‘George W. Bush’s Second Big Bang’: Folha, Brazil

There seems to be a global theme emerging in regard to President Bush and the financial crisis. Hot on the heels of yesterday’s Le Figaro article, ‘The Financial Crisis and the Curse of George W. Bush,’ Sérgio Malbergier of Brazil’s Folha also writes of the apparent bad luck of our beleaguered leader.

Malbergier writes in part:

“George W. Bush, 62, is going to go down history. Fate has gotten him twice, and it has gotten him good. The first time, the aircraft-bombing of September 11, 2001 caught the President after less than nine months in the most important office of the world, when he had little international experience. He sought refuge in the wisdom of the Vice President and the Pentagon hawks – and the world has never the same. Bush’s second Big Bang is the collapse of the American financial system, which too, will never be the same.”

Later, touching upon the U.S. presidential race, writes:

“The way John McCain and Barack Obama behave in the face of this economic crisis may well define who will succeed Bush, in what remains the most important position in the world. … McCain seems lost as does the Republican right, which turned a blind eye to the financial time-bomb on Wall Street.”

Then, remarking on how the crisis in the U.S. is playing in Brazil, Malbergier concludes:

“President Lula is one of the biggest jokers with regard to the American situation. He has already offered proposals that are humorous and serious, which must confuse the Brazilian desk at the American Department of State. He should treat the crisis with greater seriousness and prepare the country accordingly. If he doesn’t, it’ll be like those Brazilians who think they know it all and brutally attack the tortures committed by American troops against foreign prisoners at Guantánamo, but say nothing about Brazilian citizens being tortured by Brazilian police in police stations right next to their homes.”

By Sérgio Malbergier

Translated By Brandi Miller

September 27, 2008

Brazil – Folha – Original Article (Portuguese)

George W. Bush, 62, is going to go down history. Fate has gotten him twice, and it has gotten him good.

The first time, the aircraft-bombing of September 11, 2001 caught the President after less than nine months in the most important office of the world, when he had little international experience. He sought refuge in the wisdom of the Vice President and the Pentagon hawks – and the world has never the same.

Bush’s second Big Bang is the collapse of the American financial system, which too, will never be the same. But Bush’s place in history has been settled. This lame duck par excellence is now delegating the almost impossible administration of this financial collapse to the hawk-like instincts of Wall Street – Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, and a reflective academic from Princeton, FED Chairman Ben Bernanke.

READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing translated and English foreign press coverage of the unfolding financial crisis and the U.S. presidential election.