Stumble It!
"In these days we are less threatened by large armies than by small bands of men that operate in the shadows. We need to encourage prosperous and democratic societies to defeat the enemies of freedom," says the President during a live broadcast this morning all too quickly cut off by FOXNews and other cables in order to bring us the latest non-news alert re the missing-girl case in Aruba.
"In person Mr Bush is so far removed from the caricature of the dim, war-mongering Texas cowboy of global popular repute that it shakes one’s faith in the reliability of the modern media," writes the London Times' Gerard Baker re his personal epiphany in the Oval Office, where he interviewed the President yesterday on aid to Africa, climate change and other matters on the agenda of the G8 summit at Gleneagles next week.
What's this "faith in the reliability of the modern media" of which he speaks? Whatever, it's encouraging to see the U.S. editor of the Brit paper of record chooses to believe his eyes over his colleagues' rhetoric. Full interview available here and summary headlined "Bush pledges Africa aid - with strings" here. As if "without strings" had ever done anything but fatten the pockets of tyrants. Best lines from the interview are pure poetry [It must be love. --ed]:
I admire Tony Blair because he’s a man of his word.
I admire Tony Blair because he’s a leader with a vision, a vision that I happen to agree with.
A vision that freedom is universal, and freedom will lead to peace.
I admire him because in the midst of political heat, he showed backbone.
And you know, and so he’s been a good ally for America.
A match made in heaven.
Just an aside: Been watching the situation in Africa for about two decades. Out of great hardship come great people: leaders, statesmen, and saints. Americans need to pay strict attention to what happens in Africa in the next few years: Everyone's lives will be touched by African events, some even personally, soon.
Maybe Bush will produce the touchstone that allows America to help ease political and social upheaval there. We must share our blessings with Africa, when and where they allow us, and those blessings will increase and flow in both directions.
Exactly what we are attempting in Iraq. Too bad we boosted Saddam before we booted him. Hope we don't make the same mistake on the dark continent.
Posted by: pb | June 30, 2005 at 03:30 PM
It is encouraging and heart warming to know tha there are people in the MSM such as Gerard Baker who search for the truth instead of blindly following a leftist dogma.
Posted by: goomp | June 30, 2005 at 05:00 PM
It always surprises me when I find that people still trust the media *grin* -- of course Gerard Baker IS the media, so I suppose that mistrusting the press would mean mistrusting himself.
Posted by: Teresa | June 30, 2005 at 07:49 PM