A guest post by Dell Hill.
We saw it happen in 1961 and we're witnessing it again in 2009. It's the cyclical "rock star" political figure, larger than life itself, taking on a "godlike" persona in the eyes of screaming, tearful worshipers. He's the politician who can do no wrong. The flashy smile, the twinkling eyes with a message that is welcomed by the masses as all knowing and all-powerful. He arrives as the complete package, perfect American family of young, handsome husband, attractive wife and two adorable children.
Millions of American – most of whom weren't even thought of, say nothing of being born – are drawn to him like a moth to a flame. The 25-year old American voter was BORN in 1984. Ronald Reagan was president. They were just nine years old when William J. Clinton brought his brand of politics from Arkansas to the White House.
Given our modern-day laxity in teaching American history, those very same 25-year old citizens have little knowledge of Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, Lyndon B. Johnson, John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower or Harry S Truman. If they didn't "live it", they know little about what life was like in this country during the administrations of EIGHT previous presidents, therefore, they don't see or recognize the historical redux taking place in this country. They have a working knowledge of political life as it was orchestrated by just TWO presidents – Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Is it any wonder then those very same 25-year olds would hitch their wagon to the rock star persona of the fresh prince from Chicago?
President Bush '41 was a lackluster personality who had aged from the dashing WWII hero to what most would describe as "their old uncle, George", while President Clinton was…..Well, President Clinton. Their life wasn't terrible during ANY of those years, in fact, life was pretty darned good.
And then came George W. Bush and, just a few short months later, the attack that changed this country forever – we call it simply "9-11". The country had sustained numerous and well publicized attacks prior to 09/11/01, including the first World Trace Center bombing, but nothing by comparison to the incredibly brazen efforts of 19 Saudi men who succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.
The name "Osama Bin Laden" instantly became THE most recognized name in the world after he took full credit for the planning and execution of 9-11 and it would turn out to be the biggest failure of the Bush '43 administration that Osama Bin Laden was never captured or killed. I suggest to you that if Bin Laden had met his maker – or been captured – George W. Bush would have gone down in American history as one of the greatest presidents ever.
Realistically, after seven years of trying (and failing!) to even locate Bin Laden, the country had become increasingly disgruntled with Bush and was ready to "move on". The fact that no other terrorist attacks occurred on our soil only lead Americans to a mindset of complacency once again; a false sense of security and a yearning for "change". We Americans are terribly impatient and, despite the warning that the war on terror would take time, we simply lost interest.
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan certainly factored into that mix, but it was Osama Bin Laden who sealed Bush's political fate, as well as the political fate of Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was defeated in the biggest upset in America's political history by the "rock star" from Illinois, even BEFORE she had the opportunity to be elected!
Americans were simply sick and tired of the names "Bush" and "Clinton", just as the younger crowd had done back in 1960, when the rock star of his time was the young, handsome, family man with the beautiful wife and two adorable children from Massachusetts. The fact that he became embroiled in some of the most vicious political scandals on the world stage STILL doesn't seem to matter. The fact that his genetic libido problem caused tremendous embarrassment and misery for his wife and children STILL doesn't matter. [Editor's note: not to mention the drug dependence that was never reported until after his death. Nice "watchdog media."]
He is remembered as "godly"; a man who could do no wrong, and if he did, he was instantly forgiven by the adoring multitudes. The disaster known as The Bay of Pigs STILL doesn't matter. His documented (and now public record) of attempted assassinations of communist heads of state STILL doesn't matter. It's "ok" because it was "J.F.K.". If you ask a million Americans who got this country into the Viet Nam war, 99% of them will say Lyndon Johnson. They refuse to even recognize the historical fact(s) and criticize the "godly" John F. Kennedy.
And now fast-forward to 2009. Watch as the history of this country repeats itself. Or are you too young to remember?
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