The good people at "No Depression," the best-titled magazine in the universe, are not unexpectedly exulting about the PE's impending inauguration. All power to them and him. We are especially one nation under God at these times, and all Americans of good will wish our new President and his family Godspeed, just as they give thanks for the best efforts of President Bush.
"No Depression" also posted this Bruce Springsteen appearance at an Obama rally just before the election, a little speech followed by a solo accoustic performance of "The Rising." The song doesn't fit well with politics. It's about the sacramental self-sacrifice of brave firefighters and police officers, both Democrats and Republicans, on Sept. 11. But it's his song, and it's a magnificent one, so here goes:
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On the New Nixon version of this post, an Episcopal Church colleague and I had the following exchange of comments:
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what about the possibility that president Bush did not give his best effort? or the possibility that a little more humility might have saved, oh, thousands or more of needlessly lost lives?
i recall Bush having declared, early on, that “responsibility” was a call-word for him and his party, that the party of “accountability” was supposed to be his. well, at what point, exactly, does he get held accountable?
i’m all for responsibility and accountability. it is sad that the republican party is so firmly set against it. i wonder today if Bush were asked if he could think of any mistakes he has made, whether he could come up with a better answer than last time?
We may go ’round and ’round on Iraq, with the war’s congressional supporters, including the secretary of state-designate, and media boosters such as Andrew Sullivan and “The New Republic,” I’m sure, wanting to join in the accountability process. Mine was a modest suggestion that we give thanks for W.’s best efforts, whatever we take them to be. In recent weeks I’ve read articles praising him for dramatically increasing funding for community health clinics, the HIV-AIDS project in Africa, and the absence of terrorist attacks on U.S. soil since Sept. 11. I suppose it’s possible to argue nonetheless that he made no best effort of any kind. It’s a free country!