Last Bush Press Conference

I watched highlights of George W. Bush's last press conference and wondered how conservative blogger John Hinderaker could hail Bush as a genius.

It must be very strange to be President Bush. A man of extraordinary vision and brilliance approaching to genius, he can't get anyone to notice. He is like a great painter or musician who is ahead of his time, and who unveils one masterpiece after another to a reception that, when not bored, is hostile.

A genius doesn't introduce one failed policy after another. A genius doesn't conduct his last press conference like an overgrown adolescent.

Money quote:

In terms of the economy -- look, I inherited a recession, I'm ending on a recession.

Bush is blaming Bill Clinton for the current state of the economy. That doesn't pass the laugh test. It is true that Bush came into office with a (mild) recession. Bush also inherited a budget surplus. The Clinton years created record-breaking job increases. Bush inherited a better economy than Obama. Bush's defense is he is leaving the economy in the same state from when he came into office. That is untrue. Even if Bush's statement is taken at face value, his economic policies hardly qualifies as "genius" leadership.

Wayne Garcia shares his thoughts on the press conference.

He said he could have avoided making the tough decisions, but that is not his style. Hooey. Staying in Afghanistan to find Bin Laden would have been the tougher call than the easy military mission to remove Saddam Hussein (Mission Accomplished!!). Finding out the complexities of building a new government and society in that nation would be have the tough thing to do; guessing that Iraqis would welcome “democracy” and armed occupiers with open arms was shirking the tough decision.

Bush: "I'm the Decider and I decide what is best."

Our national nightmare will soon be over.