Thursday, November 09, 2006
From Across the Atlantic : "Thank You, America"
And More Bushspeak - The Frat Boy Lives
Sarah M, a kindred spirit from England forwarded the editorial from this morning's Guardian with the note "from Sarah, too" And she attached image of a rose. She is not happy about Lieberman's victory. It didn't please me either. It would be interesting to see what Senator Lieberman does as an Independent member. The Democrats need him on their side and no doubt they will make some accommodations.
Thank You, America For six years, latterly with the backing of both houses of a markedly conservative Republican Congress, George Bush has led an American administration that has played an unprecedentedly negative and polarising role in the world's affairs. On Tuesday, in the midterm US congressional elections, American voters rebuffed Mr Bush in spectacular style and with both instant and lasting political consequences. By large numbers and across almost every state of the union, the voters defeated Republican candidates and put the opposition Democrats back in charge of the House of Representatives for the first time in a dozen years. When the remaining recounts and legal challenges are over, the Democrats may even have narrowly won control of the Senate too. Either way, the results change the political landscape in Washington for the final two years of this now thankfully diminished presidency. They also reassert a different and better United States that can again offer hope instead of despair to the world. Donald Rumsfeld's resignation last night was a fitting climax to the voters' verdict. Thank you, America. To read the complete editorial, go to the link in The Guardian, UK.  |
The Asia Times has a number of reports about Secretary Rumsfeld's departure. One of them reads: "Rumsfeld takes a hit for Bush"! There can be no questions about his botched up management of the war in Iraq, but it is the president ("I'm a war president") who should be held accountable. Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Wolfowitz, among other champions of PNAC, persuaded the president to go to war. The president cannot admit that, so he and Donald Rumsfeld went through a charade.
A few gems from the president's press conference on November 8th.
- And while the ballots are still being counted in the Senate, it's clear the Democrat Party had a good night last night. And I congratulate them on their victories.
- "To the people of Iraq: Do not be fearful."
- BUSH: As you take the difficult steps toward democracy and peace, America's going to stand with you. We know you want a better way of life, and now is the time to seize it.
- My point is is that, while we have been adjusting, we will continue to adjust to achieve the objective. And I believe that's what the American people want.
- Somehow it's seeped in their conscience that, you know, my attitude was just simply "Stay the course." "Stay the course" means let's get the job done, but it doesn't mean staying stuck on a strategy or tactics that may not be working. So perhaps I need to do a better job of explaining that we're constantly adjusting.
- And so the fresh perspective (ph) on what the American people here today is we're constantly looking for fresh perspective.
