Comparisons

Was having a conversation with some conservative leaning folk the other day when the following words came out of my mouth: "You know, many of us Democrats would have to say that in the long line of things, perhaps Reagan and the first Bush were not that bad after all."

Now for a fierce partisan like myself that was a lot to say. I went home and began to ponder what exactly prompted such talk. It took a bit of mind crunching before I realized that I was comparing these former presidents to the one we currently have and the one that still might be coming. Yes, in looking at men such as Nixon, Reagan, and Pappa Bush, one would have to say that compared to the second Bush and the still out there Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin, these men indeed were centrists and deep thinkers.

No one can doubt that many of the policies put forth by Nixon would be considered slightly left of center in what was up to last week, a nation tilting more and more to the extreme right. Reagan's folksy charm and surprisingly realistic grasp on events and Bush's often cautious tones are characteristics that most Americans wished would have guided George W. Over eight years, given opportunities to shine in some incredibly tense situations, Bush failed again and again to come to grips with what needed to be done. His lack of intellectual curiosity and his penchant for retiring to sleep early every evening (only to wake up and spend hours exercising) kept him from doing much, if anything, with the short eight years he was in office.

Now, conservative eyes and true believers' hearts have turned northward where Sarah Palin is holding court with as many reporters that want to interview her. The reins that the McCain handlers had put on her, have been broken and "aw shucks", its time for the potential 2012 Republican standard bearer to get in her licks. Even "Where in the world is Matt Lauer" has gone up to see her and she will appear Wednesday night on Larry King.

As Bush's failures made one see former leaders in a new light, the folksy cousin of "Joe the Plumber", is so low in the experience, training, and (I dare to say) intelligent quotient, that if Palin gets anywhere close to Washington DC, one would have to wonder if W. also would come under a new scrutiny. His laziness not withstanding, at least his family pedigree and his Yale education are things that Palin lacks.

There can almost never be a doubt that the Obama girls will not find themselves teenage moms. And just like the Bush twins, Chelsea Clinton, and countless other White House children, they are ticketed for fine four year colleges. The presidency is imbibed with a symbolism that those who hold the office, should to the best of their abilities, example the best America has to offer. Already Palin child number one is off to war (yes, a noble effort, but shouldn't he have gone as an officer?), and child number two is pregnant.

It would be hard to believe that there could be a worse leader than George W. Bush, but trust me, if ever the nightmare becomes a reality, Sarah Palin would be a disaster from which our nation would never, ever recover from.

Oh, but lets finish on a positive note. 2012 is four years away and if Obama does even a fourth of what he promised, he will have a second term and a fifty-two year old former Alaska beauty queen might not be that fresh face Americans will looking for almost a decade from now. Like Joe the Plumber, she could become a laughing footnote in our history.