An Uncertain Reputation

If you watched the service at the National Cathedral for the late Senator John McCain you no doubt saw former President George W. Bush sneaking candy to Michele Obama under the bemused glance of Laura Bush. It was a touching moment and typical of the relationship that seems to have developed between the former president and former first lady. Barack Obama, Mr. Cool, remained aloof, uninvolved in that moment.

A columnist (whose extreme pseudonym I can’t remember) recently wrote that we are in danger of making George W. a treasured national figure, a sort of charming grandfather possibly in the way that Jimmy Carter is considered. We must never, the writer warned, dismiss the atrocities of Bush’s presidency. Of the Michelle/George W. relationship, he wrote that the Obamas were forced into encounters with the Bushes and are skilled at putting the best spin on things. Hogwash! The Obamas are definitely skilled at polite but distant encounters and that is not one—there is genuine affection between those two.

That affection is one of the things that gives me pause. I too have noted the growing public affection for Mr. Bush and tried to put it in perspective. I was a strong critic of the Bush presidency, and I struggle to reconcile today’s man with the one responsible for the hasty invasion of the wrong country after 9/11, the false claims of weapons of mass destruction, the sanction of torture, the terrible loss of life on both sides of the Iraq War, the disaster of Katrina—wasn’t there a tax cut for the wealthy in there too? How can such a man become a national treasure? (There looms in my mind the unanswered question of how much he originated and how much Dick Cheney was responsible for—wish someone would write that book if they haven’t already.)

For starters, there’s George’s relationship with Michelle, which has done much to humanize him. Then, he’s done what former presidents probably should do—stayed under the radar, content with his paining and, presumably, his granddaughters. When he does emerge into the spotlight, he does so as a wise elder statesman, speaking the words of wisdom and patriotism we all long to hear these days.

Is that enough? For me, his transformation, if that is what it is, poses the old question of how much influence the media has on us. When Bush was president, he represented power, he was at the top of his game, he was a fair target and the media delighted in exposing his worse moments (“Good job, Brownie”); now that he’s settled into a senior statesman role, there’s not so much to write about or criticize

Frankly during his presidency, I wouldn’t have given you a fig for the reputation of any of the Bushes. Papa George was sort of ineffectual, wasn’t he? And he used to make those glaring gaffs in speeches—I remember laughing hysterically at an after-dinner speaker who carved a whole talk out of “Bushisms.” And Barbara—she wasn’t really the sweet grandmother she seemed, was she? In reality, she was harsh and demanding, wasn’t she?.

But by the time of Barbara Bush’s funeral, the entire family had become a national treasure. I wonder now if, out of power, the family quietly went about doing their thing. Maybe we’re the ones who changed, whose attitudes changed. And did the media lead us by the nose? The Bushes in tragedy—the death of Barbara—were once again good copy.

As you can tell, I haven’t sorted out my thoughts on this. I met George W. once, for two seconds, when he was governor of Texas. There was a reception for authors at the Governor’s Mansion, in connection with the annual Book Festival. Laura, crisply efficient in a pantsuit, greeted arrivals. She and I were chatting about a book I was doing on extraordinary women of Texas when her husband walked up. She introduced him, and he shook hands and ducked his head like a shy schoolboy. He looked as though he’d just pulled a wrinkled shirt out of the dryer.

I liked that George W. Bush, and I like the one I see with Michelle today. I’m not sure I can forget—and I know I can never forgive—the George W. who was president. It’s a conundrum.

Words to remember

The New York Times had two spot-on, memorable editorials this morning. I’ve borrowed eloquent passages from them, words I want to remember for a long time.

Of the ongoing enmity between John McCain and Donald Trump, Frank Bruni wrote, “It’s between the high road and the gutter. McCain has always believed, to his core, in sacrifice, honor and allegiance to something larger than oneself. Trump believes in Trump, and whatever wreckage he causes in deference to that god is of no concern.”

In a piece titled “Our Trump Addiction,” Nicolas Kristof wrote, “Yet I worry that our national nonstop focus on Trump is helping to usher America into a hole: a Trump obsession. The danger is that Trump sucks up all the oxygen, so that other issues don’t get adequate attention “

I particularly find the thought that Trump sucks up all the oxygen apt. I am reminded of the late-night comedian, now retired, who said we must stop listing Trump’s outrageous acts and concentrate on leading him off to a nice protected home somewhere.

