When Hurricane Gustav threatened the Gulf Coast just before the Republican National Convention (RNC), some of the GOP strategists saw a silver lining. The storm meant that they could avoid an embarrassing situation: They could sideline President Bush, without actually forbidding him to attend. In the end, he made a brief televised "appearance" and John McCain was spared the awkwardness of having to share the stage with him.
What are we to make of a Republican Party that is so ashamed of the current Republican administration that they never mention the last eight years in any of their speeches? Doesn't it seem odd that no representative of the current Republican leadership -- Bush, Cheney or cabinet members -- made keynote addresses to the RNC, extolling the accomplishments of the two Bush terms?
Actually, it is not odd. It is tragic. The Republican leadership since 2001 has done more to undermine American strength at home and abroad than any administration in our history. Our military is stretched to the breaking point, our national honor has been eclipsed by arrogance, aggression and torture, and our economy is sinking under an ocean of debt. This is not the kind of record that McCain and the Republicans can invoke in asking for four more years.
So we do not hear Republicans mentioning the dismal record of the Bush administration. In fact, the RNC was entirely devoid of substantive discussions of health policy, educational policy, diplomatic policy, military policy or any policy at all. The convention was devoted to one goal: sneering attempts to belittle and discredit Barack Obama.
Fortunately for our country, we have an alternative to an extension of the Bush legacy. Barack Obama presents Americans with an opportunity to begin to repair the damage that the Republicans have inflicted upon America's strength and honor.
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Charles Gessert
Duluth
