The one decision that doomed Bush’s presidency
A friend and I were discussing the new biography of Donald Rumsfeld, which led to a discussion of just how things went so bad, so quickly in so many areas for the Bush administration.
It got me to thinking. For most of the Bush presidency, I believed that people who pointed the finger at Dick Cheney as the source of most of the presidents’ problems were exaggerating. Yeah, Cheney was a bit of a nut, but the idea that Bush would let himself be manipulated by his vice president to such a degree — I had a hard time believing it.
I don’t anymore.
In fact, I’d argue now that the most important decision of Bush’s presidency — the decision that determined the fate of his administration and to a degree of this country — occurred in July of 2000, when he chose Cheney to be his running mate. From that moment, the elements of tragedy were in place. I suspect history will reach that judgment as well.
If true, that’s of course as much Bush’s fault as Cheney’s. More so, since he was nominally the guy in charge. But there’s no question that at least on the foreign policy front, the Bush administration got a lot smarter about things in its second term, once Rumsfeld — Cheney’s guy — was gone from the Pentagon, Cheney’s influence waned and Condi Rice finally began to assert herself. And the real break, I suspect, came when Bush realized in the summer of 2005 that he had been misled by Cheney and his minions about their role in the Valerie Plame episode.
It’s conjecture at this point, but I suspect that incident opened Bush’s eyes to what had been happening in his own White House, and broke whatever trust remained with his vice president. It would help explain why Bush refused to pardon Scooter Libby as he left office, despite repeated pleas from Cheney and others.
We’ll see what history has to say, but I suspect its general narrative will follow that story line.
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251 comments Add your comment
willie
June 24th, 2009
11:15 am
Jay is a “failed” writer…he is writing for the AJC, right?
TnGelding
June 24th, 2009
11:16 am
Jeff in Roswell
June 24th, 2009
11:14 am
Would you care to meet and compare W2s?
yabba dabba-doo
June 24th, 2009
11:16 am
Jay, you really do enjoy toying with these gomers on here everyday don’t you? These responses are so predictable from this same group of lefties or righties, that I bet you could almost write them for them.
If it weren’t so scary it would be funny. People actually have these thoughts? wow. Well, have fun toying with the inmates. I’ll keep on reading it and laughing or shaking my head as I’m sure you do.
Normal
June 24th, 2009
11:19 am
Paul:
Stop killing people you don’t like. Especially if you’re killing a lot of them. And it’s based on tribe or religion.
—————
Whe I got out of the Navy first time in’70, I used to wear a shirt that said “Join the Navy, visit exotic places, meet interesting people, and kill them”. Whe asked why I would wear such a shirt, I always told them it was my way to say how stupid war is…still is too.
—————-
TNGelding
Please tell me Sarah doesn’t have a nuc…
The way we weren't
June 24th, 2009
11:20 am
For one thing, I think GeeWhiz actually believed all that crap that many Evangelicals were feeding him such as him being on a mission from God, etc. Of course, that’s just one of many of his problems. The bigger issue — his eight ruinous years at the wheel is nothing less than proof positive that our system of checks and balances is fundamentally flawed. We desperately need to find some way to prevent the likes of another Bush/Cheney administration from ever surfacing again.
USinUK
June 24th, 2009
11:20 am
peadawg – d-oh! my bad. and my apologies.
Sheesh
June 24th, 2009
11:21 am
LOL The lefties are still talking about Bush while Barak Hussein Obama spends the country into oblivion. If you want to know what constitutes a failed presidency, pay close attention to the current White House. Its happening right before your eyes you sheeple!
coach k
June 24th, 2009
11:21 am
I agree Cheney was not much help, I am just tired of people trashing Bush from afar with no idea what they are talking about. Us in Uk if you think Saddam was doing nothing wrong, I guess the 300,000 he gassed was all right. This country is going down the tubes thanks to your new liberal pansies in office.
Paul
June 24th, 2009
11:21 am
USinUK 11:12
[[I see where you’re coming from - just don’t know that I agree.]]