We are bombarded by so many opinions—can Trump take the Fifth? Does he have to answer a subpoena? Does “under oath” mean anything to him? Is he mentally capable? A few years ago, my attitude was that wiser heads than mine would work that all out while I went merrily about my business. Now I’m not so sure—in fact, I’m pretty sure that’s not the case. But much as I study the conflicting opinions, I feel helpless, as though history is rolling over me like the lava spewing out of that volcano in Hawaii.

We hear that 75% of evangelicals now support Trump and that his base is energized, but what are the numbers? How many people approve him? Isn’t his national approval at 40%? I know one thing: no matter those numbers,  we must get out the non-voters in November. I’m sure those of us who value the American democracy outnumber those who would tear it down with hate and racism and greed.

Undeniably Trump makes good news copy, which may indeed be a deliberate plan behind his outrageousness. The media, in all its forms, is always anxious to sell stories, and so they reward him by publicizing his antics. It’s a self-feeding circle. Yes, the media should show some responsibility, but their charge is to report facts, not opinions or “fake news.” And we, as consumers, must show even more responsibility in assessing the news.

For me, it comes down to a battle between compassion and hate. What kind of country do we want to live in?

Wow! I didn’t start off to be so solemn tonight. It’s really been a lovely day, at my desk and on my patio. I’m optimistic about the world—and about most Americans.

Ambivalent no more

From Facebook: We bomb Syria after Syria bombed Syria to show Syria not to bomb Syria, but we still won’t accept Syrian refugees after we bomb Syria for bombing Syria? Makes no sense, does it?

I’m piecing things together as I read them—yes, they’re mostly from Facebook and no, most of them are not substantiated but there’s enough for concern. Something stinks. We bombed a Syrian airfield at a cost of about $55 million in bombs. But the air field was virtually empty except for a few planes under repair. At best, we pockmarked the runways and even that is in doubt because a day later Syrian planes took off from the same field to bomb the same town that Assad had gassed earlier—causing our retaliation. So we wasted in the area of $55 million. Well, not wasted—somebody profited. Namely a company called Ratheon that manufactures the bombs. And guess who owns Ratheon stock? The president who didn’t divest himself of his investments as promised.

There are strong indications—like an empty airfield—that Syria was warned. The logical thread? From the White House to Putin to Assad. Too many hints to ignore, but Congress goes placidly amidst the haste (or is it waste?), sitting on its collective butt. This country is doomed to go up in smoke if someone of moral courage doesn’t step up and demand that Ryan and McConnell instigate independent reviews of the bombing and a lot of other suspicious things. Who? John McCain once seemed the man who spoke truth as he saw it, yet he denounced the nuclear option and then voted for it. No one dares oppose Ryan, McConnell or the party. We are effectively trapped unless we make our voices effective. Joe Kennedy is young, but he sure bested Ryan on medical care.

A frightening side effect for those who thought our so-called leader showed compassion for the children who were gassed in Syria: reportedly he is now considering a nuclear option for North Korea—this time a literal nuclear option, not a symbolic one. Other than being generally offensive, I can’t figure out what North Korea has done recently to threaten us. There’s always the possibility that the president liked the shock and awe, when his air strike was new and believable, and wants an even bigger bang.

Where is the media in all this? Going along with the justified, successful air strike line, that’s where. We don’t have a media voice to speak the truth. Yes, we have some effective and cogent columnists, but I suspect few people read columns—they read headlines. We need media people in the trenches to remember their commitment to speak the truth loudly and clearly. Too much is at stake.

And this is why I was awake at three in the morning, with a sense of terror for my family, my friends, and my country.

