Anyone who has been around these parts since I began blogging in March 2005 surely knows how I feel about George W. Bush, but I’m grateful to him today for doing something that really shouldn’t remarkable. He issued a simple statement that both recognized Joe Biden as the President-Elect and congratulated him and Kamala Harris on their victory.
“I just talked to the President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden. I extended my warm congratulations and thanked him for the patriotic message he delivered last night. I also called Kamala Harris to congratulate her on her historic election to the vice presidency. Though we have political differences, I know Joe Biden to be a good man, who has won his opportunity to lead and unify our country. The President-elect reiterated that while he ran as a Democrat, he will govern for all Americans.”
I’d also note that Bush cooperated with the incoming Obama administration at the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009, ensuring that there was a very smooth transition of government. There were many ways in which Dubya’s administration was a truly radical departure from everything that come before it, but there were certain institutional things for which it still had respect. The hand-off of power was one of them.
Trump has a way of making Bush look normal. Bush was not normal, at all. But that just makes me more gratified to see him do the right thing in this instance.
Bush pere was also very gracious when he lost to Clinton, leaving an encouraging and friendly note for the incoming president.
It is so strange that such an indecent family can at the same time act so, well, decently. W did the right thing
What is indecent is that 70M voted for the monster.
Each successive Republican president makes the one prior seem like Abraham Lincoln by comparison. Terrifies me as to what comes next. The trajectory we’re on needs to change; otherwise, we’re toast.
The next Republican looks a lot like Tom Cotton – a proper fascist.
Yes that is true. But how do we change that trajectory. The democratic party couldn’t even hold its congressional advantage. Somehow we have to convince people we are on their side.
A good statement. A bit OT, some of you may know I’m an expat Australian. This video clip shows how the news is being received there by two former past prime ministers, one from the left and one from the right. It’s important to realize how much this affects the world, one country at a time. This is basically completely neglected by the US media…
https://youtu.be/0G4hO_ogBGQ