I’m not sure how I feel about this, in truth. First and foremost, the Republican party lost power in Washington, D.C.. I’m not sure that is a bad thing. I still strongly support the war in Iraq, so on that front, I’m am very worried and disappointed. However, those that think that things will change during the next two years in Iraq underestimate (I hope) President Bush’s determination to see it through.
There will be a call that Bush is a “lame duck”, but he now will not be vetoing bills from his political party. If President Bush vetoes a bill, there will be almost no chance that it will be overturned. However, President Bush may define himself as a lame duck with the resignation of Rumsfeld today (see “The real Rumsfeld I knew“). I’ve never understood the whole “lame duck” thing. I think it has a lot to do with this idiotic perception that vetoes are necessarily bad. I hope Bush wakes up. I was just going to talk about the election, but the Rumsfeld thing is BAD! I guess Bush is more like his father than we thought: caring more about being liked, than being effective, and actually finishing what was started. Gates’ nomination, especially with his part of the Baker-Hamilton Committee speaks volumes, and this is what separates most politicians from the people (regardless of party affiliation). This seems to a Karl Rove move; in other words, pure politics.
Regardless of what you think of President Bush, he has done his best, and has tried to be a leader. However, his habits betrayed him, and us. Back in the days of his governorship, he worked hand in hand with those that opposed him. I agree that working together is good, but only when working toward a common agreed goal. Bush is back to working together, purely for working together. He’s earned it. While certain aspects of his presidency will be viewed, later, as successful, his failures as a leader, at least for the short term, will outweigh the good he has done. Since he is now convinced that the Democrats should call the shots, I guess he will be a rubber stamp president (even more than he is now).
Iraq is a mess. It is winnable in that it can be a democracy, but Bush’s failure to separate himself from the Republican defeat and to view himself not as a Republican but as the leader of the greatest country on Earth, causes me to say…
Bush is a loser, and so now we, the citizens of the United States of America, are too.