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Title: Why Donald Trump's vicious attack on George W. Bush was so brutally effective — and brilliant
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URL Source: http://theweek.com/articles/606035/ ... -brutally-effective--brilliant
Published: Feb 14, 2016
Author: James Poulos
Post Date: 2016-02-14 16:53:37 by Ada
Keywords: None
Views: 277
Comments: 26
There was an uninvited guest onstage Saturday night at the latest and most brutal Republican presidential debate: George W. Bush. The focus on Bush 43's legacy signals a big problem for the GOP. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who declared in a prior debate that he missed the bygone president, pronounced W the winner last night. But no matter how much Jeb Bush defended his brother, or Marco Rubio came to the former president's aid, that Bush's legacy abruptly became a question at all, at this very late date, dealt the establishment a potentially crippling blow. Yes, the establishment — there's that word again, used advisedly but of necessity. For what was supposed to be more established a fact in the Republican Party but that George W. Bush — at a bare, bare minimum — was the right man in office on Sept. 11? Yet here was Donald Trump, naked in a way few have really seen him before, slamming home the message again and again: W messed up. He hurt the party. And he hurt the country. "The World Trade Center came down during the reign of George Bush," Trump growled. "He kept us safe? That is not safe." Technically true, but, as is so often the case with Trump, the details came second to theme, and the theme went far beyond 9/11 or the gasps and boos Trump's comments brought. Trump slapped W on Iraq, too. "The war in Iraq was a big, fat mistake. They lied," he said of Dubya's administration. "They said there were weapons of mass destruction. There were none." MORE PERSPECTIVES JEFF SPROSS The extraordinary value of the dirt beneath your home DAMON LINKER The cynical politics of Cruz's stance on drafting women Leave aside the particulars. (Saddam's men, ruled by fear and deceit, habitually lied and believed lies about their own WMD and other special weapons.) Trump's eye-popping broadsides against the Bush administration far exceeded some kind of coming-out party as a Democrat. Nor were they animated by a longing to merely belittle Jeb Bush or exact juvenile revenge. Rather, they were illustrative of the sweeping but specific theme of Trump's night and his campaign, revealed with typical deadpan cockiness in his closing remarks. "Politicians are all talk, no action." But wait, you say. George W. Bush took lots of action! "You've seen where they've taken you to," Trump says. "We are [at a budget of] 19 trillion dollars right now […]. We need a very big change." Because, of course, "we don't win anymore." Vacuous, you say. Pablum. But consider the logic within. In a culture where "politics" has become an echo chamber — a vain hall of mirrors installed by the worship of rhetoric and self- regard — true politics, the art and science of victory, is dead. The kinds of action that arise from a corrupt political culture, from the corrupted idea that politics is a game of semiotics first, are, therefore, also corrupted: fake actions, actions without integrity, actions born to lose. Trump is saying that, under George W. Bush, the Republican Party allowed its understanding of politics to be corrupted. For whatever reason, under Bush, the GOP became a party that let self-aware rhetorical posturing dictate the way policy was formulated. The result was failure across the board. Worst of all was the ensuing failure of memory as Republicans forgot the winning arts and sciences. In so doing, they enabled America to lose its way in the hall of mirrors — and lose its greatness. This is a dagger to the heart of the Bush legacy. But Trump is not just running against Bushism. He's running against what it's a symptom of — the certain kind of insider sophistry that he says defines the political class. That's why he was onstage at all last night. That's why he's in first place now. And that's why he's more at home in the GOP than so many want to admit. To understand how that could possibly be, understand what he's not arguing. The typical critique of politics today is that the ruling class has been corrupted by privilege. There's too much money in politics; there's too much of a cult of access; the tropes go on and on. Trump's not saying that. Instead, he's saying, the ruling class has been corrupted by foolishness. The problem isn't that "the politicians" have vanished behind the velvet rope. It's that they've vanished up their own rear ends. Obsessed with themselves, they have forgotten who they are. They have lost their way — and ours. Hard as it is to stomach or say, that is a kind of wisdom so deep, so populist, and so potent that many conservatives can't help but flutter toward it. Then again, neither can many moderate or liberal Republicans, which is why Trump performs well across all groups. To be sure, in some ways Trump is a dreadful messenger for this dreadful message. Then again, watching him up work up there like a Soviet wrestler, it's clear this man is not riding a fad or indulging a fantasy. An immense physical and mental strain is involved in hitting his fellow candidates — hungry, disciplined men — on issue after issue. He is delivering an intense message that no one else has proven capable of delivering with the requisite intensity: a shocking insight, when you pause to think about it, but for the fact that in this election year, nothing can shock anymore.
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#1. To: Ada (#0)
I don't know anyone else who can deliver that message like he can. It's past time for the truth about our government and the governing class. Thank you, DJT. “The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
This illustrates what's right about Trump. This needs to be said an anyone who's not saying it is just on the R party boat. Good gravy, not even the D's are saying it. Trump has said some very bad things too, though, as has been pointed out. Is it hoping too much that he's not afraid to change his mind about things, letting rationality "trump" past alliances?
Put your thinking cap on... Anticipating Trump to get the nomination... As a running mate....Would he pick one of the original running group... Or would he pick a non politician...unknown politician...a female?????
