If You Don't Mind What History Says About You . . .

[SoDesuKa]

The political successes of the Bush administration show that if you don't mind being judged harshly by history, you can get away with just about anything. A number of Bush's cabinet officers started out with good reputations but will now be remembered for their lies, deceptions and outright fraud.

Christy Whitman jumped ship when she learned that Bush was indifferent to the environment. Then Paul O'Neill quit or was fired, along with Larry Lindsey. These people can still hold their heads up high, while cabinet members who stayed behind have had their reputations permanently sullied.

Donald Rumsfeld appears to be something of a jerk. Was he taken in by the neocons who said that Iraq would be a piece of cake? And Colin Powell, everybody's favorite four-star general until he signed on with Bush, looks like he was taken for a ride.

Even the unscrupulous Nixon worried about what would be written about him. Concern for history kept him from nuking North Vietnam, although he was mostly indifferent to lives lost in war. But nothing fazes Bush! There have been so many policy failures at this point that you'd think he'd start sounding tentative. But he's just as confident today as if God really does talk to him. He must have a screw loose, ya think?

[demgurl]

1. It is hard to worry about the written word when you do not read! eom

[wli]

2. history is written by the winners

... which is why he doesn't care; he's trying to "win" at all costs.

[dweller]

3. interesting that you should mention Nixon...

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Commentary/080305Rockstroh/080305rockstroh.html

dp

[SoDesuKa]

4. The Great White Father

Nixon is the Great White Father of all Republicans, the one who, as Tom Wicker suggested in a book so titled, was One Of Us. Nixon was the original; the rest are merely copies.

Nixon worried about his place in history, which as it turns out is becoming increasingly unfavorable as his supporters decline in influence. It took Henry Kissinger to talk him out of nuking the North, and Kissinger wasn't exactly a humanitarian.

Truculent, paranoid Nixon! Creator of the Southern Strategy which plagues us today. Nobody younger than 40 remembers how much we hated him. The day he was forced out of office - unbelievable! Dies Irae, Dies Illa