Finally, Bill Kristol speaks (some) truth to reality in his New York Times’ “George W. Hoover?”
The worst financial crisis in almost 80 years has happened on [Bush’s] watch. The Bush administration will leave behind probably the most severe recession in at least a quarter-century. Fairly or unfairly, this will be viewed as George Bush’s economic meltdown.
But, Kristol still doesn’t fully get it:
Republicans and conservatives today face a similar challenge to that of 1976. A hawkish foreign policy, social conservatism and middle-American populism aren’t the problems. Those elements, as embodied on the Republican ticket by John McCain and Sarah Palin, produced a respectable 46 percent of the national vote — in the midst of an economic meltdown, with the Bush administration flailing and House Republicans rebelling and the Republican ticket lacking any coherent economic message.
Perhaps Christopher Manion, in “Kristology and Amnesia,” at The LRC Blog, has the best post-mortem (on Bill Kristol):
The NYT softly, ceaselessly soothes its readership: “conservatives are dolts, see? Ah, here’s another one now. Consider Kid Kristol….” Obediently, the neo’s con-man slides the stiletto into his once-useful idiot: Why, “Bush is the new Hoover! He gave us the Second Depression!” That’s why the GOP went down!
Classic, classic Kristol. Apparently he’s hoping that his statist readers have short memories (after all, they never “stop thinkin’ about tomorrow,” right?), but apparently he doesn’t expect grownups to bother reading his palaver (I did because I have to work off some serious Penance). Remember, this is the guy who wanted US troops to invade Syria after their Iraq Mission was “Accomplished” in May 2003. Hey, let’s have another Kristol Cakewalk! If you’re not with us, you’re against us! Forget the past. Blame Bush not the neocons!
Kristol’s Winsome, Winless War, a $3.5 trillion disaster, is too horrendous to represent merely an elephant in the living room: it is a scorching, searing scar on America’s soul. And yes, the war was the proximate cause of the economic meltdown. As usual, Kristol wants to blame someone else for his seamlessly disastrous judgment, as he collects his hefty fees for serving as the left-wing’s favorite caricature of the right.
Priceless!
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.