A real leader
“Even more amazing than the President’s pragmatic power over military resources is his apparent spiritual power over so many minds. Bush is not the only one who decided rather suddenly that disempowering Saddam had to be the world’s top priority. When Bush decided this, so did almost every congressional Republican, conservative TV pundit and British Prime Minister. In polls, a large majority of Americans agreed with Bush that Saddam was a terrible threat and had to go, even though there had been no popular passion for this idea before Bush brought it up. You could call this many things, but one of them is leadership. If real leadership means leading people where they don’t want to go, George W. Bush has shown himself to be a real leader. And he now owns a bit of history to prove it.”
–Michael Kinsley, Time, April 21, 2003
Insightful words from Kinsley. I’m amazed that more people haven’t brought up the group hypnosis that created an instant “Saddam Must Go!” climate in this country. It sort of reminded me of the stage hypnotist who convinces the audience member that he’s a chicken. He’s clearly not – any objective observer would realize he remains a human – but he believes passionately (and instantly) that he could lay an egg at any moment.
Time also used their cover to depict Saddam’s face with a bloody X through it. The last time the magazine did this, the face was Adolf Hitler’s. Way to go, Time.
That explains things. I’ve never been a good candidate for hypnotism — all the little voices in my head, you know, can never agree on anything.
There are few men left in the world. That Bush convinced the bulk of American people so easily and so completely is testament to that fact. If Bush can be applauded for any action, it is for making up his mind about an issue and standing his ground on that. The Democrats and other anti-war politicians did a pitiful job of looking like men. To support a resolution allowing war on Iraq when you disagree with the reasoning is truly pathetic. People like Senator Kerry showed themseslves incapable of standing by an ideal and supporting it staunchly. It is notable that not one powerful public ffigure stood up against the war and steadfastly maintained that position through the period of debate till the bombs started dropping. Starting with Powell and moving to the rest of the American nation, everyone dropped their beliefs and followed Bush. And I think it was because Bush was convinced that he was right and was willing to do what it took to get things done. Tim Robbins should go into politics. He at least took a position and has stood his ground despite the vilification and consequences of this. There are few men left in the world and even fewer in government.