NYT editorial: State of the Union; "years of promises unkept and blunders of historic proportion"

[DeepModem Mom]

The State of the Union
Published: January 29, 2008

Six years ago, President Bush began his State of the Union address with two powerful sentences: “As we gather tonight, our nation is at war, our economy is in recession, and the civilized world faces unprecedented dangers. Yet the state of our union has never been stronger.”

Monday night, after six years of promises unkept or insincerely made and blunders of historic proportions, the United States is now fighting two wars, the economy is veering toward recession and the civilized world still faces horrifying dangers — and it has far less sympathy and respect for the United States.

The nation is splintered over the war in Iraq, cleaved by ruthless partisan politics, bubbling with economic fear and mired in debate over virtually all of the issues Mr. Bush faced in 2002. And the best Mr. Bush could offer was a call to individual empowerment — a noble idea, but in Mr. Bush’s hands just another excuse to abdicate government responsibility.

Monday night’s address made us think what a different speech it might have been if Mr. Bush had capitalized on the unity that followed the 9/11 attacks to draw the nation together, rather than to arrogate ever more power and launch his misadventure in Iraq. How different it might have been if Mr. Bush meant what he said about compassionate conservatism or even followed the fiscal discipline of old-fashioned conservatism. How different if he had made a real effort to reach for the bipartisanship he promised in 2002 and so many times since.

Then he could have used last night’s speech to celebrate a balanced budget, one in which taxes produce enough money to pay for the nation’s genuine needs, including health care for poor children and a rebuilt New Orleans....

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/opinion/29tue1.html?hp

[ixion]

1. hmmmm... let's see... who has helped to enable him those past six years... oh yeah: the NY TIMES

:grr:

[predfan]

2. that's exactly right

an alert and curious media would have had a field day the last 8 years, beginning with the Bush-McCain primary race in 2000. Don't start now, NYT.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. I don't like to be argumentative, but please see post 3. nt

[ixion]

6. don't worry... debate is a good thing!

:hi:

[DeepModem Mom]

3. It's my observation that, except for the run-up to Iraq...

when the Times editorial page joined those of all of our other major papers in going along with Colin Powell, the NYT editorial page, independent of its news pages, has ripped Bush up one side and down the other his entire administration.

I've posted many, many of these editorials here, and quite a few of them have appeared on the Greatest Page.

[ixion]

5. before the 2004 election they withheld the warrantless wiretapping story...

and there are more examples, as well.

The NY Times used to be, without question, the greatest paper in the US. As both a journalism student and a news junkie, I had the utmost respect for them. I had a running subscription I thought I would never cancel. However, I did cancel that after they ignored the discrepancies with 911 and then helped to foment the illegal invasion of Iraq. And most recently, they gave voice to yet another neocon: William Kristol. I'm sorry, but they've got much work to do before I will ever begin to respect them again.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. The withholding of a story is a news side decision, not editorial. They are...

independent of each other. The misleading page-one stories about Iraq that continue to this day are news side stuff. The editorial side, I agree with you is not perfect, but day after day, I personally find eloquent pieces of importance. Their editorials, for example, on wiretapping and on torture -- on Constitutional issues -- could not, IMO, be stronger.

Although I think there are still lots of valuable news stories in the Times, I can't defend its news pages -- all you mentioned can never be forgiven, as well as their biased coverage of Al Gore, which (along with WP, voting chicanery and the Supreme Court) gave us W in the first place. (Imagine that the guy who covered Bush for them, and loved him so -- Frank Bruni -- now writes their restaurant reviews!)

I'm not sure which side was responsible for the hiring of Bill Kristol. Whichever side, it was regrettable, and stupid -- and I believe the paper's reader's rep has said so.

Thanks so much for your posts!:hi:

[MasonJar]

8. Good to see the NYT calling it like it is! n/t

[Baby Snooks]

9. From kinder, gentler to meaner, nastier...

Reality is most Republicans voted for George W Bush a second time because while they didn't like the "kinder, gentler" way of George HW Bush, they loved the "meaner, nastier" way of George W Bush. And they got what they voted for. Quite a few Republicans are regretting it. Even though they will never admit it. An unbelievable national debt, a collapsing economy along with a collapsing dollar, another war without end that isn't really a war but merely an illegal occupation of a country simply to gain control of its oil reserves, and everything is just, well, just mean and nasty. Divide and conquer.

A house divided falls. Something the Republicans didn't think about back in 2004. Most thought only of an America where there was only one religion, one race, and everyone else, well, forget it. They hate everyone. And will continue to hate everyone. Particularly as things get meaner and nastier. Which they will.

Hillary predicted that the next State of the Union will be delivered by a Democrat. I'm not so sure. The Democratic Party is already being divided along racial lines. Divide and conquer. By design.

There are too many Democrats who are racist and so even if Obama wins the nomination, his own party will defeat him at the polls.

I suspect it is going to get "meaner and nastier" in the Democratic Party. Divide and conquer. By design.

I have so little hope for this country at this point. All I could see last night was Nancy Pelosi. Sitting there smiling. The Empress serving her Emperor. We have been divided by the Emperor. And conquered by the Empress. And now, well, now we will fall.

[katty]

10. finally the grey lady comes through "goodnight&good luck"

America, because you really need it!

[ixion]

11. and then they print trash like this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x335117


It's thing like this that totally ignore the obvious in lieu of cooked books that makes me loathe the NY Times.