Bush World vs Real Statesmanship

This is from one of the most beautiful, succinct pieces this author has read in a long time:

In Mr. Bush’s world, America is making real progress in Iraq. In the real world, as Michael Gordon reported in yesterday’s Times, the index that generals use to track developments shows an inexorable slide toward chaos. In Mr. Bush’s world, his administration is marching arm in arm with Iraqi officials committed to democracy and to staving off civil war. In the real world, the prime minister of Iraq orders the removal of American checkpoints in Baghdad and abets the sectarian militias that are slicing and dicing their country.

In Mr. Bush’s world, there are only two kinds of Americans: those who are against terrorism, and those who somehow are all right with it. Some Americans want to win in Iraq and some don’t. There are Americans who support the troops and Americans who don’t support the troops. And at the root of it all is the hideously damaging fantasy that there is a gulf between Americans who love their country and those who question his leadership.

This reference to his recent speech

My favorite part is this:

When the president of the United States gleefully bathes in the muck to divide Americans into those who love their country and those who don’t, it is destructive to the fabric of the nation he is supposed to be leading.

The issue of statesmanship is raised, which this author thinks is quite important. The president has shown a distinct lack of statesmanship, instead he has demeaned the office, his party helped to degrade the legislative branch into a virtual cascade of corruption and hypocritical sexual scandals, and moved the country much closer to a dictatorship and martial law.

Real statesmen conduct themselves with decorum and dignity, doing the People's work by actually representing their interests and the interests of the nation, instead of the corporate interests.

Real statesmen compromise and include instead of exclude and hide in a cloak of self-important secrecy.

Real statesmen collaborate with all and create solutions instead of demonize others and their contributions

Real statesmen love the nation more than money.

Real statesmen serve the People in government as their civic duty for a short time and return to their life, rather than a career with love of power and prestige as the motivating factor.

There are some lessons to be learned here...