Joe Klein: George Bush "The Lamest Of All Possible Ducks"

Time:

We have "only one President at a time," Barack Obama said in his debut press conference as President-elect. Normally, that would be a safe assumption -- but we're learning not to assume anything as the charcoal-dreary economic winter approaches. By mid-November, with the financial crisis growing worse by the day, it had become obvious that one President was no longer enough (at least not the President we had). So, in the days before Thanksgiving, Obama began to move -- if not to take charge outright, then at least to preview what things will be like when he does take over in January. He became a more public presence, taking questions from the press three days in a row. He named his economic team. He promised an enormous stimulus package that would somehow create 2.5 million new jobs, and began to maneuver the new Congress toward having the bill ready for him to sign -- in a dramatic ceremony, no doubt -- as soon as he assumes office.

That we have slightly more than one President for the moment is mostly a consequence of the extraordinary economic times. Even if George Washington were the incumbent, the markets would want to know what John Adams was planning to do after his Inauguration. And yet this final humiliation seems particularly appropriate for George W. Bush. At the end of a presidency of stupefying ineptitude, he has become the lamest of all possible ducks.

Read the whole story: Time

Comments

[SparkyDash]

Excellent essay, Mr. Klein. As well-written and articulate as you were, I don't think it was an easy piece for you to write, nor satisfying. Perhaps it is something that, as a good journalist, you felt necessary to share as the truthful writing of both good and bad, is a major part of your job. It can be uncomfortable, but you actually communicated the feelings of many of us in America and perhaps around the globe. Thank you for these words and succinct message.

[Counterglow]

What an excellent short analysis of the Bush presidency. All I'd add Bush's absolute dedication to putting party hacks in positions of power, and his contempt for the Constitution.

[darker]

Bush "The Lamest Of All Possible Ducks" SINCE THE QUACK OF DAY HE WAS BORN! !

Epitome of the FAILURE of the criminal Bush klan.

[aphid]

Joe Klein on May 4, 2003 on "Face The Nation":

JOE KLEIN: Well, that was probably the coolest presidential image since Bill Pullman played the jet fighter pilot in the movie Independence Day. That was the first thing that came to mind for me. And it just shows you how high a mountain these Democrats are going to have to climb. You compare that image, which everybody across the world saw, with this debate last night where you have nine people on a stage and it doesn't air until 11:30 at night, up against Saturday Night Live, and you see what a major, major struggle the Democrats are going to have to try and beat a popular incumbent president.

[GLaB]

Bush won in 2004.

Klein was right.

Do you have a point?

[MsYellowDog]

The thing is, Shrub is not by a long shot getting what he truly deserves---a tarring and feathering and riding out of DC on a rail!

[Lotus19]

This is hilarious: "At the end of a presidency of stupefying ineptitude, he has become the lamest of all possible ducks. (See TIME's best pictures of Barack Obama.)"

[aphid]

Though he has caused this country irreparable damage, at this point I'm a little sick of all the piling on, especially of people like Klein who, as someone pointed out, was a Bush fan.

Half of the citizenry elected the man 8 years ago, and more than half did so 4 years ago.
Congratulations, folks--You SUCK at judging character.

Bush is too stupid to have pulled the wool over your eyes, therefore the voters are responsible for the tragic past 8 years. How have the voters beaten the rap?

[Lotus19]

I think the voters tried in the past couple of elections to make a difference. The Republican machine was underestimated in the past. Voters came out in record number then too, but it took a deluge of 8 hr. waits, early voting, an exceptional campaign, a boatload of money, and an unflappable visionary, to overcome the shenanigans.

I'll never forget how after the Bush/Gore race Republicans said that they couldn't understand the brouhaha over Florida (or anywhere else for that matter) because they throw out millions of votes every election.

[oceanbreeze]

aphid is on point!

We can sit around and blame it on shenanigans, voter challenges, repub machine, disenfranchisement, cynicism, etc. All valid points to debate.

But the fact remains. We (the collective "we") did not bother to turn out in droves before. We simply reelected our politicians (congress too). We thought Saddam had to go even though we slept just fine every night, WMDs notwithstanding. We thought president knows best. We forgot what wars do, despite all the history. We elect people that we want to have a drink with, not skilled experts (and here I disagree with aphid -- character is not what we elect them for, mostly. Why does it matter if they cheated on their spouse? Do they have the ability to bring people together, make decisions, have good judgment?)

Sorry, but I won't buy for one minute the excuses that "they" did this to us, or the Hillary Clinton argument of "had I known then what I know now". When presented with a challenge, everyone MUST do their utmost. Look how bad it had to get for people to register for the first time? ! Even here in ultra liberal San Francisco!

Deep down we need a lot more education. We really do not understand how incredibly seriously we MUST take our responsibility and how hard we need to push our brains to think before making a decision.

Everyone needs to remain skeptical with all politicians, including Obama.

[bumpersticker]

The spirit that inhabites Bush is so dark and malevolent that he''s closer to a disease than a duck. Quarantine is the proper response.

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

"And yet this final humiliation seems particularly appropriate for George W. Bush. At the end of a presidency of stupefying ineptitude, he has become the lamest of all possible ducks."

I must say those are my thoughts too,but I can't help but wonder if George even gives a sh**.Did he just want to pillage the country?I don't know and until he's brought to justice we'll never know.

[jse17]

Much like our last Republican presidential candidate who was a 3rd generation admission to the Naval Academy and finished in the bottom 0.5% (not a typo) of the class, “this guy” was an acceptance to Yale undergrad and subsequently, the Harvard MBA program. Is there any reasonably observer that actually expresses that he was a legitimate Yale and Harvard MBA admission candidate? Shame on especially Yale and Harvard for this debacle! I remain guardedly respectful of the Naval Academy.

“This guy” is incapable of conjugating a verb or constructing a compound sentence. Unless the inconvenience of taking the SAT admission exam was “taken care of,” far more likely than not, “this guy” could not score in the 4-digit level. Furthermore, an interesting study at the University of Scranton, a Jesuit institution, estimated “this guy’s” I.Q. as between 96-98. Yes, this is the lowest estimated I.Q. for an American president in the study. Anyone care to venture a guess who had the second lowest I.Q. in the modern era at 112?

Yes, we have overcome the “empowered elite” on 11/04/08 but I assure you, they regard this set back as only a lost battle and not a defeat. To the 53% of thinking Americans, I salute you but remain vigilant, very vigilant as the margin of victory was far too limited!

[Toonadude]

Bush's Yale transcript notes that he received a grade in the low 70s (gentleman's C) in his undergrad Economics 10 course.

I'm guessing that C students in Enonomics are not getting admitted to the venerable Harvard School of Business MBA program every day.

Who cares if a privately owned company wants to hire these cretins and make them CEOs based on some Skull & Crossbones" brotherhood nonsense. But to have them thinking they can come out of these joke legacy programs and be the POTUS is criminal.

[Bitsko]

Ouch, Mr. Klein! Nice to see the new, vastly more intelligent brain you received early in the year is still functioning.

[jgrh]

A little revisionist on Joe's part. He was a huge cheerleader a few years ago.

[Xceptional]

Please do not post my last comment. I do not condone violence of any sort to anyone. I apologise to Mr Bush for that remark.

[zeezan]

A "presidency of stupifying ineptitude" -- what a perfect summation!

[AZM]

We asked for George Bush because he seemed like the kind of guy we would like to have a beer with. Guess we should be more careful what we ask for.