As my post from yesterday reported, President Bush made a campaign stop in Marquette, MI. At Northern Michigan University's Superior Dome, the president spoke to 10,000 exuberant supporters.
Upon reaching the podium, President Bush remarked, "Well I can see that the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is Bush-Cheney country." Far from it, Mr. President. There are 200,000 other Yoopers that might object to that statement. Nothing earth-shattering was said as the chief executive spoke to his base, steering clear of anything remotely controversial. Predictably, Bush used his campaign stop to tout his new, "My way or the highway" theory of governing. The '04 Bush is a far cry from "The Compassionate Conservative" line he fed the nation four years ago. Now put your hip-boots on people, `cause here's where the BS really gets deep...
The president used approximately 35 minutes of his 50 minute appearance to cover, in mind-numbing detail, the war on terror. At one point saying, "Even though we did not find weapons of mass destruction, it was still right to go into Iraq." He then went on to say that the terrorists are still a threat and that he's chasing the evil-doers. I, for one, am tired of the culture of fear that President Bush uses to scare the public into thinking he's the only man for the job. His whole "Champion of Evil" persona is getting to be ridiculous. As the last remaining super-power in the world we have a responsibility to unite the world in an effective and lasting stance saying, "We will not live in fear, but will instead work together to make the world safer for all, not just one country" President Bush takes the opportunity presented to him to beat the world over the head with the club he wields as president of the most powerful country on earth.
You cannot fight a war against an ideologue, Mr. President. Evil was here before you and it will still be here after you. There are always going to be people who hate the United States for one reason or another. You cannot eradicate free-thought from every individual on earth. So please stop trying. Use your office to unite the world in a common goal of making it safe for children to grow up in Marquette, London, Istanbul, and Beijing. Everyone deserves the peace of mind that comes with knowing we are on the same team and stand for the same goals. It is true that this means the military will be needed from time-to-time. Let's open the doors of diplomacy before we knock them down with bunker-busters.