Didn’t Sell His Soul To Be A Popular Guy
MKFreeberg at House of Eratosthenes on Dec 17 2008 at 7:27 pm | Filed under: Approval Ratings, Bush
This is what I like about George W. Bush:
President George W. Bush knows he’s unpopular. But here’s what matters, he says: “I didn’t compromise my soul to be a popular guy.” In a wide-ranging interview with Fox News Channel, Bush also praised the national security team assembled by President-elect Barack Obama, offered hope to U.S. automakers seeking government assistance and said the people of Illinois will have to sort out allegations that Gov. Rod Blagojevich sought kickbacks in choosing a successor for Obama’s Senate seat.
Bush said presidents fail when they make decisions based on opinion polls.
“Look, everybody likes to be popular,” said Bush.
“What do you expect? We’ve got a major economic problem and I’m the president during the major economic problem. I mean, do people approve of the economy? No. I don’t approve of the economy. … I’ve been a wartime president. I’ve dealt with two economic recessions now. I’ve had, hell, a lot of serious challenges. What matters to me is I didn’t compromise my soul to be a popular guy.”
An Associated Press-GFK poll last week showed just 28 percent of the public approving of the job Bush is doing, about where he has been all fall. Among Republicans, 54 percent approve, a low figure from members of a president’s own political party.
I’m pretty sure even the most rabid Bill Clinton fans won’t admit this…but when Bill Clinton made decisions based on opinion polls, they weren’t terribly fond of this. There’s nothing less inspiring than the leader who makes decisions to be popular. You get him to do what you want, he smiles, leaves the room, goes off to negotiate with someone else…and then what happens? You don’t know. So what good does it do you that the guy once-upon-a-time agreed with you?
No, you count on the guy who doesn’t give a rat’s ass if you like him or not. You count on him, or you don’t count on anybody at all. That’s life, folks; that’s real life.
Howard Roark: But I don’t think of you.
As far as what I don’t like about him, I think Michelle has that one nailed down pretty well.
Discuss at House Of Erastosthenes
And you believe the big 3 can pay us back in March??????????????????/ Are you kidding????????????????????????// Oh, Yes, Ford exempted themselves, the Big 2.
I want some kool-aid, our only balm.
Mikal