step up this time, etc. So that fresh composition of voters takes a little of the sting out of the idea that the same idiots have suddenly seen the light.