Tuesday night I meant to get in bed very early, but I saw a link to the videos of Matt Lauer's interview with George W Bush and stayed up an extra hour listening to him field questions-- often rather withering in nature-- from his interviewer.
I already knew I liked GWB. I already knew he was a decent person, and principled. He was sharper than his critics ever gave him credit for being. I remember how people accused him of being a puppet for Cheney and of being a colossal dimwit and in almost the same breath they'd say he knew all along that 9/11 was coming or-- more baffling still-- that he was in some way involved in its conception and execution. I don't know how some could reconcile calling him addle-witted and yet a sociopathic mastermind. Listening to him speak in an interview such as this one, not rising to the bait and yet standing his ground, I marvel that anyone would find him not likable.
The tone of Lauer's questions seemed quite contentious, and yet GWB fielded them with grace, candor and the genuine good nature I've always associated with him. I loved that his response to Lauer's mentions of high approval ratings and low ones at different points in the interview were met with essentially the same response of "so what?" He didn't take the job of President to win a popularity contest, and he had very clear and grave ideas of his responsibility in that role. He understood he could not afford the luxury of needing to be liked at all times. I'm thankful that when 9/11 happened, he was our President.
I didn't learn anything new from these video clips, but I did find reinforcement of two things of which I was already convinced: I like George W. Bush, and Matt Lauer is a tosser.
8 comments:
I'm thinking a bit more harshly then you.
Lauer is a LOSSER and a$$hat!
ALways has been.
"... and yet GWB fielded them with grace, candor and the genuine good nature."
His momma raised him well.
For those who are truly open-minded, this promotion tour will be able to cut through the propaganda and showcase who he really is. I did not agree with everything he did, and in some areas, I vehemently disagreed. And yet, he was unquestionably a leader. Ultimately, that's what we needed as a country, and that's what he provided. Of that, he should be proud.
Concur...
On 9/11, I stood in City Hall, watching the horror of the second plane's hitting the building. At that moment, I turned to the woman next to me and said, "I'm glad there's a Bush in the White House, because we're going to war". She looked at me like I had just sprouted a second head. To this day, I am proud of our President and his leadership. Unlike some, his focus was always on the protection of our Country, popularity be damned.
I like Bush, too. He always seems to have an air of extreme calm to him, like he KNOWS he's the boss, no matter what happens or what anyone said. He has the authority and he freaking knows it, and carried himself as such as if he had a huge task at hand and a huge weight upon his shoulders. Did I disagree with his policies at times? Yes. But there's absolutely NO ONE you will ever come across that you absolutely agree with on all topics, so disagreeing is ok.
Actually, comparing him to our current president, I just totally realized the main thing I can't stand about Obama: he's a hipster, not a leader.
When I was in Grad School at UTA back in the 80s, my History and Govt. profs, 99 percent of whom were New Left Liberals, all hated LBJ, Ike and Truman. They said all the same stuff about them that we heard about W. "Mostly illiterate, unsophisticated, unimaginative," etc. Their model president was JFK. It was nauseating, but you had to put up with it to pass. It was amazing to hear all the same elitist crap regurgitated when W came along.
No matter what you think/thought about GWB's policies and politics, he has class and dignity. He was presidential and mature. Every time I look at the press coverage of the current POTUS, I feel the lack. Leader, not hipster indeed. And Bush meant what he said and kept his word. I really respect that, even when I disagree with the decision.
LittleRed1
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