Is George W. Bush a Coward—Or Just Wrong?
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖George W. Bush's Substack essay on George Washington is seen as a generic historical piece, not a meaningful critique of Donald Trump.
- ❖The hosts argue Bush's claim that 'the office of the president is more important than the occupant' is demonstrably false and an 'apologia' for inaction in the current political climate.
- ❖The 'In Pursuit' project, which published Bush's essay, is criticized for its 'nonpartisan' stance while explicitly avoiding discussion of the Trump and Biden presidencies.
- ❖Bush's silence during the Trump years is deemed 'unforgivable,' revealing either cowardice or severe judgment failures.
- ❖The redefinition of 'nonpartisan' to include avowed Trump supporters is seen as complicity in normalizing authoritarianism.
Insights
1George W. Bush's Essay: A Missed Opportunity for Direct Critique
George W. Bush's essay on George Washington, despite being framed by media as a subtle critique of Donald Trump, is interpreted by the hosts as a generic, 'eighth-grade' level historical piece. They argue that the virtues praised in Washington (humility, self-restraint, prioritizing nation over self) are inherent to Washington's character and would be mentioned in any historical account, making the 'subtle jab' interpretation a projection of others' desires for Bush to act.
JVL reads passages from Bush's essay (-) and Tim Miller responds that these are 'just George Washington's traits' (). JVL states, 'This is everybody else in the world desperate to see George W. Bush do something' ().
2Critique of Bush's 'Office Over Occupant' Philosophy
The hosts vehemently disagree with Bush's concluding statement that 'the office of the president is more important than the occupant' and that the institution provides 'ballast to our ship of state.' They argue this is a 'lie' and a 'purposeful omission' of current realities, as Donald Trump has demonstrated that the occupant can indeed undermine the office, norms, and constitutional weaknesses. This statement is seen as an 'apologia' for Bush's own inaction.
JVL reads Bush's quote (-). Tim Miller states, 'Turns out no. Actually... we've learned with Donald Trump that the occupant is more important' (-). JVL adds, 'the constitution... what Trump has done is expose its weaknesses' (-).
3The 'In Pursuit' Project's Flawed Nonpartisanship
The 'In Pursuit' essay series, run by Colleen Shogun (fired by Trump from the National Archives), aims to make history 'relevant' without 'speaking narrowly to the specifics of the present.' This approach is criticized for avoiding discussion of the Trump and Biden presidencies and for including figures like Fox News host Brett Baier alongside former presidents and Pulitzer-winning historians. The hosts argue this redefines 'nonpartisan' to include Trump supporters, thereby legitimizing a false balance and complicity in the current political climate.
JVL details Shogun's firing by Trump (-) and quotes her statement about avoiding 'specifics of the present' (-), and the list of contributors including Brett Baier (-). Tim Miller states, 'to be nonpartisan now you have to actually have somebody that is an avowed supporter of Donald Trump' (-).
4George W. Bush's 'Unforgivable' Silence During Trump Years
Both hosts agree that George W. Bush's sustained silence throughout the Trump presidency is 'totally unforgivable.' JVL believes Bush could have influenced the 2016 election by speaking out and that his inaction, despite Trump's relentless attacks on the Bush family, demonstrates either cowardice or profoundly bad judgment. This silence, they argue, makes it difficult to re-evaluate or 'rehabilitate' Bush's legacy.
JVL states, 'The thing that Bush has done that I find totally unforgivable is his silence through the Trump years' (-). He hypothesizes Bush could have moved 70,000 votes in 2016 (-). Tim Miller agrees Bush 'should have done it anyway regardless' (-). JVL concludes Bush's conduct 'has revealed him to be a coward in important ways or if not a coward then to have such bad judgment' (-).
Lessons
- Critically evaluate claims of 'nonpartisanship' in media and historical projects, especially when they avoid contemporary political issues or include figures known for extreme partisan views.
- Recognize that subtle critiques or silence from influential figures may be insufficient or even counterproductive when confronting direct threats to democratic institutions.
- Understand that the 'office over occupant' principle, while historically valued, has been challenged by recent political events, necessitating a re-evaluation of how institutions withstand individual actions.
Quotes
"You cannot write an essay. You cannot give a eulogy. You cannot speak about the moral values of someone else in your life without subtly dissing Donald Trump because Donald Trump does not care about or share any of the values that underpin like what you would want uh uh uh our na, you know, our national experiment or any any personal character traits."
"The office is more important than the occupant. Turns out no. Actually, like honestly like you that might have been something to say up through the year 2015... but no like we've learned with Donald Trump that the occupant is more important because he has used all of the elements of of the the traditional norms around the office and he's absconded from all of them."
"How do you expect to defeat the fascist attempt if you won't even say no, we're against the fascists and we are right and they are wrong and they must be confronted and defeated?"
"The thing that Bush has done that I find totally unforgivable is his silence through the Trump years."
Q&A
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