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As a discriminating viewer of television, I must note
one program that stands out from all the others for
intelligence and taste. If I'm home on Saturday night, I
always watch Headbangers' Ball
on MTV.
But that's the only show consistently worth watching these days, so I missed the famous showdown between Dan Rather and George Bush.
In his presidential campaign, Bush emphasizes his experience at President Reagan's side for the past seven years. He knows what's going on.
Then again, he says he didn't know what was going on when the Reagan administration, which doesn't sell arms to terrorist nations, sold arms to a terrorist nation. After which the Reagan administration, which doesn't undermine other nations' governments, used the profits of the arms sales to undermine another nation's government.
To confused commoners who might not know any better, two questions might emerge. If Bush was active in our government, then why didn't he know about this? And if he doesn't know, just how involved has he really been?
Can you really believe that anyone would have the effrontery to ask such impertinent questions of an official of our great republic? What kind of country is this, where mere peasants think that our officials should explain their actions?
Damn right I felt heartened that George Bush, a self-made stand-up two-fisted ass-kicking American, told that cheeky Dan Rather where to get off.
Not many people could do what George Herbert Walker Bush has done. Reduced by family circumstances to a private-school education and a mere $300,000 stake from his father, he managed to make his way in this harsh world.
Back in 1980, Bush suffered a brutal attack in print from the late William Loeb, right-wing publisher of the newspaper in Manchester, N.H. A wimp might have gone after Loeb with a horsewhip, but George Bush bided his time. Then he marched to New England and spoke glowingly of Loeb at a tribute dinner.
Alone of the 1980 presidential candidates, George Bush
exhibited courage when he said that reducing taxes and the
deficit at the same time was voodoo economics.
Certainly we have all been inspired by how steadfastly he
has defended that stance through the ensuing years.
So how could some coarse plebeian like Dan Rather dare to question the vice-president of the United States? Doesn't that uppity Rather know his place?
After all, this is the land where Patrick Henry stood
tall before an assemblage of prominent Virginians, and said
I know not what course others may take, but as for me,
give me the back nine at Williamsburg, or give me
death.
George Bush also evokes the stirring words of Thomas
Paine. These are the times that try men's liquidity. The
blue-sky investor and the bull-market churner will, in this
crisis, shrink from the service of their portfolios. But he
that stands up now, deserves the due respect of mankind
that comes with his after-tax annual yield of 18
percent.
Woodrow Wilson challenged Americans to make the world
safe for debutante balls.
Theodore Roosevelt said to
Speak softly and carry a Gold Card.
Franklin
Roosevelt told us that The only thing we have to fear is
questions from those we deem our social inferiors.
Dan Rather might not know his place, but I know mine. Which is why I'd rather watch Twisted Sister on MTV than George Bush on the network news. They say that continued exposure to certain programs can rot your mind and corrupt your morals. You might imitate what you see, and turn into a shallow opportunist.
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