In recent months the dramatic presidential race, with its
bipartisan promises of a change-filled future, has made it easy to forget
someone is currently occupying the oval office. Tonight, though, George
Walker Bush takes center stage to give his final State of the Union address.
Traditionally the speech marries an upbeat progress report with an inspiring
preview of the future. Neither tool gives Bush 43 much to work with. The
economy. The war. Neither lends itself easily to uplifting positive conversation.
And the future -- what
future? By now Bush must be ready to borrow a line from horror film master Wes
Craven -- "Don't bury me -- I'm not dead." At this point, his primary
role in shaping the future is to provide the starting point from which to shift
180 degrees
Here's an idea -- simple,
yet profound. Bush should seize the moment tonight by standing in the well of
the Senate and doing something no one expects -- he should say "I'm
sorry." Over the past eight years he's made decisions that have damaged
America's reputation abroad, and even hurt our nation's self-perception. Assuming
he neither anticipated nor wanted these consequences, Bush should still regret
them. So why not show the country he's not a cardboard cut out, a
one-dimensional decider who cannot 'fess up and learn from his mistakes.
Tonight the President can finally demonstrate an essential element of
leadership that has been sorely lacking from his eight-year term and is summed
up in "The One Minute Apology: A Powerful Way to Make Things Better"
by management guru Ken Blanchard and Margaret
McBride.
For starters, here are five
Bush mistakes crying out for an apology:
- 1. Mis-managing Katrina. The Gulf Coast and the country continue recuperating from the physical, emotional and psychological damage inflicted by Bush's mis-management before and after the storm. Bush should apologize for abandoning the neediest among us.
- 2. Trashing DOJ. The Department of Justice is on the ropes. Suspicious firings of U.S. Attorneys; lack of transparency at the agency's highest levels; and support of questionable anti-terrorism tactics have chipped away at DOJ's stature and undermined its mission. Bush should apologize for his contributions to the Department's demise.
Abusing
Executive Power. Bush's exercise of unilateral authority
has warped the balance of power among the branches of government. While a
mea culpa now would limit the next president, not Bush, his
acknowledgement would help us begin regaining that balance.
Ruining
America's Global Reputation. Here and abroad our nation's
reputation is badly tarnished.
We're the bully, spoiled rich kid, and know-it-all - rolled into one. Bush
should regret his role in diminishing our great nation's standing in the
world, and should tell us so.
Dancing
in Public. Bush should be commended for marking Malaria
Day in 2007, but owes us all an apology for joining the West African dance
troupe on stage and subjecting us to his, er, dancing.
Apologizing for these mistakes won't heal the country or
automatically restore the public's trust and the world's respect. But if he
truly wants to repair his legacy, admitting these failures would be a good
place to begin.