By R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr. on 12.24.03 @ 12:08AM
Wouldn't you know it -- he's a gentleman and the libs hate him with every fiber of their lost souls.
WASHINGTON -- In keeping with many American journalists' evasion
of meaning Time magazine has given its "Person of the
Year" not to a person but to a group of persons or is it to a
person who has no name? "The American Soldier" is Time's
"Person of the Year." That represents a very fine sentiment. The
American military once again deserves the citizenry's highest
esteem, but the American military is not a person. I am glad that I
am not an editor at Time. Had I been one I would have
argued that the magazine celebrate our soldiers, sailors, and
pilots. Moreover I would have thrown in those duty-bound
intelligence operatives who play such an important role in American
security, but I would not give the "Person of the Year" accolade to
a non-person.
As it happens I am an editor. In fact, I am an editor in chief,
and as editor in chief of The American Spectator I am
affirming that the magazine this year take up the burden of
conferring a "Person of the Year" accolade on an actual person,
President George W. Bush. He has shown himself to be a president of
colossal achievement. He has faced up to international terrorism.
If an earlier president had, America might not be remembering
September 11, 2001 as another "date which will live in infamy." A
rather good book by Richard Miniter, Losing Bin Laden: How Bill
Clinton's Failures Unleashed Global Terror, irrefragably makes
the case that America did not have to await Osama bin Laden's
slaughter to take on the terrorists.
President Bush faced up to his responsibilities. He adopted a
clear-sighted strategic demarche to deal with the terrorists' new
threat to America, the doctrine of preemption. And he very
successfully waged war in two rogue nations, thus sobering up a
region that has been the breeding ground for terrorists. Libya's
sudden willingness to give up its, Iran's, and North Korea's
weapons of mass destruction now under its control makes it clear
that the Bush policy has been prudent.
President Bush has also revived an economy that was in decline
when he arrived in office. In doing so he has demonstrated that the
policies of Supply-Side used so effectively by President Ronald
Reagan are the modern way to ensure a prosperous economy.
Detracting from the President's success in reviving the economy is
the lavish government spending that is a threat to stable economic
growth and the Medicare prescription drug bill that is going to be
far costlier than Congress predicts. Well, perhaps the President
can rectify these matters in the years ahead.
Finally to the best of his ability our "Person of the Year" has
changed the climate in Washington as he promised. He has not been
guilty of the slurs, deceits, and insults that characterized his
predecessor. He has not indulged in the vituperation and mendacity
that the mediocrities seeking the Democratic nomination regularly
practice against him. For the first time since post-Civil War
politicians sought election by "waving the bloody shirt," Democrats
have legitimatized anger against an opponent as a campaign tactic.
Some of the President's opponents in the Democratic Party and in
the soi-disant intelligentsia actually boast of their
hatred of the President.
Our "Person of the Year" has not responded in kind. This is
because he is a gent. The President has cultivated the virtues of a
gentleman, not the least of which is what New Frontiersmen once
called "grace under pressure." Attendant with his gentlemanly
behavior, he does not draw inordinate attention to himself. While
his prospective opponents brag of their every quirk and
vain-glorious achievement, the President displays a seemly modesty
even though he is the most powerful man on earth. One of his traits
that I have noted in reading his biographies is that he is
reluctant to lay claim to achievements that are not his own. Not
only will we not see him claiming to have given us the Internet, he
is even reluctant to boast of clever turns of phrase written for
him by his very capable speech writers. In one anecdote I read he
joked about how someone else wrote something for him. Such candor
is very refreshing in an era when political candidates are so
frequently being caught stretching the truth and even
plagiarizing.
Thus in an era of gas bags George W. Bush has stood out as a
gentleman. Like the quiet, undemonstrative men who captured the
brutal Saddam Hussein he allows his actions to speak for him. The
actions constitute a presidential record of historic import. Right
now those actions place him on the presidential tier of Harry
Truman, just below the lofty estate of Franklin Roosevelt and
Ronald Reagan. Doubtless he has five more years to see if he can
match those great leaders. Unfortunately the challenge of
international terror might give him sufficient opportunities to do
so.
For now he is faced with a smaller challenge. He is an ardent
physical fitness buff, and the doctors have told him sore knees
will hamper his runs. Mr. President, I suggest ice on both knees
and wearing a neoprene sleeve on them when you run. If that
prescription fails, face the fact of your middle-aged hinges and
ride a stationary bike. We at The American Spectator want
our "Person of the Year" cheerful and vigorous for the year ahead.
It is going to be a demanding one.
topics:
Military, Iran, North Korea, Medicare
