‘‘What’s taken place in a number of those countries is enormously constructive," the Massachusetts Democrat said on the ABC news program ‘‘This Week."
‘‘It’s a reflection the president has been involved."
The Massachusetts Democrat Matt Margolis refers to is none other than Ted Kennedy singing the praises of Bushs foreign policy in the Middle East.
Here was the same Teddy Kennedy just last summer while campaigning for John Kerry:
‘'[Thanks to] this misguided war in Iraq the administration has alienated longtime allies. Instead of making America more secure, they have made us less so,’’ Kennedy said.
Some other headlines:
Freedom’s march: The president has been right on some big questions. Now, if he can get the little stuff right, he’ll change the world
Newsweek, March 14 issue
From the same source:
If, five years from now, Iraq, Afghanistan and perhaps an independent Palestine and a democratic Lebanon are thriving countries with modern political and economic systems, America will be honored and respectedand the talk of anti-American terror will have dissipated considerably.
First, Ted Kennedy deserves some credit for magnanimity. Every once in a while, the guy surprises us. (But we Irish get in really good moods leading up to St. Patricks Month Week Day.) Still, those words must make President Bush smile.
They must also make John Kerry, Robert Byrd, and the rest of the Doomsocrats squirm. When arch-liberal Ted Kennedy says something nice about a Republican President, the world must be changing for the better.
We shouldnt be surprised at Bushs resolve and character. The night before the 2000 election, I wrote my final thoughts before voting. Kennedys stunning words reminded me to retrieve that post:
Ronald Reagan was a man of very humble beginnings. He faced his problems like a man, but so did most of the men of his era and background. He didn’t know any other way to be. Contrarily, George W. grew up amidst power, money, and permissiveness as the eldest son of a former Congressman, ambassador, and CIA head in the 1960s. Moreover, W’s grandpa was a longtime U.S. Senator from Connecticut. W’s world was one in which Daddies made problems go away.
Just look at the Kennedy’s of Massachusetts. Murder, drugs, assault, rape–all swept magically away by money, power, and threats of physical (or worse) violence. When George W. was arrested for drunk driving, instead of clamming up and running home to Daddy, he stood up and asked the arresting officer “what do I do next?” He pled guilty (not the pansy-ass no lo contendere), paid his fine, and took his lumps. That’s a man.
What’s more, Newsweek reports that numerous reporters (possibly including Newsweek’s own Howard Fineman) knew about this incident and knew that George W. refused to announce it because MADD recommended not sharing alcohol-related incidents with children. These reporters also knew that, being the stand up guy he is, Bush never had the records expunged, as was his right under Maine law 10 years after restoration of driving privileges.
They advised Bush to either expunge the record or tell the people himself. He would do neither, saying that family must come before politics that erasing history is what Hitler tried to do. From “no controlling legal authority” to “I did wrong. What’s my punishment?” Night and day. Or, to borrow from Al Gore, Evil and Good.
Now, I love RWR as much as anyone, but I have to tell you, had Reagan been presented the choice of protecting his children at the risk of damaging his candidacy, the kids are toast. Like Reagan, though, Bush’s character was clear back in 1976. The arresting officer said of Bush, “he was a picture of integrity.” No one ever said that about Bill Clinton or Al Gore.
Hell, no one ever said that about me. (If they had, “Picture of Integrity” would be permanently emblazoned on my forehead . . . come to think of it, I might have that done anyway.)
(Read the whole thing here.)
Sometimes writers live to regret their words. I know Ive written some that deserve the backspace key. But George Bush, not I, validated those politically ancient thoughts. What we witness in the Middle East is the fruit of Bush’s steadfastness, his steely-cold determination to destroy the cancer terrorism at its root. Tyrants need a phony enemy, and the United States has been their favorite target. They knew–just knew–all of our bluster was a bluff. Well, George W. Bush finally got into the game, and the bluffing was done for good.
I guess in Texas they play for keeps.
Related: Dean Esmay discusses phenomenon of war bloggers.
The Beltway’s Traffic is Jammed
Little Green Footballs notices that The Independent newspaper is mimicking Newsweek
Beth’s Vast Right Wing Conspiracy finds heroism in the same Newsweek issue
Just One Minute finds the New York Times coming around to the Bush way of thinking. (Linked via Jefe and the Man)
According to A Little More to the Right, the Chicago Trib wants to jump aboard the Democracy Through Strength bandwagon
The Right Wing Nut House finds a shift in public opinion in the world’s largest Muslim country