Uncivil Conflict

So. Our Dear Leader is actually having to deal with (gasp!) criticism, now that Iraq is in shambles and the fearmongers can no longer silence America's voice. His policies are finally being exposed to the harsh light they deserve, and his rhetoric is being routinely dismantled by progressives, moderates, and classic conservatives.

Naturally, his response was to go to his party's propaganda machine, i.e. Faux News. An exclusive interview with a slavish reporter, however, was not enough to save Dubya...from himself.

Bush reveals his opinion of "objectivity" with this gem:

"I appreciate people's opinions, but I'm more interested in news," the president said. "And the best way to get the news is from objective sources, and the most objective sources I have are people on my staff who tell me what's happening in the world."

This, obviously, is how opinion peddlers can proclaim their rivals "objectively" pro-Saddam. Or something.

And then there's this beauty:

"But, you know, I don't think we're serving our nation well by allowing the discourse to become so uncivil that people say - use words that they shouldn't be using."

This, to accuse Edward Kennedy of dragging down political discourse.

"The Senate is more interested in special interests in Washington and not interested in the security of the American people." --George W. Bush, showing his respect for the United States Senate

"Now, there are some who would like to rewrite history —- revisionist historians is what I like to call them." --George W. Bush, on people who dare to note his contradictions

"And we gave him [Saddam] a chance to allow the inspectors in, and he wouldn't let them in." --George W. Bush, revisionist historian

"My answer is bring them on." --George W. Bush, supporting our troops

"It's an old Texas expression, show your cards when you're playing poker. France showed their cards," Bush said. "They said they were going to veto anything that held Saddam to account." --George W. Bush, master of international diplomacy

"I say it's pure politics. And that's just the nature of democracy. Sometimes pure politics enters into the rhetoric." --George W. Bush, trying to preserve the sanctity of rhetoric

"When you hear about war all the time on your TV screens, the speculation of war and the discussion of war, it's not conducive to a confident tomorrow." --George W. "Irony-Proof" Bush, on freedom of the press

"You see, the Senate wants to take away some of the powers of the administrative (sic) branch." --George W....ah, heck, you know. Something about separation of powers and all that.

With a tip o' the keyboard to The Complete Bushisms and DubyaSpeak for some of these. I wish he was still just a joke.

Okay, so we're going to have violently partisan politics for the foreseeable future. (Well, maybe there will be a cooling off period in early '05. Don't count on it, though.) You know what? I'm okay with that. Democrats are hitting back hard, and it should come as no surprise that the GOoPers aren't taking it lying down.

On the other hand, it is absolutely disgusting -- abjectly appalling -- that the Rovies are trying to claim the high ground after slamming the patriotism of genuine war heroes like John Kerry, Max Cleland (a man who left THREE LIMBS in Vietnam), and now Wesley Clark. Democrats, and the left as a whole, gave our "wartime president" a free pass on September 12, 2001. Rove used it to butcher our civil liberties and wage an uncivil war on dissent.

And now they're whining because the opposition party is behaving like an opposition party? Moaning because they're taking these plunderers to task for lying us into war, stealing from Iraq and America, and betraying our armed forces for financial and political gain? Pathetic. Their hypocrisy is displayed for America and the world to see. They chose the battlefield and they chose the weapons, so if they can't stand the heat then let 'em fry.

(/) Roland X
*snif snif* What's That Smell?