Oh, I’m not saying I disagree, either. Or that I even agree. Asking a question is not the same as advocating a position. But it is interesting to take an issue so many are so passionate about and ask, “what about…”
Some think it’s merely annoying. But, I really do like explore thought processes and how one thing is okay while another one isn’t.
Peadawg
June 24th, 2009
11:22 am
No problem USinUK
USinUK
June 24th, 2009
11:22 am
mike – that question should have been for you …
do. please. tell us what banks have been nationalized.
Paul
June 24th, 2009
11:25 am
Normal
But some people will never get it. You need to get in touch with Bosch. He has this idea for a really good t-shirt business –
Sheesh
The country was spent more into oblivion right after WWII. And there wasn’t nearly the dramatic change in new technologies impelling economic growth. And we made it past that just fine.
Normal
June 24th, 2009
11:27 am
Well PEADAWG, you finally did it…you said something I CAN agree with you on. We are, INDEED, wasteing too much timr in Iraq…Just sayin’
Bosch
June 24th, 2009
11:28 am
coach k,
“I am just tired of people trashing Bush from afar with no idea what they are talking about”
Uh, yeah we do.
F. Derrick Hall
June 24th, 2009
11:29 am
All of you are partisan morons. R’s and D’s are the EXACT SAME thing and serve the EXACT SAME corporate interests. There are not 2 parties in the US political system, only 1.
But never mind that- you sheep keep going back and forth about how your “team” is right and the other “team” is wrong. It’s all a game, right?
USinUK
June 24th, 2009
11:30 am
Paul –
I totally agree with you – and I liked the way you framed the discussion. well done, take the rest of the day off.
Bosch
June 24th, 2009
11:30 am
Oh and coach k,
“This country is going down the tubes thanks to your new liberal pansies in office”
Oh, please do tell. Soooo……this all started in January? Okkkkaaaaayyyyy.
PappyHappy
June 24th, 2009
11:30 am
Well, Cheney may have been a problem for Bush, but it appears that Bush is the Obama CRUTCH! If things continue the way they are going, there will be a multitude of reasons for Obama’s failure!!
When President Obama took office, he probably had greater support for his personal success than any president since at least John Kennedy. He appeared new, refreshing and smart. That was then, this is now.
The first disappointment came with his nomination of tax evaders to cabinet posts: Timothy F. Geithner; Hilda L. Solis; and Kathleen Sebelius. (This excludes Tom Daschle and Bill Richardson, who had their own ethics challenges, forcing them to withdraw early.) This did provide a glimpse into the future.
Then came the starts and stops on ‘financial recovery’ proposals. One day, the effort was going to be to ‘buy up toxic assets’; the next day, the money was going to be used to make loans; the next day, there was going to be programs to assist folks already in their homes. For Pete’s sake – BANKS ARE STILL BEING SHUT DOWN WITH THREE BEING CLOSED OVER THE WEEKEND (20- 21 June)!! Where is the taxpayer money going?? COULD SOMEONE PLEASE TELL US WHERE WE ARE??
Then came the much awaited ‘stimulus package’ (hundreds of billions of tax payer money) for all of those ‘shovel ready’ projects (like the turtle tunnel and no doubt tributes to John Murtha) that were designed to hold unemployment at 8%! Unemployment is now at 9.4%, and even the White House now admits that unemployment will exceed 10%!
In March, the President met with the Commander of the American Legion and advised that he was going to propose that service connected injured veterans purchase their own health insurance – ‘because they volunteered for service!’ The following month, Janet Napolitano tagged veterans as ‘potential terrorists’. Sadly, in early June, two Army soldiers were shot – one killed – in Little Rock by a radical muslim convert (terrorist). The White House’s silence was deafening. During his extensive press conference on June 23, he did not mention Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, war on terror, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard or Reserves during a 50 plus minute presser. What would one take from his omission while we have hundreds of thousands in harms way?