The media is electing our next president

 I saw on Facebook that Bernie Sanders said in a speech that ISIS is a serious threat but it’s not the only problem the U.S. faces and, in effect, it’s getting too much media attention. What’s significant to me is that I saw nothing about that speech on national TV or print media. It seems that the major networks have declined to cover Sanders’ campaign—as my son-in-law asked, isn’t that illegal? Aren’t they required to give equal time? But have you seen Sanders on Meet the Press? Face the Nation? Even the PBS News Hour—I admit I don’t watch that all the time so I may have missed it, but his face, his speeches, and his following have been noticeably absent from the public eye. Even Hillary Clinton is much less in the news lately, though perhaps she’s waiting for Trump and Cruz to deflate each other.

Meanwhile there isn’t a news show that goes by without mention of Donald Trump and his obsession with keeping Muslims out of the country. Trump’s distorted, angry face makes great news; Sanders, not a striking figure, doesn’t. This morning the news is all about Trump cancelling his truce with Ted Cruz. Now that’s an interesting case—my understanding is that the president must have been born on U.S. soil. Look at all the fuss birthers raised, claiming Obama was born in Kenya when, in fact, he was born in Hawaii, then a territory, now a state. Cruz on the other hand, if I have the facts straight, was born in Canada, and though he may claim dual citizenship now, the fact remains that he was not born I this country. Yet the media also considers Cruz good copy—whereas most Republicans and others who know him declare him a conniving sleaze ball. But if he’s Canadian, why are we even worrying about him?

Tom Brokaw is that last journalist I can think of that I counted on for honest, fair coverage of the news, including the political scene. Since them journalism has gone downhill. In featuring Trump and Cruz (who apparently has appallingly inhumane plans for ISIS), the news feeds the fears of some Americans and plays into the hands of ISIS. Did anybody hear President Obama this morning outlining the gains that have been made against ISIS. Does anyone recognize—or see on the news—that most mass shootings in this country have been carried out by mentally ill U.S. citizens who are not Muslim?

Listen to Bernie Sanders, folks. He may not be the next president or even the best candidate, but a whole lot of what he says makes sense—if we can afford to send men and women to war, we can afford to take care of them when they come home; the minimum wage is years outdated and expecting people to buck up and live on that meagre amount is ridiculous. And so on. Or listen to Hillary for the continuing need to work on women’s rights in this country, let alone abroad (yeah, Saudi Arabia for electing women!). On the Republican side, listen to Kasich, who has an unfortunately low profile but a strong background in government and, apparently, a good head on his shoulders (quick! Kick him off the clown car!).

I am seriously concerned that the media-fueled campaigns of Trump and Cruz are leading too many citizens astray. I can’t understand why the comparisons of Trump and Hitler don’t strike terror into every heart. But I read of a teacher who decided to show his class how easy it was for Hitler to brainwash Germans—using similar techniques, he turned the class into a group of followers with a few leaders. And then told them at the end what he’d done. It could happen here.

Remember Nazism, or Jim Jones and the Kool-Aid, or Mussolini or many other examples from history. Watch the news with a large grain of salt and seek out reliable news sources. I wish I knew what to recommend.

Reading the news

I admit it--I'm a news junkie. When I was young, our entire household fell into a hushed silence when the evening news came on. Who was it in those days? Huntley and Brinkley? At any rate, no one spoke, and certainly not to my father who listened to every word intently. I guess we absorb those things.
Today I read our daily newspaper, which grows slimmer by the day. Thanks for all the suggestions that I take The New York Times but that's not the news I want--I want Texas and Fort Worth. I watch the TODAY show, though often with one eye. But still I try to pay attention particularly to the news portions that open most segments. On weekends I enjoy sleeping late but then am distressed that I slept through the major news of the day.
Facebook is often the first place I hear of things--like yesterday's collapse of a bridge on I-35 at Salado. I know FB isn't always reliable--Love that quote from Lincoln (tongue in cheek) about not believing everything you read on FB, but they do seem to have major news quickly.
Today, as usual unless it's a really slow day, there's much to ponder. I am relieved for Amanda Knox, finally cleared of all charges in the 2007 death of her roommate. I read a comment who said the roommate has been all but forgotten in this tragedy, and I agree--I grieve for her parents. But I never thought Amanda Knox was guilty, and she's been through a horrific ordeal. I wonder how much of a normal life she can lead now, but I hope she will go forward. And a bit of me hopes she won't succumb to the many book deals that must being pitched her way.
The story of the German Airbus that went down in the Alps will haunt us all--how could a man willingly take all those people, many of them youngsters, to death with him. It's one thing, a very sad thing, to take your own life, but to take so many others with you? The news media is playing the story for all its worth without really adding new material. A tragic indicator of our times.
I'm enough of a Midwesterner (Illinois) to be horrified by Indiana's new law essentially sanctioning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, race, religion, whatever--don't like someone? You don't have to serve them. What a hateful world we're living in.
Which reminds me of the woman legislator (I forget what state) who talked against a proposed anti-abortion bill by revealing that she had been raped, impregnated, and had an abortion. And her male colleagues laughed. Once again, I wonder what this country has come to.
Some of the news is so far out that, tragic as it is, it makes you laugh--the Arizona legislator who thinks church attendance should be mandatory. One wonders if she has any familiarity with the Constitution. And somewhere there's a legislator who thinks gays and lesbians should be summarily shot in the head. Appalling doesn't begin to cover the enormity of that kind of thinking.
I'm going to start watch for good-times news in the media--will report back. If there is any.

