I was in the car this morning when I heard that the President had nominated Harriet Miers. The talk shows were all over it, with outraged conservative callers complaining about this apparently unqualified candidate. When I got back to the computer, I see a lot of the right-leaning blogosphere is also up in arms. Then just a few minutes ago, I watched Harry Reid giving a laudatory press-conference on the nomination. This is weird, and should be very interesting.
Look I don't know if Bush is that different from his father. Hype about politicians is marketing anyway, just like anything else.
His father appointed a conservative and a centrist. Bush did the same.
Bush is squeezing Israel his father did as well.
The only difference is Bush apparently likes Sharon and is putting strings attached to squeezing Israel....
In the end we know those strings will break and be meaningless even if Abbas is sweating a little right now... this momentary phase of reason with Europe or at least Britain won't last.
Bush is going for his legacy right now.
I think when I found out that the US withheld spare parts to the Apaches in the beginning of the Intifadah early in Bush's term that tells you quite a bit.
Plus, Bush got lots of votes and $$ from the Arab and Muslim community.
I'm not getting crazy or conspiratorial... but his big oil buddies are still the same notorious Arabist crowd they were 10 years ago.
My only point is that to get elected and to portray an image you have to be almost a cartoon character... so I'm not going to say "hey Bush is as bad as his father regarding Israel" yadayada....
All I'm saying is that if Bush had that tact early on then obviously his administration was going to take a certain stance with Israel... and that that is still in the mix... the big oil buddies... daddy's sec of state Baker etc... just didn't all dissappear.
If you wanted to sum it up and oversimplify it you could say Bush is ending out forcing Israel's hands while putting a few stipulations (maybe) on the Arab side.
Clinton was going for a final peace deal with Israel keeping most of Ariel and Jerusalem.....
But in the end I believe it doesn't matter anyway.... even if Bush tries to do the right thing shit rolls down hill no matter what and he's got mountains on top of him for his own head... let alone standing up for that "shitty little country"....
And let me add that I don't trust nor like Dick Cheney.. He is in my opinion the slimiest arrogant character around... and while people say Bush is likeable in person... I really doubt you'll hear anyone stand up and say that about Cheney.
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Yeah, I also found it interesting that everyone was so up in arms about someone most of them admit they know nothing about.
...
I guess it saves time to just go straight to righteous indignation right off the bat.
Or...something
Look I don't know if Bush is that different from his father. Hype about politicians is marketing anyway, just like anything else.
His father appointed a conservative and a centrist. Bush did the same.
Bush is squeezing Israel his father did as well.
The only difference is Bush apparently likes Sharon and is putting strings attached to squeezing Israel....
In the end we know those strings will break and be meaningless even if Abbas is sweating a little right now... this momentary phase of reason with Europe or at least Britain won't last.
Bush is going for his legacy right now.
I think when I found out that the US withheld spare parts to the Apaches in the beginning of the Intifadah early in Bush's term that tells you quite a bit.
Plus, Bush got lots of votes and $$ from the Arab and Muslim community.
I'm not getting crazy or conspiratorial... but his big oil buddies are still the same notorious Arabist crowd they were 10 years ago.
And not that I particularly care about the conservative wares of this justice per say.
That reminder about the cut-off of spare parts is a good one. Shadows of a very different president had there been no 9/11...
The thing that's baffling about this nomination is that she's not...eminent...at all...There's just nothing obviously special here at all.
My only point is that to get elected and to portray an image you have to be almost a cartoon character... so I'm not going to say "hey Bush is as bad as his father regarding Israel" yadayada....
All I'm saying is that if Bush had that tact early on then obviously his administration was going to take a certain stance with Israel... and that that is still in the mix... the big oil buddies... daddy's sec of state Baker etc... just didn't all dissappear.
If you wanted to sum it up and oversimplify it you could say Bush is ending out forcing Israel's hands while putting a few stipulations (maybe) on the Arab side.
Clinton was going for a final peace deal with Israel keeping most of Ariel and Jerusalem.....
But in the end I believe it doesn't matter anyway.... even if Bush tries to do the right thing shit rolls down hill no matter what and he's got mountains on top of him for his own head... let alone standing up for that "shitty little country"....
Mike
And let me add that I don't trust nor like Dick Cheney.. He is in my opinion the slimiest arrogant character around... and while people say Bush is likeable in person... I really doubt you'll hear anyone stand up and say that about Cheney.