Then came the auto take over! For an administration who promised transparency, could someone please explain the logic that went into the closure of dealerships throughout the Country? Did you have to be friends with Barney Frank to remain open? Billions of taxpayer money was expended to preclude GM and Chrysler from going bankrupt, but what happened? THEY ARE BANKRUPT, and there is no doubt, the spoils of Chrysler will go to Italy!! More recently, WHY DID THE ADMINISTRATION PROVIDE $1,600,000,000 to Nissan?? Are they not a foreign own manufacturer? Is this just money down the tubes??
From a foreign affairs point of view, I am again sorely disappointed. It
has apparently become fashionable to apologize for the US’ involvements. Allow me to pose some rhetorical questions: Where would Great Britain, France, Belgium, The Netherlands be today without our involvement two times during the last century? Where would China and other Pacific Rim countries be today had it not been for our involvement?
And after those wars, what other country would have invested their resources – as we did – in Germany, Italy and Japan – and make them modern, world class countries? Where would Korea be today were it not for our involvement? And the list goes on and on – including Panama (18 young American soldiers gave their lives in the removal of dictator Manuel Noriega – 27 total including 3 civilians); Kuwait; Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, and the former Soviet Block countries – too numerous to mention. And now, the White House is faced with two real dilemmas – Korea and Iran. Will the defense of this Country be first priority, or will the perceived image of the president take precedent?? (Scary that the question even has to be posed isn’t it??)
…And how about the CZARS? Are we up to 20 yet? When will the main stream media start asking questions regarding the role of THE CABINET?? Other than the President, who will have overwatch responsibility and authority over the CZARS? Does this not bother anyone else??
And now, the health care debate is on!
A survey by the Physicians’ Foundation has uncovered what it calls widespread frustration and concern among primary care physicians nationwide, which could lead to a dramatic decrease in practicing doctors in the near future. The survey examined the causes behind the doctors’ dissatisfaction, the state of their practices and the future of care.
The resulting findings show the possibility of significantly decreased access for Americans in the years ahead, as many doctors are forced to reduce the number of patients they see or quit the practice of medicine outright.
An overwhelming majority — 78 percent — of physicians believe that there is an existing shortage of primary care doctors in the United States today. Additionally, nearly half of them — 49 percent, or more than 150,000 practicing doctors– say that over the next three years they plan to reduce the number of patients they see or stop practicing entirely.
“Going into this project we generally knew about the shortage of physicians; what we didn’t know is how much worse it could get over the next few years,” said Lou Goodman, PhD, President of The Physicians’ Foundation. “The bottom line is that the person you’ve known as your family doctor could be getting ready to disappear — and there might not be a replacement.”
To test the above, I have asked my local physicians their plans. The answers were shocking: one is planning on leaving practice and start operating equipment for other physicians — to rid himself of mal practice insurance, and bureaucratic paper work from the government. Another one is looking into leaving his medical practice for ‘moral reasons’ if ‘Obama Care’ comes about. He reminded me that a physician’s first obligation is “to do no harm’. None that I spoke to are recommending the medical profession to young students due to government interference; bureaucracy; possible use of a board of bureaucrats to determine cost effective treatment; and the lack of TORT reform from the politicians — many of whom are lawyers.
My sensing is that Obama is already having an ‘unintended consequence’ on our health care system: A SHORTAGE OF PHYSICIANS!! Now that is change we will believe in within a few years!!
HIS OWN DOCTOR IS AGAINST ‘OBAMA CARE’!!
http://www.forbes.com/2009/06/18/obama-doctor-knocks-obamacare-business-healthcare-obamas-doctor.html
ASK YOUR OWN PHYSICIANS THEIR PLANS, AND THEIR MOTIVATIONS!! YOU ARE GOING TO BE SHOCKED AT WHAT YOU FIND!!
Look at our medical schools!! Are they filled? If not, why not???
Folks, the politicians HAVE NOT ACCOMPLISHED THEIR BASIC HOMEWORK!! With a looming doctor shortage – which will no doubt worsen if President Obama’s policies come to fruition – WHO WILL DELIVER HEALTH CARE?
