September 12, 2005

Motorcade

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11--I was stopped at 9th and D streets northwest. The light was green, but we were still stopped. A motorcycle cop sped down Pennsylvania Ave. two blocks down, followed by several more. Large, black SUVs followed and finally the tank-like Lincoln.

Stopped for the presidential motorcade didn't really bother me, even on a Sunday. It's Washington, D.C. Things like that are expected. But a number of things flew through my mind while I waited the minute for President Bush to fly by.

• Wow, there goes my president--as in he's the president of my country, not really my choice as president--driving down the street.
• The immediate desire to open the car door and vomit right then and there on 9th Street. This president of ours makes me embarrassed to admit I'm an American most times.
• The desire to bleep bleep bleep bleep bleep bleep bleep bleep bleep bleep bleep bleep bleep.

(Editors note: I know exactly what was bleeped out, and so do you.)

Let's face it. I'm one of those who, if asked, would say that he is not pleased with how the president was executing his job. Nor would I be one of those who is satisfied with his policies, and least of all his political appointees.

This has obviously come to bite him in the ass in recent weeks. It's too damn bad the good people of the Gulf Coast had to figure that out before the rest of us. As Bush-43 might say; you don't put someone in charge of a cattle drive that ain't ridden herd before. I'd argue that it's time to have a closer--well, microscopic--look at the rest of Bush's appointees.

The administration got one thing right by bringing ineptitude back to Washington late last week. Federal Emergency Management Administration director Michael Brown was recalled to--as Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff put it--"administer FEMA nationally."

What little positive spin he tried putting on the recall evaporated when a reporter asked Brown directly about a potential resignation and a puffed-up resume reported in a major news magazine. Agitated that someone would circumvent his authority over the FEMA director and controlling his briefing, Chertoff deflected the answer.

"Here are the ground rules: I'm going to answer the questions," Chertoff shot back at the reporter. "I've explained what we're doing. I thought I was about as clear as I possibly could be in English as to what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. Next question."

Hopefully that kind of response from an arm of this administration will get Americans, even Bush supporters, to start demanding answers the country needs right now instead of the party line: because we're right. That kind of thing flies for only so long before even your political base starts to wonder what's really going on behind the smoke and mirrors.

- Rich