I saw Bush on the morning news where he was helping to clean up a forest area to help prevent forest fires. He made a statement to the effect that in the past the policy has been to let the forests burn, but that would not happen in his administration. They would protect the forests and do everything to stop forest fires from happening.

Add that to the change in gun control policies that have been in the news lately, got me to thinking. This man has to change 8 years of BS without pissing off a bunch of people or appearing arrogant while he does it. He might not be doing things as quickly as some would like, but he also is not causing a lot of problems either.

From all appearances, we aren't having management by crisis ( real or created) from this administration to get themselves in the news. It is so much calmer, even in the face of some potentially dramatic events in the rest of the world.

I am not sure how Bush will work in the long run as pres, but for now it is so nice to have someone that is calmer and much more down to earth in the oval office.

Just my 2 cents worth.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2001

Answers

Beckie, I certainly don't miss the scandals. I haven't decided yet whether the "calm" is just incompetency. I don't think his father really wanted a second term, and I think that's why he lost that election. Even so, I thought Sr.'s first term was accentuated by a defensive, reactive posture. I think Jr. has been doing a little more. I hope so. There has to be a way to move forward without tearing everything apart.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2001

I have mixed feelings about Bush Jr. I agree that it's pleasant to have a president who can keep his hands off the interns and who isn't turning the White House into a Motel 6, but on the other hand, he doesn't seem to be doing much. I realize that this is August and that many in power are on vacation, but with so much going on in the world, I don't see how he can spend so much time on his ranch in Texas. I would be spending my spare time updating myself on all the nuances of foreign policy that I didn't know well, esp. with regards to China, M.E., and Russia. I'd use my access to CIA reports to get the clearest picture possible of brewing situations and to make sure that my foreign policy was in place before the next crisis.

I'm still getting the feeling that he's playing things by ear or, more likely, someone (more than one), are actually running the show and he's mainly a figurehead.

No, no. I haven't been reading any of Abby's posts this week! I swear I haven't!!

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2001

Oh, my. Bush Sr. and Dick Chaney are *really* running the country? Does Elvis fit into this anywhere?

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2001

Just 'cause Clinton was in residence at the White House don't mean he was doin' the nation's bidness. There's not too much difference between a call from the White House to the Pentagon and a call from the ranch to the Pentagon. Any info can be faxed or scanned off to Bush, there are video conferencing tools, and so on. Not much of a vacation, really, more of a change of scene. Maybe a recharging of batteries.

I've seen where the Europeans are carping at him a bit, which is really hypocritical because they all disappear for the whole of August. (Paris is empty in August, almost all the businesses are closed.) The only reason Blair is vacationing in Cornwall is because he's been heavily criticized for taking a vacation out of Britain when there's a need to promote British tourism after the F&M losses.

I think the left-wing media are just giving Bush a hard time. If that's all they can come up with, I'd say the man is doing all right! He seems more and more comfortable with the job as time goes on.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2001

Oh, I'm sure that Clinton was busy, but not necessarily with anything wholesome. It's true, Bush doesn't have to be in Washington to run the country, but I've heard on alternative news sources that he doesn't seem to be doing much of the country's business. As I said, mixed feelings. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for a few more months.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2001