Bush Victory: The Sole of Democracy

My friend Mike posted a salute to President Bush on his blog. He made a good point, that our opinions are in a large part shaped by the media.

I'm not sure I've ragged on Bush much on this blog. I don't like Cheney, Rove, Scalia, Rumsfield, Mukasey, Wolfowitz. Those guys seem like scheming creeps. Some bad things have gone down under Bush's watch. He gave the order to go into Iraq. But I don't know if he's a scheming devil. I think he's sincere.

Here's a compliment for him.

An Iraqi reporter threw a shoe at Bush. Bush pointed out that it showed that democracy was sprouting in Iraq.
Here's an excerpt from an interview with Bush about the shoe:

"I didn't have much time to reflect on anything, I was ducking and dodging," Bush said.

The journalist was "looking for notoriety," Bush said, adding that authorities shouldn't "overact" in their treatment of him.

"First of all, it's got to be one of the most weird moments of my presidency," he said. "Here I am, getting ready to answer questions from a free press in a democratic Iraq, and a guy stands up and throws his shoe. And it was bizarre, and it was an interesting way for a person to express himself."

He added, "I'm not angry with the system. I believe that a free society is emerging, and a free society is necessary for our own security and peace."

Three cheers for Bush. He understands our need to vent, and our right to do so.

This is something other tyrants need to understand. Free press good. Let us blow off steam, and we won't hold it in until it builds up into a revolution. The people may hate you, but they will do what you say.

He is the most powerful man on earth, and he takes no offense at such an act of disrespect. Lesser men would have had the shoe-thrower hanged. He's a better man than that.