people are (probably intentionally) forgetting that bush's term in office, right up until 9/11, was marked by a spirit of cooperation and bipartisanship. ted kennedy, fer cryin' out loud, was the chief sponsor of the no child left behind act. increased funding for the NIH, aftrican AIDS relief (the most in history, by the way), and although later in his first term, the prescription drug benefit got it's start early in the bush administration.
the envornment turned poisonous in washington when the democrats poisoned it, plain and simple.
and why in the world would he introduce bold new domestic programs in the wake of 9/11? that is just ridiculously, and almost intentionally, stupid. dense, dense, dense. the MSM is going to need a shower after all of the obamagasms they have been having lately.
Bush's Gracious and Cooperative Attitude Toward Obama
In the final days of his presidency, Bush's conciliatory attitude is a reminder of what might have been
George W. Bush has been one of the most polarizing presidents in recent history. But he has shown a strong spirit of cooperation and graciousness toward his successor, which has surprised his critics and serves as a reminder of what might have been.
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The wonder is why he hasn't reached out like this before. It might have helped him bridge the partisan divide in Washington and mute the nasty tone that has degraded politics for nearly his entire administration. "If he had done this type of thing a few years ago, reaching out, it might have made a real difference," says a senior Democrat who worked for President Bill Clinton.
During his 2000 campaign, Bush promised to be a "uniter" not a "divider," but he failed to achieve that goal. Instead, under the guidance of political strategist Karl Rove, he governed from right of center and too often dismissed the ideas of his opponents. His critics say that, over time, he became quite inflexible in his policy making. This complaint is especially strong among Democrats who say Bush pushed them away early on as he sought to appeal to his conservative base and the Republicans who at that time controlled the House and Senate.
His critics argue that after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, he might have ushered in a new era of conciliation by advocating some big, unifying projects, such as a renewed commitment to reducing reliance on Middle Eastern oil or a campaign to promote volunteer action on a vast scale at home. None of that happened.
But in recent weeks, something new has been occurring. For one thing, Bush has turned introspective. He admitted to interviewers that one of his biggest disappointments was his failure to improve Washington's rancorous atmosphere. And since Election Day, when voters repudiated his party and his policies, another side of George W. Bush has emerged—the man who, as governor of Texas, did reach out to the other side.
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