Interesting take on the Kerik/Giuliani/Bush story

[Nothing Without Hope]

Steve M. from No More Mister Nice Blog has a particularly intriguing take on the mind set behind Bush's being taken by surprise by Kerik's "foibles," and by extension, how this illuminates the black-and-white thinking of conservatives in general:

(snip)

So Bush didn't get either one of them.
In 2000, he looked at Rudy and saw a guy whose marriage was crumbling, who was openly engaged in adultery, and who was being mocked in the press for it all. Yet Rudy had a reputation as a tough guy. How was that possible? In the eyes of a Bush, a man with personal problems, especially personal problems he can't keep secret, is weak; how can a weak man also be a tough guy?
Kerik, by contrast, clearly was a tough guy when Bush got to know him. A tough guy can't possibly be weak, can he?
******
I don't think conservatives are stupid. But I do think conservatives tend to see the world as black and white, good and evil. (I think most conservatives would admit that, and cite it as a virtue.)
A tough man is a steadfast man is a man of virtue. That's the myth of the cowboy; it's the myth of Bush in the eyes of his conservative base; and it really might be what Bush himself thinks. If so, no wonder he couldn't believe Kerik had any serious scandals in his life -- how could an ex-narc who's done buy-and-busts be anything but virtuous?

I recommend reading the entire post -- it provides some new insight on some things that have been hard to understand.

http://nomoremister.blogspot.com/2004/12/one-last-comment-about-kerik-mess-and.html

[blm]

1. poo...Bush KNEW he was a thug, but loved that he was a LOYAL thug.

Bushes LOVE their thugs. They give them pardons, medals, promotions, you name it.

Bush thought that the media wouldn't dare go after Kerik or Giuliani because of leftover 9-11 mind-numbing they were all subjected to by their corporate masters. Fortunately, a few real journalists poked their heads out for a breath of air after their long slumber.

Bush knew. He didn't care. Republicans usually get away with their hypocrisies. The odds were with Bush.

[BR_Parkway]

2. It also provides good distraction on the MSM - if they didn't have

this to disect, they might actually read our emails about election fraud.

[slay]

3. Bush might have known, but seems valid to say that most conservatives

do see the world in terms of black and white. Unfortunately NOTHING is that simple. To them, you are either on the side of good (theirs of course, duh), or you are on the side of evil. They put a lot of social pressure on people to conform to their view of the world. And like the battered housewives we are, we usually just take it.

[blm]

4. I'm quite sure that most on the right have no clue of the extent of Bush's

hubris and vanity. They are so easily led into believing he is a man of God. No REAL man of God uses him as a prop to gain money and power the way Bush does. But, there sure are alot of faux men of God out there doing exactly that.

[slay]

5. It's easy to manipulate people of faith, because they don't need any facts

You only need faith. People like me who are not religious know about this flaw in religious beliefs very well. Throughout history, those in power have ruled by inflicting God's will (read their will) upon others. Zeus, Apollo, Allah, Jesus, God. All used against religious people to manipulate them. Facts be damned!! - so says God.

[Nothing Without Hope]

6. Yes, but not a FOOLISH thug

I agree -- Bush loved the thuggishness, since it was on a leash of loyalty. As Steve M. cites from Newsweek, Bush was quite taken with Kerik when he got to know him, citing Kerik's "willingness to get things done, and damn the naysayers" as "he very qualities that appealed to President Bush. He has always mistaken bullying macho aggression for true strength, in himself and his role models.

But I think Steve's point is that BECAUSE he admired Kerik's "strength," in typical black-and-white fashion he didn't expect Kerik to be foolish, which is "weak." Now WE can see Kerik's multiple mistresses, illegal nanny and who knows what else as foolishness that was bound to come out and not be surprised that such a thug is capable of doing stupid things. But foolishness isn't consistent with strength in the simplistic Bush worldview. One concept at a time.

Yes, of course the election fraud and voter disenfranchisement are far more important stories, but I think Steve's insight is valuable. "Know your enemy," after all, right?