Krugman: The Real Man

[Snellius]

To understand why questions about George Bush's time in the National Guard are legitimate, all you have to do is look at the federal budget published last week. No, not the lies, damned lies and statistics — the pictures.

By my count, this year's budget contains 27 glossy photos of Mr. Bush. We see the president in front of a giant American flag, in front of the Washington Monument, comforting an elderly woman in a wheelchair, helping a small child with his reading assignment, building a trail through the wilderness and, of course, eating turkey with the troops in Iraq. Somehow the art director neglected to include a photo of the president swimming across the Yangtze River.
...
Some of his critics hope that the AWOL issue will demolish the Bush myth, all at once. They're probably too optimistic — if it were that easy, the tale of Harken Energy would have already done the trick. The sad truth is that people who have been taken in by a cult of personality — a group that in this case includes a good fraction of the American people, and a considerably higher fraction of the punditocracy — are very reluctant to give up their illusions. If nothing else, that would mean admitting that they had been played for fools.

Still, we may be on our way to an election in which Mr. Bush is judged on his record, not his legend. And that, of course, is what the White House fears.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/13/opinion/13KRUG.html

[Melodybe]

1. Thanks for posting this, if only the sheeple actually read the NYT

we would be in a lot better shape.

[Centre_Left]

12. Actually...

If the "sheeple" were as stunningly brilliant and well-read as you, why would we need a government at all?

[newyawker99]

13. Hi Centre_Left!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Sobering thoughts

Some of his critics hope that the AWOL issue will demolish the Bush myth, all at once. They're probably too optimistic — if it were that easy, the tale of Harken Energy would have already done the trick. The sad truth is that people who have been taken in by a cult of personality — a group that in this case includes a good fraction of the American people, and a considerably higher fraction of the punditocracy — are very reluctant to give up their illusions. If nothing else, that would mean admitting that they had been played for fools.

[wabeewoman]

3. I hope the congress wakes up and questions....

"In fact, those 27 photos grace one of the four most dishonest budgets in the nation's history — the other three are the budgets released in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Just to give you a taste: remember how last year's budget contained no money for postwar Iraq — and how administration officials waited until after the tax cut had been passed to mention the small matter of $87 billion in extra costs? Well, they've done it again: earlier this week the Army's chief of staff testified that the Iraq funds in the budget would cover expenses only through September"

[Dudley_DUright]

4. Krugman is pointing out an attempt at a totalitarian like

cult of personality (like Maoism) with this perfect one sentence gem.

Somehow the art director neglected to include a photo of the president swimming across the Yangtze River.

[berry]

9. I loved that too.

Very clear parallel to Mao. And perhaps one can't help but be reminded of some other leaders with personality cults--Saddam Hussein and Kim Jong-il. Nice.

Also, the use of the word "cult" below may be part of a trend. Lou Dobbs accused the RW-bot, James Glassman, of being part of a cult last night.

[ixion]

5. here is a great sentence

In fact, those 27 photos grace one of the four most dishonest budgets in the nation's history — the other three are the budgets released in 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Got a wry chuckle out of that one.

Go, Paul, Go!

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

6. ROFL!

"Somehow the art director neglected to include a photo of the president swimming across the Yangtze River."

Mao Tse-Dubya! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[PATRICK]

7. Withering exposure

It's just too bad his fellow journalists have become inured to Krugman. This article alone should make them all squirm on the hot seat.

[question everything]

8. The greatest bumper sticker ever

Politicians and diapers need to be changed -for the same reason

[BadGimp]

10. "he has forfeited any right to cite his character " AMEN Paul...AMEN

regarding: "...I do think he has forfeited any right to cite his character to turn away charges that his administration is lying about its policies."

I could not agree more and I think that this development more than any flightsuit photo op stunt, will be the thing that forces Americans to take a long, hard and deep look at this President.

Let's hope I am right.

Thank you Paul Krugman for your spirited defense of our democracy and this great nation.

[papau]

11. great line: Bush has "forfeited any right to cite his character"

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/13/opinion/13KRUG.html


The Real Man
Paul Krugman

<snip>There is, as far as I can tell, no positive evidence that Mr. Bush is a man of exceptional uprightness. When has he even accepted responsibility for something that went wrong? On the other hand, there is plenty of evidence that he is willing to cut corners when it's to his personal advantage. His business career was full of questionable deals, and whatever the full truth about his National Guard service, it was certainly not glorious.

<snip>I don't know what he's hiding. But I do think he has forfeited any right to cite his character to turn away charges that his administration is lying about its policies.