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Al Neuharth | Mea Culpa to Bush on Presidents Day •
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Al Neuharth: Bush Is Worst President of All-Time
Editor & Publisher
Friday 16 February 2007
New York - Al Neuharth, the former Gannett chief, USA Today founder and
currently weekly columnist for that newspaper, has had a change of heart.
A year ago, in honor of President's Day, he stated that while he was
often critical of George W. Bush, he did not, and probably would not
ever, crack his list of the five worst presidents we've ever had.
A year later he admits he was wrong. In his USA Today column today he
announces that Bush has not only cracked the bottom five, he's now at
the very bottom.
Last year, Neuharth, a World War II hero who has met every president
since Eisenhower, listed his five worst as Andrew Jackson, James
Buchanan, Ulysses Grant, Herbert Hoover and Richard Nixon. "It's very
unlikely Bush can crack that list," Neuharth wrote.
Now he admits: "I was wrong. This is my mea culpa. Not only has Bush
cracked that list, but he is planted firmly at the top." By top, of
course, he means bottom.
Neuharth, after calling the Iraq war Bush's "albatross," concludes:
"Is
he just a self-touted decider doing what he thinks right? Or is he an
arrogant ruler who doesn't care or consider what the public or Congress
believes best for the country?
"Despite his play on words and slogans, Bush didn't learn the value or
meaning of mea culpa (acknowledgement of an error) during his years at Yale.
"Bush admitting his many mistakes on Iraq and ending that fiasco might
make many of us forgive, even though we can never forget the terrible
toll in lives and dollars."
Neuharth, always considered a political moderate, made waves more than
two years ago when he called for a phased U.S. pullout from Iraq. He
still has not been joined in this by many mainstream pundits or
editorial pages.
Striking a different pose, David Broder in The Washington Post today
writes: "It may seem perverse to suggest that, at the very moment the
House of Representatives is repudiating his policy in Iraq, President
Bush is poised for a political comeback. But don't be astonished if that
is the case."
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Mea Culpa to Bush on Presidents Day
By Al Neuharth
USA Today
Friday 16 February 2007
Our great country has had 43 presidents. Many very good. A few pretty
bad. On Presidents Day next Monday, it's appropriate to commemorate them
all.
I remember every president since Herbert Hoover, when I was a grade
school kid. He was one of the worst. I've personally met every president
since Dwight Eisenhower. He was one of the best.
A year ago I criticized Hillary Clinton for saying "this (Bush)
administration will go down in history as one of the worst."
"She's wrong," I wrote. Then I rated these five presidents, in this
order, as the worst: Andrew Jackson, James Buchanan, Ulysses Grant,
Hoover and Richard Nixon. "It's very unlikely Bush can crack that list,"
I added.
I was wrong. This is my mea culpa. Not only has Bush cracked that list,
but he is planted firmly at the top.
The Iraq war, of course, has become Bush's albatross. He and his buddies
are great at coining words or slogans. "Bushisms" that will haunt
him
historically:
- "Shock and Awe," early 2003.
- "Mission Accomplished," May 1, 2003.
- "Stay the Course," June 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006.
- "New Strategy," 2007.
Another term historians may weigh critically is "Decider."
Is he just a self-touted decider doing what he thinks right? Or is he an
arrogant ruler who doesn't care or consider what the public or Congress
believes best for the country?
Despite his play on words and slogans, Bush didn't learn the value or
meaning of mea culpa (acknowledgement of an error) during his years at Yale.
Bush admitting his many mistakes on Iraq and ending that fiasco might
make many of us forgive, even though we can never forget the terrible
toll in lives and dollars.
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