HENRY WAXMAN??????
Concerned? Call Sen Baucus’ office:
Committee On Finance
219 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-6200
(202) 224-4515
In the course of five months, this administration has gone from one of GREAT PROMISE, to one of astonishing disbelief!! Could Rev Wright be correct? Could Obama be just ‘another politician from Chicago’?
Normal
June 24th, 2009
11:31 am
Sheesh…Bless your heart, too…
USinUK
June 24th, 2009
11:31 am
“trashing Bush from afar”
so, if we go to TX can we trash him there??? I used to live in DC when he was President, so I really wasn’t “afar” at the time – so, was THAT okay???
DB, Gwinnettian
June 24th, 2009
11:31 am
Would you care to meet and compare W2s?
First, Jeff has to bench-press 3x his weight and then he has to run a 2h30m marathon. While boffing a supermodel. Typical day for Jeff.
Bosch
June 24th, 2009
11:32 am
Paul,
“take the rest of the day off.”
NO!!! I’ll have no one to goof off with.
pronounced "ChEEney"
June 24th, 2009
11:32 am
I think Bush’s incompetence and weakness became most apparent on 9/11. Bush disappeared for three days without a peep (a stronger president would have been on television *immediately,* simply to reassure the public that someone was in charge), while Cheney made all the decisions, including the critical one to ground all air traffic. That showed who was in charge. I think it set a pattern, as well.
Odumma
June 24th, 2009
11:32 am
Bookman and the left are so brainwashed (or brain dead) that its hard to even bother with facts. Facts like the real estate/economic collapse that was caused by of giving home loans to unqualified people – liberal policies and you all know it.
Bosch
June 24th, 2009
11:33 am
Dear blog moderator –
What is wrong with the 11:30? Not a bad word among it.
Peadawg
June 24th, 2009
11:35 am
Normal,
What about the Deficit going up and Unemployment going up? You don’t agree that that’s happening as well? And that it’s gotten worse under Obama?
Keisha Waites
June 24th, 2009
11:39 am
The unwillingness to embrace change and new ideas.
USinUK
June 24th, 2009
11:40 am
Slap-Happy-Pappy-
first, your post is WAY too long … but this little nugget jumped out:
“The following month, Janet Napolitano tagged veterans as ‘potential terrorists’”
ah. no. the report was drafted during he Bush administration, SHE didn’t tag them as potential terrorists. the DHS said they could be easily lured. (and, lest you forget, McVeigh and Nichols were veterans of Gulf I, so it does happen)
“is the taxpayer money going” (TARP) – TARP money has gone to the “backbone” banks, not the mom-and-pop banks. they’re insured by the FDIC. Meanwhile, the gov’t has already started getting the TARP funds BACK from 10 of the major banks they lent to – so, as much as it may pain you, THE PROGRAM WORKED.
“fashionable to apologize for the US’ involvements”
please. show me ONE apology. ONE QUOTE where Obama said “I’m sorry”. Despite O’Reilley and Limbaugh and Hannity’s panties being in a collective wad, Obama has never apologized. what he HAS done is acknowledge that our actions have not always been positive (such as the ouster of Moussedagh).
“None that I spoke to are recommending the medical profession to young students due to government interference”
hahahahaha … yeah. students are fleeing medical school in droves. just like in the UK. we have NO doctors here – no students going to med school. we have to use the internet and forage for roots to cure our ills.
Paul
June 24th, 2009
11:40 am
USinUK 11:30
I’ve never been so nicely kicked out of someplace! You sure you’re not with the diplomatic corps?
Bosch 11:32
Not to worry. I have this problem with authority figures…
USinUK and Bosch
[[“trashing Bush from afar”]]
Theological time. Was talking to a Georgia native. Good Southern Baptist. Around Christmas time. I observed the Wise Men who visited Jesus were probably astronomers from another country. He said no, they were firemen. I said ‘what’ and he said ‘Well, sure, don’tcha’ read your scrip-tures? Says right here they came from a-far!”
badda bing badda bum glad a new thread’s up -
Normal
June 24th, 2009
11:42 am
PAPPYHAPPY: You post is too long to reply to at once, but I’ll try to pick at it.
