Monday, May 9, 2005

The Sledgehammer of Nuance Bush attempted to split a few hairs over the weekend.  By now, you've probably heard the basics.  Russia was celebrating the 60th anniversary of V-E Day.  A few baltic states were riled up at the celebration, because it basically was the first day of their annexation into the Soviet Union.  So Bush tried to have it both ways - he shook Putin's hand and said nice things about his soulmate and Russia, but also tried to take a shot at the Soviet Union. Except for one problem.  That problem is that Bush does nuance the way I drive speedboats up and down Lake Union.  I've tried to read Bush's comments about Yalta, and I find myself fascinated by one thing:  when did Bush become a historian?  Did everyone forget that Bush couldn't name four world leaders before he became president?  Does anyone else think he sounded like a high school senior talking about Yalta and the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact? I'm not going to quarrel with his message - that's what the historians do.  My question is:  what's Bush's problem with Roosevelt?  One minute he's attacking the Social Security system.  The next minute he's implying that FDR and Churchill sold out eastern Europe?  Next he's going to say FDR should have been impeached for lying about his health while in office.  Well, maybe he won't do that.  (Thanks to Rush Limbaugh for elevating the discussion and suggesting that Truman should have nuked Russia to prevent the Soviet Union from taking hold.)  6:12:16 PM     Speak up!  []