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Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Half right:

Mark A. R. Kleiman has a post suggesting that people should start calling Bush a "wishful thinker". That it correctly describes the man, isn't a slur (e.g. Fascist), and opens the door to examining Bush's policy failures.

All good points. But since when was Bush ever a "thinker"? Even he says he distains nuance and all that book learnin'.

We'd say Bush is "wishful", but that doesn't sound quite right. So maybe Kleiman is correct to push for the two-word description.

posted by Quiddity at 9/29/2004 07:59:00 AM

8 comments

Doesn't that just play to his image as a visionary "dreamer" who has touched all of our hearts, one by one? But maybe "thinking" will alienate the conservative base.

By Anonymous, at 9/29/2004 8:52 AM

I think "denial" is better, because it fits in with Bush's substance abuse past, suggesting a mental deficiency rather than optimism.

By Thomas, at 9/29/2004 10:30 AM

"Forlorn promise-maker"

--Darryl Pearce / Ventura County, CA

By Anonymous, at 9/29/2004 12:58 PM

'fucking idiot' seems pretty dead-on to me

By Anonymous, at 9/29/2004 3:15 PM

What he's full of isn't "wish".

By Riggsveda, at 9/29/2004 4:14 PM

Bush is a "wisher and hoper" - but we need more than someone who wishes and hopes.

By Anonymous, at 9/30/2004 9:33 PM

Wishful is WAY to kind and nice.

The vibe is more like denial, blind, ideologue, blowhard, phony, smirky, smug, petulant...

By JeffKay, at 9/30/2004 10:13 PM

Here's a generously sympathetic take...

Regarding Bush on Iraq, I am reminded of Linus patiently waiting in a pumkin patch, but with two differences: The spoiler turns out to be Ahmed Chalabi, and Bush is wearing the flight suit.

"There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin." -- Linus van Pelt in It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

http://www.brainyencyclopedia.com/encyclopedia/i/it/it_s_the_great_pumpkin__charlie_brown.html

By Anonymous, at 10/01/2004 5:25 PM