Keith,
It’s
probably a good thing for at least 1 or 2 correspondents to defend Bush among
the chorus of criticism that descends on his head from most of our FWs.
What I have
done is to try to quench some of the fires that run through many of our comments
on the President. I think you have only written one less than angry criticism
of Bush.
There isn’t
much that he’s done of which I approve. But, the Democrats haven’t much
to offer either.
The attack on Iraq is the
compelling feature of his administration. If he pulls it off and brings a peace
to the Middle East, it will make him the President
of the century. It might lead to a global policy of stepping into problems in
their beginnings rather than allowing them to take hold and get out of control.
Much of Iraq
seems to be getting back to normal, though there are plenty of problems to keep
everyone busy. Practically all the schools and colleges are running, though
that kind of thing isn’t newsworthy, so we don’t see it.
The streets are
bustling with people going about their business in most places. Yet, if some
idiot fires off a rocket, that’s headline news.
Americans are
finding out how to get things done in these trying circumstances, perhaps fashioning
a blueprint for the UN to use in the future.
Or, should we
go back to a twittering UN passing toothless resolutions in the face of prospective
trouble?
Harry
********************************************
Henry George School of Social Science
of Los Angeles
Box 655 Tujunga CA 91042
Tel: 818 352-4141 -- Fax: 818 353-2242
http://haledward.home.comcast.net
********************************************
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of Keith Hudson
Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2004
2:57 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [Futurework]
More on O'Neill on Bush
I've been able to source the the comments a little closer. The
following appeared in this morning's FT.
(Harry: As you're an admirer of Bush for some very strange reason and thus
bound to read the following, I'll also mention that I'm off shortly to see my
grandchildren and won't have any more time to consider your other posting on
HIV/AIDS today.)
Back to Bush
<<<<<
Bush savaged by former Treasury chief
By Alan Beattie in Washington
Published: January 9 2004 21:47 | Last Updated: January 9 2004 21:
President George W. Bush's performance at cabinet meetings resembled that of
"a blind man in a room full of deaf people", according to Paul
O'Neill (pictured), who was fired
as Treasury secretary in 2002.
![105babf.jpg]()
The remarkable personal attack is made by Mr O'Neill in a forthcoming book,
according to excerpts from a television interview to be broadcast on Sunday.
In the CBS Sixty Minutes
interview Mr O'Neill, the former chief executive of the aluminium company
Alcoa, says there was little constructive dialogue between officials and the
president.
Speaking about his first meeting with Mr Bush, which lasted about an hour, Mr
O'Neill says: "I went in with a long list of things to talk about and, I
thought, to engage [him] on.
"I was surprised it turned out me talking and the president just listening
. . . It was mostly a monologue."
The interview, one of the first with Mr O'Neill about his time in the
administration, prefigures the publication on Tuesday of The Price of Loyalty, a book about the Bu
sh White House by the journalist Ron Suskind.
The book is based on interviews with Mr O'Neill and other White House officials
as well as documents provided by Mr O'Neill.
Scott McClellan, the White House spokesman, on Friday declined to comment on
the book or the interview, telling reporters "I don't do book
reviews".
Mr O'Neill was forced to resign as Treasury secretary in December 2002 after he
declined to give full-hearted support for a new round of tax cuts, in a
clear-out that also saw the dismissal of Larry Lindsey, the president's chief
economic adviser.
Unlike Mr Lindsey, who took his dismissal with public good grace, Mr O'Neill
immediately stormed out of the Treasury to return to his home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
During his tenure as Treasury secretary, Mr O'Neill became well-known for speaking
out frequently and frankly on a range of subjects including the dollar, the
limited value of International Monetary Fund crisis lending and the problems
with development aid.
His comments frequently had an impact on financial markets, with one remark
about the low likelihood of an IMF rescue package for Brazil causing
a rapid fall in the Brazilian currency.
The IMF subsequently announced a $30bn bail-out that succeeded in stabilising
the Brazilian economy.
In the television interview, Mr O'Neill also reportedly sheds light on key
policy discussions within the Bush administration, including the scale of tax
cuts and what action to take against the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein.
>>>>
