11.03.2004

So much for the country, eh?

On the web edition of the Times front page, there's a picture of most of the immediate Bush clan at the White House residence. Bush I and Ma Bush are sitting there, grinning. I'm thinking Bush I must be conflicted.

Here's Bush I, a fighter pilot who actually did more than defend the Gulf of Mexico from birds, a verifiably smart dude who never pretended that was a bad thing, a moderately successful public servant and businessman, a single term president, watching the American public make his drunk, powder-addled, anti-intellectual, war-loving (but not for himself), success-less in business, coattail-riding progeny the most important Bush.

Sure, there's gotta be some pride in there. Who wouldn't be happy for their kid on the eve of such a personal triumph? But you just know that Bush-Daddy must be thinking: Kid, why the big grin? You were born on third base, you know. You definitely didn't hit that triple.

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