By Randy Evans – On January 20, 2009, the United States of America will inaugurate its forty-fourth President. Absent some historic event between now and then, the Presidency of the forty-third President of the United States has for all practical purposes come to an end. At this point, the chances of any meaningful policy changes, appointments, or initiatives by a Republican President with a Democratic Congress in the last days of a lame duck term are nil.
Already, Bush-bashers portray President George W. Bush as one of the worst Presidents in history. (They seem to forget Presidents James Buchanan, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover.) Mostly, the unabashed Bush haters trade on an unpopular war, a slowing economy, and a general malaise that has put the country in what can only be described as a ‘bad mood’. In doing so, they ignore the realities of the moment that confirm some momentous achievements of this President.
Undoubtedly, the most important event during the Presidency of George W. Bush was September 11, 2001. Like Gettysburg and Pearl Harbor, it is a day that will live in infamy. The challenges arising from the foreign attacks against Americans on the soil of the United States reached to the very core of everyday American life. Not every President would have been up to the task of leading the country at that time.
If, at that moment, the average American had been asked, “How will you measure the success of this President?” then the answer almost universally would have been, “Whether he protects the United States from another such attack.”
Against that measure, President George W. Bush has met the standard for a successful President in a challenging time. It has not been a lack of effort on the part of America’s enemies. Indeed, there have been many reported and unreported plots that have been thwarted by the United States government working with other governments around the world. Instead, his success has been the product of a concentrated and determined effort to protect and defend the United States of America.
Not everyone likes what it takes to protect America. From Guantanamo Bay to foreign intelligence to Iraq, there are reasons why many despise this President. Yet, they cannot ignore that his formula for protecting America has in fact worked. While they were prepared to take risks with American lives, he was not. Give him the blame for the decisions he made, but also give him the credit for his successes.
No one can seriously doubt that the terrorists are weaker today than they were on September 11, 2001. Osama Bin Laden has been relegated to hiding in caves and sending secretly recorded video tapes that mean little. Meanwhile, America’s military chases them wherever they may hide.
Unnoticed, President Bush has performed his job as the Commander in Chief with the character and dignity becoming his office. There have been no allegations of corruption or bribery flowing out of the Oval Office. There have been no scandals involving lurid details of secret liaisons and inappropriate affairs of the President. The business of the government has not been distracted by investigations arising out of the personal behavior of the President. Instead, this White House has performed the responsibilities of the Office of the President in a manner consistent with the honor and dignity of the highest office of the land.
A large part of this personal success has to be the open and obvious personal faith that the President has. Many believe that a personal faith in God has no place in government. Hence, they openly despise expressions of faith by public officials, including the President. Fortunately, President Bush has not allowed the secularists to dissuade him from relying on and applying his faith in the performance of his duties as the President of the United States.
His commitment to his faith and values were indeed reflected in his two appointments to the United States Supreme Court. Already, Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Samuel Alito have been important voices on the Supreme Court.
History will be the ultimate judge of the George W. Bush Presidency. Whether Iraq was a key element or an unnecessary distraction in fighting and winning the war on terror may not be determined for decades. What is clear today, however, is that President George W. Bush has fulfilled his oath to protect and preserve the United States of America – both domestically and abroad. This is a fact that not even his worst detractors can challenge.