Last week, I spoke at the Republican Club of Lakeland, providing my analysis of the positives and negatives of the Bush presidency.
I began with a discussion of the 2000 election, which caused so much rancor in the nation. Through all the recounts and challenges, it was clear that George Bush won Florida, and therefore the election. It was a legitimate victory, marred primarily by attempts to overthrow it.
Almost immediately, the media began its attack, treating Bush as a fraudulent president. The Democrats, bitter at being beaten, dug in their heels and attempted to undermine his administration from the very beginning.
Bush wanted to be the president of all the people of America. He had a history of working with Democrats when he was governor of Texas. Yet now, no matter how hard he tried, he was portrayed as a divider, not a uniter. His situation was comparable to a pinch hitter being sent up to bat for someone who already has two strikes against him.
Now, I certainly have criticisms of the Bush presidency, as will be seen in future posts, but the treatment he received at the hands of the opposition party and the media (and some might say there is little difference between the two) was despicable. How was he going to unite the American people under these circumstances?
9/11 provided that opportunity. That will be my next subject.