Of course the health care people and doctors are against President Obama’s plan, because they are afraid they are going to lose money. That is the only way they have to keep score. They don’t care one whit about the health of the working poor or anyone else who doesn’t have the means to afford them. Doctors do not take the Hippocratic Oath seriously anymore, and I, for one, can live with less doctors, if they take their oath seriously, and are out there to heal and not to play golf on Wednesdays… There will be more to join them…Just sayin’
USinUK
June 24th, 2009
11:43 am
peadawg-
UNEMPLOYMENT IS A LAGGING INDICATOR!!! Unemployment doesn’t LEAD the economic recovery, unemployment follows months behind.
Think about it this way — you own a factory and you’re down to bare bones staff. Do you immediately start hiring people if you THINK the economy is improving??? or do you put it off as long as possible, trying to maximize your capital, until you’re threatened with falling behind on your orders.
THAT’S how the economy works.
Peadawg
June 24th, 2009
11:46 am
USinUK, and the deficit? What about the growing deficit and the spend spend spend mentality that Obama is continuing to do?
RAMBLE ON!!!
June 24th, 2009
11:50 am
If this Health care plan goes through, who will John (typical Democrat) Edwards have to sue?
USinUK
June 24th, 2009
11:52 am
Peadawg –
I’m heading upstairs to the next room – but, in the meantime, may I recommend a little light reading from Milton Keynes. He’s an economist that believes that, if consumer spending falls, government spending steps in to prop up the economy until consumers can step back in. It’s been followed by Presidents for the last (nearly) 100 years, including Reagan.
HDB
June 24th, 2009
11:53 am
It might be that the democratic presidents use our military more than Republicans.
WWI – Wilson D
WWII – Roosevelt – D
Korea – Truman – D
Viet Nam – Kennedy – D
Tonkin Bay Resolution – Johnson – D
Grenada – Reagan – R
Kuwait – Bush I – R
Afghanistan – Bush II – R Up the ante Obama – D
Iraq – Bush II – R
Not a judgment call, just statistics.
People fail to realize that when Democrats use the military, it’s due to the Republicans setting up the situation that requires military force:
Wilson (D) – Predecessor: Taft (R)
FDR (D) – Predecessor: Hoover (R)
Kennedy/Johnson (D) – Predecessor: Eisenhower (R)
Clinton (D) – Predecessors: Reagan/Bush41 (R)
Obama (D) – Predecessor: Bush43
@ Sheesh:11:21 am
“The lefties are still talking about Bush while Barack Hussein Obama spends the country into oblivion. If you want to know what constitutes a failed presidency, pay close attention to the current White House.”
This current spending was STARTED by the Bush Doctrine…..lest you forget:
1) War in Iraq/Afghanistan
2) Government bailout of the finance indstry
3) Failure to appropriately budget
4) No-bid contracts to Bush/Cheney cronies
5) Failure to address domestic issues
The current rate of spending is NECESSARY to correct the inadequacies done under the GOP..to correct the course of this nation towards financial/economic/energy independence….and to address the inadequacies of the current social fabric of this country. Market-based solutions are NOT ALWAYS the correct answer; this nation MUST develop a HEART!!
jim
June 24th, 2009
12:04 pm
The downfall of the Bush presidency is the same as the downfall of the republican party, in total. Domestically, they forgot about being fiscally conservative. That’s it! Nothing magical or difficult.
bushwacker
June 24th, 2009
12:06 pm
We know you guys don’t really believe the things you say, your job is to get people to reply to your column.
But I’ll take the bait anyway!
I suspect history will show President Bush freed 50 million people in 2 countries, and prevented another attack on America for 8 years after 911.
The later is te only thing that matters to me!!!!
History will show President Clinton had an affair in the Oval Office and was impeached.
