Unintended Self-deconstruction

Right-wing commentator Fred Barnes was on Fresh Air yesterday promoting his new book "Rebel in Chief," in which he argues W is a rebel transforming the conservative movement and America. The irony is I think Fred's right, but not nearly in the positive way he meant.

It was finished right around the time of W's second inaugural with all it's high-minded talk of spreading freedom and democracy around the world. Fred's writes about how wonderful the Iraqi elections were and how they will doom the insurgency and how the sky is the limit for George in his second term.

In actuality, the wheels have come off the Bush Presidency, and they started wobbling right after Fred finished his book. Social Security, Harriet Meyers, Katrina, illegal domestic surveillance, corruption scandals, more evidence of pre-war lies and misrepresentations have finally opened this country's eyes to the empty rhetoric and arrogance of this "rebel." Most Americans don't trust his word anymore (finally!) and most don't even think he is keeping us safe.

So it's amusing now to read Barnes' take on Bush. Only a year later, it seems anachronistic.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5306617

Bush snowed America. Now in the spring-time melt of his discontent.