8.25.2004
Patty B. Lays Down The Law
In his upcoming book, "Where the Right Went Wrong", Pat Buchanan is extremely critical of President Bush. The timing of the book was intentionally set to coincide with the Republican National Convention. Quoted in an interview, Buchanan said, "...[I] wanted it out now... it addresses big issues that are not being addressed in this campaign: the massive and growing deficit, the disintegration of the culture and a Wilsonian foreign policy that means war ad infinitum." The New York Times posted a story on the subject(free registration required).
Still, Mr. Buchanan said he could not bring himself to support another candidate. "Conservative differences with a party led by John Kerry are monumental and legion," he wrote. In the interview, Mr. Buchanan said of the antiwar candidacy of Ralph Nader: " I like Ralph very much. He has been enormously courageous on trade issues and on the war issue, but I am right-to-life all the way."
David Frum, a supporter of the war who wrote an article in The National Review last year criticizing Mr. Buchanan and his allies as "unpatriotic conservatives," said that ambivalence betrayed inconsistency. "If Pat Buchanan supports President Bush for re-election, that shows a guy who in the end is unwilling to follow his logic where it leads him," Mr. Frum said. "Pat Buchanan said that the United States brought the 9/11 attacks on itself - he said that within a week of 9/11. It is not surprising that a man who believes in negotiating with terrorists - wooing them, trying to find what they want and giving it to them - is going to be unsatisfied in George Bush's Republican Party."
About Mr. Frum's criticism, Mr. Buchanan said, "I take that as vindication that we were right in speaking out at a time when everybody else was going along with the war."
While we may not agree with them, people such as Pat Buchanan are an important part of our democracy, I think. Certainly, he says stupid things sometimes, like blaming the attacks of 9/11 on the actions of many in America. However, that he can come out and speak against Bush, being a conservative himself, is saying something. I do find it sad that he, like John McCain, can have so many criticisms of the administration yet still support Bush in the election. Surely, we have not become so politically screwed up that we have to back every candidate our party throws out there.
Still, Mr. Buchanan said he could not bring himself to support another candidate. "Conservative differences with a party led by John Kerry are monumental and legion," he wrote. In the interview, Mr. Buchanan said of the antiwar candidacy of Ralph Nader: " I like Ralph very much. He has been enormously courageous on trade issues and on the war issue, but I am right-to-life all the way."
David Frum, a supporter of the war who wrote an article in The National Review last year criticizing Mr. Buchanan and his allies as "unpatriotic conservatives," said that ambivalence betrayed inconsistency. "If Pat Buchanan supports President Bush for re-election, that shows a guy who in the end is unwilling to follow his logic where it leads him," Mr. Frum said. "Pat Buchanan said that the United States brought the 9/11 attacks on itself - he said that within a week of 9/11. It is not surprising that a man who believes in negotiating with terrorists - wooing them, trying to find what they want and giving it to them - is going to be unsatisfied in George Bush's Republican Party."
About Mr. Frum's criticism, Mr. Buchanan said, "I take that as vindication that we were right in speaking out at a time when everybody else was going along with the war."
While we may not agree with them, people such as Pat Buchanan are an important part of our democracy, I think. Certainly, he says stupid things sometimes, like blaming the attacks of 9/11 on the actions of many in America. However, that he can come out and speak against Bush, being a conservative himself, is saying something. I do find it sad that he, like John McCain, can have so many criticisms of the administration yet still support Bush in the election. Surely, we have not become so politically screwed up that we have to back every candidate our party throws out there.
