Power means never having to say you're sorry,
nor even acknowledging accountability, and
certainly never admitting error

Who among the Bush Administration has truly accepted due responsibility for the failures that led to 9/11? Richard Clarke: "I have failed you." Was he personally responsible for the entire tragedy? Of course not. But he does have the honor and the integrity and the courage to state outright his culpability in whatever role: "I have failed you."

I've learned not to expect to hear anything like that from President Bush.

Think such candor, such honor, such dignity, will ever come from the lips of one who considers himself "bold and decisive"? It doesn't seem likely. He doesn't show the strength of character required. He doesn't show the integrity. He doesn't show the honor.

In Bush's world view, being appointed President means never having to say you're sorry. Evidently genuine leadership and personal accountability such as “The buck stops here” doesn’t fit into his world. Leadership? For Bush, that means blaming someone else. Anyone else. “I did the best I could with what I was given.” Valid in one sense. But such evasiveness does not exemplify bold and decisive leadership.

"Dodge ball" was a kids' game. Mr. Bush should stop playing it.

The willingness to own up to one's personal errors or failings correlates to one's genuine leadership and courage. The more one blames others for bad info and so forth, the more of a failure the leader shows. A true leader, among other things, shows courage in accepting responsibility candidly.

Some of us can't stand to hear a man admit a mistake; some think it shows weakness. Some believe apologies are for sissies. It's not a question of whether one individual is in fact the sole source of the problem. No, let's get away from that second-grade mindset of, "He started it!" "No, she started it!" Let's deal with it more as adults: a true leader accepts responsibility.

Our President shows no concern for his.

“To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.” Theodore Roosevelt “History, we don’t know. We’ll all be dead.” George W. Bush   Intro   Election 2004 Introduction 1   I Yam What I Yam 2a People Die for Mr. Bush's Mistakes. He Laughs It Off 2b Supplement: Mr. Bush Laughs It Off 3a   Mr. Bush's Religious Rhetoric: The Uncaped Crusader 3b   Mr. Bush's Religious Rhetoric: Ripping Off Jesus 4   WMDWMDWMDWMDWMD—Oh, Never Mind, Forget I Ever Said WMD 5   President Bush: Saddam Tried to Kill My Dad 6   President Bush's Real World Patriot Games 7   In Mr. Bush's Own Words: "Major League Asshole" 8a   Responsibilty? Accountability? The Buck Stops Somewhere Else 8b Supplement: Responsibilty and Dodge Ball 9a   Forgive Osama? Love Saddam? You CRAZY, Jesus? 9b   Supplement: Christian Nonresistance 10   Democracy? Not on This Watch. Undo the Presidential Records Act 11   The Arsonist Owns the Fire Truck 12   Environment 13   Mr. Bush's Taunt: "Bring It On!" 14   Conclusions 15   Update 5/5/04     Please sign my Election Site Dreambook (and visit my other sites as well). And read others' comments.

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