History will show O’bama turned a $1 Trillion dollar deficit into $10 Tillion, makes sense to me???
Normal
June 24th, 2009
12:07 pm
Peadawg, Sorry I couldn’t get back to you sooner (Tech Meetings do get in the way of a good blog), reading the posts, USinUK has answered pretty much as I would have so you were in good hands. Give President Obama the rest of his term to set things back on the correct course. If he hasn’t done it, then vote against him; I know I will…Just sayin’
Linda
June 24th, 2009
12:14 pm
There was only ONE bad decision? Iraq, 9/11, Katrina, Abu Gharib (I could go on) don’t count?
Decisions are made by the President, regardless of his counsel. It’s his choice and his alone.
skydog
June 24th, 2009
12:16 pm
Thanks Whiner, I needed my joke for the day…Bush the most successfule president since the 80’s…. LOL….
snaddermen
June 24th, 2009
12:21 pm
Look at how pathetic Jay Bookman’s life is… what does he know about the world anyway. Your opinion doesn’t count Bookman.
Brill
June 24th, 2009
12:23 pm
What a pathetic attempt to distract people away from the catastrophe that is Barack Obama.
Look ! Is that Elvis !?!
Charles Gibson
June 24th, 2009
12:37 pm
Although some of Bush’s decisions were retrospectively failed, what gives you the right to declare his Presidency failed?…..I’d like for you to tell me how many terrorist attacks the USA has had on it’s soil since 9-11-2001……Oh thats right…NONE!…..Some part of you should be thankful, as well as all the rest of us, that neither we nor any of our families have been harmed since that time…..But you have your head so far up Obamas, well you get the point, that you can’t be thankful for being safe for almost eight years….Just saying though!
Reality
June 24th, 2009
12:40 pm
“The difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull, lip stick.” The luny wing of the right thought this was a brilliant statement(corny) that brought down the house during the Republican National Convention. This speaks volumes of the simple mindset of the lemmings. Riddle me this. Why was Mr. Bush disinvited to the Republican National Convention?
RAMBLE ON!!!
June 24th, 2009
12:58 pm
HDB, so it was the GOP’s fault for WWI, and WWII. Well said moonbat.
pass the Kool-Aid.
Maybe if W were president then, we could talk about how we needlessly TOUTERED Hitler and how he was no threat to us.
Paul
June 24th, 2009
1:28 pm
Does Rep Barney Frank ever learn?
“In March, Fannie Mae (FNM.N)(FNM.P) said it would no longer guarantee mortgages on condos in buildings where fewer than 70 percent of the units have been sold, up from 51 percent, the paper said. Freddie Mac (FRE.P)(FRE.N) is due to implement similar policies next month, the paper said.
In a letter to the CEO’s of both companies, Representatives Barney Frank, the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, and Anthony Weiner warned that a 70 percent sales threshold “may be too onerous” and could lead condo buyers to shun new developments, according to the paper.
The legislators asked the companies to “make appropriate adjustments” to their underwriting standards for condos, the paper added.”
Meanwhile, the Iranian freedom fighters continue.
“Protesters and riot police clashed in the streets around Iran’s parliament Wednesday as hundreds of people converged on a Tehran square in defiance of government orders to halt demonstrations demanding a new presidential election, witnesses said. “
Gandalf, the White! (!)
June 24th, 2009
1:29 pm
Normal, Every notice how anything you write is silly? I have! just sayin…
Gandalf, the White! (!)
June 24th, 2009
1:30 pm
Nobama is the correct name for the asshat in chief, his wife lies as freely as he. Where does he smoke? Not in front of his family, not every day…I bet that asshat smokes in the Oval Office! He’s silly that way. Curious George is he.
RealityKing
June 24th, 2009
1:38 pm
This is halarious!! In light of Obama’s doofus VP..
What Would Jesus Do?
June 24th, 2009
2:15 pm
Jesus would support Bush.
Photius
June 24th, 2009
3:49 pm
Jay Bookman, you are very witty and I like reading your post daily. Keep it up!