WSJ Editorial: Batman Is President Bush

Via TNR, the Wall Street Journal publishes an editorial by Andrew Klavan declaring "The Dark Knight" really depicts our fearless leader:

A cry for help goes out from a city beleaguered by violence and fear: A beam of light flashed into the night sky, the dark symbol of a bat projected onto the surface of the racing clouds . . .

Oh, wait a minute. That's not a bat, actually. In fact, when you trace the outline with your finger, it looks kind of like . . . a "W."

There seems to me no question that the Batman film "The Dark Knight," currently breaking every box office record in history, is at some level a paean of praise to the fortitude and moral courage that has been shown by George W. Bush in this time of terror and war. Like W, Batman is vilified and despised for confronting terrorists in the only terms they understand. Like W, Batman sometimes has to push the boundaries of civil rights to deal with an emergency, certain that he will re-establish those boundaries when the emergency is past.

And like W, Batman understands that there is no moral equivalence between a free society -- in which people sometimes make the wrong choices -- and a criminal sect bent on destruction. The former must be cherished even in its moments of folly; the latter must be hounded to the gates of Hell.

No word yet on what Patrick Leahy thinks.

Comments

[NotMcCain]

Satire from the WSJ? Awesome!

[wedgie]

Can I just note that in the recent movie Dark Knight, Batman exhibited some reluctance to "spy on everyone" and as the movie ends, destroys the equipment that does that.

Bush on the other hand loves spying on us all and will not stop.

**

[bigfated]

I'm sure the phrase actually intended was------BATSHIT!

[SteveStephens]

Uh, I don't think so. BatMan acts quickly. George Bush is usually on vacation when the country needs him most. In fact, I think he's on vacation right now.

[nyc4obama123]

he's more like to face than batman

[buddhistMonkey]

Bush as Batman? Hardly. I'd say he's got a lot more in common with Two-Face, albeit without the moral conflict.

[RobinLandseadel]

It's true: the Caped Crusadist is "W", just look at that light in the sky, it's either the spread out "M" of the bat's wings or "W".

Beyond all that, The Dark Knight is just one violation of the writ of habeas corpus after the other and that's the real point of the movie: Batman created The Joker just as much "W" created Osama Bin Laden so to ramp up "Islamo-Terrorism" into some monster, now bigger and much harder to reign in than prior to all this Texas-styled vigilantism. Andrew Klavan got it part right, but in fact the Riddler wouldn't be a happening option without Bruce Wayne shoveling money in the general direction of total fascism and the police state.

Batman's pretty much the bad guy in "Dark Knight.

[Heavy]

That's ok. Ironman would kick his *ss. Can someone get me some of whatever R*pert has been smoking.

[TRex86]

"Like W, Batman is vilified and despised for confronting terrorists in the only terms they understand."
Really? This is worthy of J. Goebbels. Note the implication that the ONLY reason W is "vilified," etc. is his way of confronting terrorists. It suggests that his critics are pro-terrorist. Neat. No matter that W is the consensus WORST president in American history. Nope. No matter that he has been across-the-board incompetent in every measure of a presidency. It's the way he confronts them there terrorists. Note, again the personification of the fuehrer as the guy doing the confronting (not the one approving a variety of illegal acts carried out by his agents).
Anyone ever wonder why the plutocrats are more exercised over a handful of wacko terrorists than they were over the Red Menace? Terrorism is pure psychology: the perceived threat vastly exceeds the real danger. (Yes, the acme to date was 9/11, but it illustrates my point: although a dreadful event, by itself it did very little harm to our country. Yet it catalyzed an orgy of self-destructive behavior). Terrorism gets into the psyche of the rich and powerful in a way no threatening country or ideology can. They can buy their way out of those threats, but it's a matter of time before some terrorist puts a bomb in their Mercedes or destroys some of their property. They're willing to bankrupt this country and destroy its Constitution to defend their interests. QED.

[sa]

(tried to post this last night but it got denied)

bush/cheney: badman and robbing.

.

[ThermoChemist]

[tried to post this last night; but was denied (!?!)]

[1] Batman:
- Real Name: Bruce Wayne
- Status of Parents: Murdered by a criminal when he was a boy.
- Childhood: Lived his childhood plagued with the memory of his parents' murder. He traveled the world, trained extensively, both physically and MENTALLY, and waited for the day to exact his revenge on those who had caused him so much pain. He was emotionally shut down.
- Defense Tactics: Gadgets and Electronics
- Costume: All black bullet proof body suit, cape, and mask.
- Arch-Enemies: Joker, Penguin, Riddler
- Conflict Resolution Method: Works outside the law. Use gadgets or force.
- Love Interests: Nothing steady; Catwoman was his true love.

[2] Bush:
- Real Name: George Walker Bush
- Status of Parents: Living in shame for what their son has done to America.
- Childhood: Lived his childhood plagued with wealth and the Bush legacy. He never traveled outside the USA, drank alcohol excessively, was intellectually "incurious", and waited for the day to exact his revenge on those who had caused him so much pain. He was emotionally shut down.
- Defense Tactics: Blames Clinton, Democrats, or the media for anything that goes wrong.
- Costume: Codpiece wearing aviator; brush clearing cowboy; flag-pin wearing "decider-in-chief".
- Arch-Enemies: Democrats / Liberals; anyone outside his "inner circle".
- Conflict Resolution Method: "Bends" or circumvents laws. "Ready, Fire, Aim" mentality. Instigates problems and leaves things for others to resolve.
- Love Interests: Money,

[vietveter]

Either
Fratman
or
Badman

He could never be the Joker
How about
the JOKE

[mydogshakespeare]

Bush is more like the Roman Ceasar, Comidus, than the Dark Knight Crimefighter, Batman.

[Heavy]

More like Caligula

[kroses98]

More like the JOKER!

[Ides]

Wow. What a coincidence. Rupert Murdoch said this a couple of days ago. You'd almost think there wasn't any journalistic independence left at the WSJ.

[brijit]

Batman? More like Batsh!t J. Crazee.

[Cedman]

They are both comic book characters come to life. In W's case he was originally Alfred E Newman from Mad Magazine!