The Future is W

If Clinton and Obama remain too cautious to promote impeachment, they must advocate blocking President Bush at every turn. Otherwise, business as usual remains in place and change will be even more difficult for either of them to implement on day one.

Each candidate claims to be best-prepared to lead the nation on January 20, 2009. Clinton emphasizes her experience and Obama touts his ability to inspire cooperation.

But they are overlooking an important data point: how can they know what the world, and our nation, will be like in almost twelve months hence? Do they assume that no foreign power or terrorist group will attack us? Do they assume that President Bush will not bomb Iran - as John McCain seems to want him to do? They talk as if next year the world will be as it is today.

This way of thinking is dangerous, even if understandable. The idea that either Obama or Clinton is prepared to take the Presidential reins and to hit the ground running on January 20, 2009 is absurd. Both camps ignore our current President, who is hardly a lame duck. He doggedly issues signing statements, overruling legislation he doesn't like, such as the defense appropriations bill which forbade permanent bases in Iraq. Unless the candidates, and their fellow legislators, stop him, he is going to guarantee American presence there for as long as he - and McCain - wants.

As long as business as usual remains in place, Obama and Clinton are pushing us toward a future that will be determined by George W. Bush - and George W. Bush alone.