Sunday, February 06, 2005
Brush with Greatness -- Dubya
An occasional series.
By The Erudite Redneck
In 1998, as city editor for a newspaper in Texas, I was a member of the Editorial Board. The group met with political candidates and got together weekly to discuss the issues of the day and to come to a consensus for upcoming unsigned editorials.
Then-Gov. George W. Bush came before the board twice that year, once during the primary season, then again before the general election.
Bush is as he appears.
At the moment, he appears to be ready to attack many domestic programs that lots of politically aware and socially conscious people hold dear. Watch the news Monday and Tuesday, when his budget will be everywhere. It will be a tight-fisted, cold-hearted conservative one. What a surprise -- NOT! He's a Republican, ain't he? Get mad. Or, be glad. Just don't anybody pretend to be surprised. There has been no more transparent president in my lifetime.
Dubya is bright, but no egghead. Sincere, but not angst-ridden. Familiar with issues, but not bogged down in detail.
Before the editorial board, he seemed to be above average, but not very -- and that is no insult. It's one of the reasons he comes across as one of the best of most of us.
I remember that one time, if not both, he pulled his chair out from the conference table and sat hunched over, his elbows on his kness, explaining his position on this and that issue. It was a casual editorial board, and he was a casual guy.
I remember that he seemed to be the kind of person who would make a good managing partner of an LLC or some other bidness with several equity holders, which is what he was, in fact, with the Texas Rangers organization. That also seems to be the way he runs the presidency.
He seemed to be a good ol' boy -- in the best sense. That's why it's hard for people like me to dislike him, whatever the issues.
What you see, and hear, with Dubya is what you get. That alone makes him admirable.
END
By The Erudite Redneck
In 1998, as city editor for a newspaper in Texas, I was a member of the Editorial Board. The group met with political candidates and got together weekly to discuss the issues of the day and to come to a consensus for upcoming unsigned editorials.
Then-Gov. George W. Bush came before the board twice that year, once during the primary season, then again before the general election.
Bush is as he appears.
At the moment, he appears to be ready to attack many domestic programs that lots of politically aware and socially conscious people hold dear. Watch the news Monday and Tuesday, when his budget will be everywhere. It will be a tight-fisted, cold-hearted conservative one. What a surprise -- NOT! He's a Republican, ain't he? Get mad. Or, be glad. Just don't anybody pretend to be surprised. There has been no more transparent president in my lifetime.
Dubya is bright, but no egghead. Sincere, but not angst-ridden. Familiar with issues, but not bogged down in detail.
Before the editorial board, he seemed to be above average, but not very -- and that is no insult. It's one of the reasons he comes across as one of the best of most of us.
I remember that one time, if not both, he pulled his chair out from the conference table and sat hunched over, his elbows on his kness, explaining his position on this and that issue. It was a casual editorial board, and he was a casual guy.
I remember that he seemed to be the kind of person who would make a good managing partner of an LLC or some other bidness with several equity holders, which is what he was, in fact, with the Texas Rangers organization. That also seems to be the way he runs the presidency.
He seemed to be a good ol' boy -- in the best sense. That's why it's hard for people like me to dislike him, whatever the issues.
What you see, and hear, with Dubya is what you get. That alone makes him admirable.
END
