The Forgotten Man

Today...or as of this writing...yesterday, a new president came into office. A miracle of our republic, the peaceful changing of power. Nowadays, it's as common as leap years and good Salma Hayek movies. It is an act that we take for granted.

But, this isn't a post detailing the rise of the United States of America's republic or the influence we have had over the world.

Nope.

Coachdad wrote an excellent blog detailing the desire to be led. In it he basically says our generation has been screwed because we haven't had that one 'Iconic' leader like they had in the 60's. At that point, there was JFK, LBJ, and MLK, jr. Now we have had Reagan, Clinton, and Jesse Jackson (Which no one would know by only initials alone.) The post was so good, it should've been mine. :) In it, he claims, and I concur, that are current president, Mr. Obama, has the qualities that can truly make him this generations figure. Everyone tonight is writing about Barrack, and rightly so.

But, this obviously, is not what this post is about.

Tonight, I write for George W. Bush.


The Forgotten Man.

Tell me, dear reader(s), has there ever been a president more ready to walk out of the Casa de Blanco? Seriously, his wife, Laura, has been packing since sumer! I thought about doing a First 5 on that, but only could think of two possible presidents more ready for retirement, than Dubya. Washington, to finally retire into a public life, and LBJ, because Vietnam was beating him down.

Has any president gone through more? Again, under his watch was as tumultous as their ever has been. The only presidents to go through more were, Lincoln and FDR. In 2001, nine months after he started, the US was hit by a massive attack. The last time an attack this massive was launched in the contiguous United States was in the War of 1812. The last time we were attacked anywhere in America, was 1941.

From that day on, in my opinion, his hand was forced at every turn. His chance at a simple, normal presidency was shot to Hell. To keep America safe, he chose the path offense rather than sit around waiting for the second shoe to drop. Was it the right path? Since no one attacked us again, I choose to believe it was. He made Osama Bin Ladin nothing more than a prized nine point buck. (They never bagged him, but they made him more useless than Paula Abdul on American Idol). They took Hussein out of power in Iraq...permantly. In addition, ended all possibilities of his sons rising to power. Was it the right call? As I told one of my liberal friends, if you had the chance to go back in time and take Hitler out before 1937, would you do it?

They don't have a good answer to that one.

The motives were questionable, but at least one possible maniac with the desire for and means to get nuclear missiles was disposed of. The homeland was kept safe. As a close friend said to me the last time we spoke, "I'd rather fight them over in there, than in America."

I'm not sure I've ever seen an approval rating was so low as President. It is so low that Wade Phillips' approval rating looked good in comparison.

What he did, though, is bring a sense of safety in post 9/11 America quicker than I could've ever dreamed possible. To me, that will do.

Thanks, President Bush, try to get a good nights sleep.

---Lane