Saturday afternoon, President Bush made a short statement on the death of Pope John Paul II, which he used to promote his agenda. An excerpt:
Pope John Paul II left the throne of St. Peter in the same way he ascended to it — as a witness to the dignity of human life. In his native Poland, that witness launched a democratic revolution that swept Eastern Europe and changed the course of history. Throughout the West, John Paul’s witness reminded us of our obligation to build a culture of life in which the strong protect the weak.
(emphasis added)
Freedom, of course, is the current justification for the invasion of Iraq. It’s no secret that the Pope strongly opposed this war.
“Culture of life” and “the strong protect the weak” are two phrases that the President has invoked frequently in discussing Terri Schiavo and abortion. No doubt, Pope John Paul II did believe in a culture of life in which the strong protect the weak. However, as his opposition to the Iraq war demonstrates, he had a much more general definition of life.
I’ve never exactly looked to the President as a paragon of ethics, but peppering a statement on the death of the Pope with GOP catchphrases is about as shameless as I’ve seen from him.
As bad as this is from Bush, I’ve seen worse.
MTP: A repup hack gushed that Ronald Reagan was like the Pope!
TW: Cokie Roberts gushes the Same Line!
I don’t watch cable anymore, except last nite at work I watched the Mass on CNN. Thank the Great Spirit they didn’t spew repub TP during that! But I’m glad I didn’t have to hear that particularly tasteless TP more than twice.
I’m going to write to TW & MTP about the utter crassness of saying such a thing, at the Pope’s Wake! Cokie Roberts should be publically shamed.
What an Insult!
I don’t think that Bush is crossing the line on this. Everything he says will include freedom. The Pope was contradictory in many ways – especially through a secular lens. All sides will be speaking to how the Pope was force for good in how each side views good.
I can appreciate the respectful remembrances of elected leaders, in the form of statements, prayers and public commentary. George Bush’s statements on Saturday were appropriate and needed. He is, after all, the only person who can speak on behalf of the entire republic. That George Bush benefits from doing this means little more than that he benefits from the office he holds. And the alternative, such as when George Bush failed to respond quickly to the Asian Tsunami crisis, is much worse than any positives that the President gets when he represents the American people well.
That said – it really upsets me how Bush is misusing the term freedom. Bush opposed freedom, works against freedom and has not right to use the word – ever.
shame, should be his middle name.
If you look under shame, (in future dictionaries) it will show like this:
shame: (shhhh aim) G.W.Bush, and how he took aim, and shot the American dream, quietly.