Woe is me!

I know, the world is beset by crises—a third ebola patient in Dallas, Isis continues its violence, the stock market really tumbled. We move from crisis to crisis, yesterday’s crisis earning not so much as a backward glance. What happened to the story of the kidnapped girls in Africa? The border crisis in Texas? The ongoing tension in Ferguson, Missouri?

While the world is reeling through these major crises, I’ve been having a few of my own. Luke continues to fit in well, and sometimes when there’s rowdy play or play-fighting indoors, Sophie is the one who starts it. Luke will be a great indoors dog. But he’s still insecure and frightened of strangers. He exhibits that fright by aggression, and Sunday night snarled and snapped at a treasured friend who went toward him with all good intentions. My own theory is that he’s found a good home, knows it, and doesn’t want anybody new disturbing it. He and Jacob still walk wide circles around each other—actually they aren’t together much.

But that presents a problem. I usually use a teen-age neighbor as a dog sitter. He’s close by, very attentive. But I was in a terrible quandary about exposing him to Luke. The boy’s mother came for happy hour yesterday, did as we suggested, ignored the dog and sat on the deck with her wine. Pretty soon, Luke came to investigate, and she petted him. All was well, and she assures me Gunnar will be able to handle it. One worry off my mind.

Second worry yesterday: an author friend wrote, apologetically, to tell me the Kindle version of The Perfect Coed was all messed up—paragraphs ended in mid-space, pages were blank, etc. I’m pleased to report that thanks to formatter extraordinaire (and really nice person) Jenn Zaczek, the correct version is up. If you bought the imperfect one, please contact Amazon and ask for a new one free.

Yesterday’s crises behind me I sailed into today. Christian was really late bringing Jacob for school. Seems he got rear-ended, which scared Jacob and made Christian splash coffee all over the inside of his car. No one was hurt, and they were in such a hurry I didn’t look at exterior damage. He needs a new car anyway but that’s a rough way to be reminded.

In efficiency mode, I pulled the slipcover off the over-stuffed chair Sophie lies in all the time. Shook it out on the porch and threw it in the washer. Then I couldn’t find the remote to the office TV. That chair is where Jacob sits and often leaves the remote. I looked everywhere and convinced myself I had thrown the remote in the washer too. Apparently not, but I still haven’t found it.

The Democratic Party is having a crisis of its own—an identity crisis. You’ll not be surprised that I get no mail from conservatives, Republican candidates or the Republican Party, but I am besieged with liberal, progressive, Democratic emails. One minute it’s gloom and despair; then I’m told the Republicans are on the ropes; then I get a message that makes it sound as if I personally will be responsible for any loss because I didn’t donate. I have donated—over and over—and this well has run dry. I’m afraid to prognosticate at this point, but I don’t open many political emails these days.

Just found the remote: Luke has a little trouble discriminating between toys and non-toys. It’s chewed but functional.

Maybe tomorrow will be a day without crises, but I doubt it. My ideas on the role of the media are a whole other blog, but I wish we could go back to Huntley and Brinkley.