Notes From D.R. | Random Thoughts on the Passing Scene

Yes, I admit it. I voted for George W. Bush in 2000.

I was not originally a supporter of the then-Texas Governor; in fact, I had backed John Kasich’s Presidential bid, feeling that he was the best of all of the GOP candidates in the field. However, by the summer of 1999, it was obvious that Kasich had no real chance of receiving the nomination; thus, he dropped out and endorsed Bush.

While I had long admired Bush’s father, I really didn’t know all that much about "Dubya." As I learned more about the man, I found myself quite impressed with his track record in Texas and his ability to transcend partisan lines. After the scandal-plagued, excessively partisan Clinton era, I definitely believed that a fresh start was in order–and that Al Gore would not provide such a start.

While Bush was criticized by some folks on the right for his use of the catchphrase "compassionate conservatism," I understood that he had to use such a slogan to distance himself from the media-maligned Kenneth Starr and Newt Gingrich. Bush did make a few mistakes on the campaign trail (he should have been more prepared for the now-notorious November 1999 interview with Boston political reporter Andy Hiller, and he probably should have skipped his February 2000 visit to the then-controversial Bob Jones University), but I still found him far superior to Republican rival John McCain, a man whose appeal I never quite figured out.

Bush secured the GOP nomination and ultimately defeated Gore in what became the most fascinating, and most controversial, election in United States history. His presidency has been every bit as fascinating, and every bit as controversial.

There are many Americans who now say they regret voting for Bush. Either they feel he has led the country into ruin, or they believe he has not done enough to thwart those who are attempting, either intentionally or unintentionally, to destroy the United States.

I don’t regret voting for the man.

Has he disappointed me in some areas? Sure. I wish he would take a strong, clear stand against unrestrained illegal immigration. I desperately wish he could make an argument in favor of the Iraq war that would actually resonate with the American people.

However, I still believe that things would have been far, far worse if Gore had won in 2000. I don’t believe he would have taken the steps necessary to stimulate the then-cooling economy. I don’t believe he would have been as resolute in the fight against fundamentalist Islam.

One reason why it’s so easy to bash Bush nowadays is that a lot of people don’t stop to consider the alternative. Would Gore have made America less vulnerable to a second 9/11-style attack? Would Gore have made even token efforts to secure our borders? Would Gore have appointed Supreme Court justices with the intellect and qualifications of John Roberts and Samuel Alito?

What evidence is there to suggest that, had Gore won the 2000 election, we would not see more of the extreme partisanship and demagoguery that defined the Clinton years? The preening moralism that Gore has demonstrated in his crusade against global warming is a good indication of how he would have run things as President. Would such self-righteousness have really helped our standing in the world?

My continued support of Bush is not about being stubborn or ignorant; it’s about recognizing that, for all his faults, he has done an outstanding job of preventing a second attack on the homeland–a job that I sincerely believe Gore would not have been able to perform. Some people now feel that Bush was the wrong choice. I continue to believe that he was the only choice.