I don't know Cyni, but he's said in the past that if he chose Oprah! they'd win in a landslide. Sadly, he's prolly correct, considering the electorate. “The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
Indeed, black votes black. Carson is a nice man, however, not tough enough to be President and order people killed.Palin in cabinet, but not VP. I cannot come up with any name.
If I had to pick one of the candidates, it would be Kasich because he doesn't seem to be a total ideologue and is a coal-miner's son.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
I thought his dad was a mailman, on the govt teat.
I stand corrected, thank you.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
Are you listening to classic country music tonight, Lod?
Little more than a flesh wound. A dagger to the heart would be criminal indictments against the Bush criminal network, start with Poppa Bush and work your way down and would include the Clintons, both of them. "When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it." - Frederic Bastiat
I suspect you'll feel differently when he comes out for JEB at the convention. "When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it." - Frederic Bastiat
I could go along with Kasich. He dropped out of Congress. Here is how RNC stacks deck against Trump... Breitbart... ""As such, the same appears to have been true party-wide. One well-placed source who works for one of the GOP presidential campaigns and was in attendance at the debate on Saturday evening here—but was not authorized to speak on record about the matter—told Breitbart News that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) 37% and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley were personally given scores of tickets to distribute. Both despise Trump and have said so publicly–Haley even using the platform of the official GOP response to the State of the Union to do so–and it would be no surprise if they did aim to stack the audience with anti-Trump sentiment.""
Yep, it's all coming out how the tickets were given to RNC donors and their establishment candidates to distribute. I wondered why Trump was calling out the BOOers last night; now, I know. They really don't want our man elected. “The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
Why not choose Oprah? She would be as good 99 percent of the members of congress. She might take the black vote from the democrats.
That, and she's almost as wealthy as he is (3.9B), and is beholden to no one. At least it would be a fun Presidency for a change.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
Since they're amply agreeing and approving in the end, how about they remove the hate-terms "vicious," "brutal" etc.? Every word we or he choose(s) is morally weighted. Memorize and internalize this, gang, and you'll be a triple-threat wordsmith (more than you already are in some cases). But please, not Orca for VP! THAT just one step away from the Oral Office? www.youtube.com/watch? v=kN_l7NRXLBk -------------------------------------------
The ideal VP candidate will protect POTUS from assassination because he or she would be so much worse. Remember they had to get rid of Spiro before they took aim at Nixon.
Funny but piercing thought! ------------------------------------------------
Biden protects Obama :-)
In view of Biden, I'm almost glad he does :-x
Yep. The country would not be in safer hands with Joe Biden.
Biden is a classic example of a ...stupid stumble bum politician...
And they wouldn't need to accept big donations to finance the election; so, if elected, they wouldn't be obligated to anyone.
Plus, they're both natural born citizens.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
I will say again that the events of 9-11-2001 were an administrative coup d'etat. George W. Bush was handed his head on a platter. And Scott Ritter, the U.N. weapons inspector has said there were no WMDs in Iraq. ;) "When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one." Edmund Burke
Of course, Trump would be dead +-/- three hours after being inaugerated.
To be sure, in some ways Trump is a dreadful messenger for this dreadful message. Then again, watching him up work up there like a Soviet wrestler, it's clear this man is not riding a fad or indulging a fantasy. An immense physical and mental strain is involved in hitting his fellow candidates — hungry, disciplined men — on issue after issue. He is delivering an intense message that no one else has proven capable of delivering with the requisite intensity: a shocking insight, when you pause to think about it, but for the fact that in this election year, nothing can shock anymore.
#2. To: Ada (#0)
"The war in Iraq was a big, fat mistake. They lied," he said of Dubya's administration. "They said there were weapons of mass destruction. There were none."
#3. To: Lod (#1)
#4. To: Cynicom (#3)
#5. To: Lod (#4)
(Edited)
#6. To: Cynicom (#5)
#7. To: Lod (#6)
#8. To: Fred Mertz (#7)
#9. To: Lod (#6)
...a coal-miner's son.
#10. To: Ada (#0)
This is a dagger to the heart of the Bush legacy.
#11. To: Lod (#6)
If I had to pick one of the candidates, it would be Kasich
#12. To: Lod (#6)
#13. To: Cynicom (#12)
#14. To: Lod (#4)
I don't know Cyni, but he's said in the past that if he chose Oprah!
#15. To: DWornock (#14)
#16. To: Ada (#0)
#17. To: NeoconsNailed (#16)
#18. To: Ada (#17)
#19. To: NeoconsNailed (#18)
#20. To: Ada (#19)
#21. To: NeoconsNailed (#20)
#22. To: Ada (#21)
#23. To: Lod (#15)
That, and she's almost as wealthy as he is (3.9B), and is beholden to no one.
#24. To: DWornock (#23)
#25. To: Ada (#0)
"The World Trade Center came down during the reign of George Bush," Trump growled. "He kept us safe? That is not safe." Technically true, but, as is so often the case with Trump, the details came second to theme, and the theme went far beyond 9/11 or the gasps and boos Trump's comments brought. Trump slapped W on Iraq, too. "The war in Iraq was a big, fat mistake. They lied," he said of Dubya's administration. "They said there were weapons of mass destruction. There were none."
#26. To: DWornock (#23)
And they wouldn't need to accept big donations to finance the election; so, if elected, they wouldn't be obligated to anyone.
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