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May 25, 2012
Mark Clayton: Is Hillary's State Dept. hacking Al Qaeda? Not quite
Erika Bolstad: Temple cancels Wasserman Schultz speech
The Kosher Gourmet by Ethel G. Hofman: The former president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, whose members included the likes of Julia Child, is back with contemporary Shavous cuisine: Ruby Fruit Soup, Sweet Noodle Kugel with Cheese, Key Lime Curd, Calsone Casserole Frittata with Wild Mushrooms, Sun-dried tomatoes and Olives, Baked Tilapia with Pepper Cheese Cream and Brown Sugar Shortbread
May 24, 2012
Jeff Jacoby: The peace process battered Israel's reputation
Michael Muskal: 'Pro-choice' position hits record low, according to poll
Chris Farrell: Are We in a Tech Bubble?
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS --- hold the steak!
May 23, 2012
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
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Jewish World Review
January 30, 2008
/ 23 Shevat 5768
Finally, Bush speaks up for relevancy
By
William McKenzie
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
There George W. Bush stood Monday night, the vice president and speaker of the House behind him one more time, eyes smiling, lips hinting of a smirk, looking comfortable in his skin before a chamber where many don't like him, giving presumably the last really big speech of his career.
And trying to remain relevant.
When you're a lame duck overshadowed by the Obamas, Clintons and McCains ready to move in, you talk about things like "a robust growth package."
Along with that and other lines intended to make him sound relevant for the final year of his final term, what struck me last night was how similar Mr. Bush's State of the Union themes were to the markers he put down in his two inaugural addresses.
I went back and looked at those speeches last week. The big themes that jumped out from them still define how the president sees himself.
The first one is that of Bush the reformer. Now, you may say, all presidents hope to reform things. But more than most presidents, Mr. Bush has tried to hit home runs. Small-ball was never for the former baseball executive.
The reform impulse continued through last night's address. With even some Democrats applauding, he called on both parties to pass a stimulus package, to push schools to higher levels of achievement and to promote open markets.
During his first inaugural, he spoke of education and trade, too. At the same time, he pledged to overhaul Social Security and Medicare and to rewire how Washington works. "Civility is not a tactic or a sentiment," he declared on his first day as president. "It is the determined choice of trust over cynicism, of community over chaos."
In the aftermath of 9/11 and Iraq, his second inaugural shifted the spotlight onto Bush the defender. He defined his mission this way on Jan. 20, 2005: "My most solemn duty is to protect this nation and its people from further attacks and emerging threats."
Last night, we saw more of that mission - or obsession, as it can seem.
"We will stay on the offense, we will keep up the pressure and we will deliver justice to the enemies of America," he said. No retreat there.
The question is, has he reformed and defended?
The answer, unfortunately, is a maddening one. Some critics see him as busting up the historic Republican coalition, going to war in Iraq for oil or being an incompetent boob. And those are just three things I read about him last week.
You can't say that he doesn't deserve some of his critics' shots. Even in Texas, there's a sense that this presidency didn't turn out anywhere close to what Bush supporters had hoped.
Still, he begins his final year and likely will end it with no clear summary line, if you really dig into the details of his presidency. This administration will take decades to figure out. Like Harry Truman, Mr. Bush will go home a disliked political figure. And, like Mr. Truman, it will take a long time for anyone to do more than write him off as a loser of a president.
Make no mistake, though: People will look back at this administration. This one hasn't been a transitional tenure, like the ones led by Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Mr. Bush's father.
Even when he has failed, George W. Bush has changed the debate. He has made it impossible for politicians to ignore the state of Social Security's finances. He has elevated immigration to an issue that none of us can escape. And he has pushed domestic security into our national conversation.
Without question, his decisions about Iraq and the war on terror will shape America's next decade, at the very least.
Some of his calls in those areas have been horrendous, like not adequately preparing for Iraq after Saddam Hussein was deposed. But not all have been. We haven't been attacked in seven years, and the troop surge in Iraq ultimately may prove to be his salvation.
We just don't know yet.
What I'll never understand is why he and his people allowed him to go from uniter to divider. Democrats played a role in this, certainly, but Mr. Bush also went bare-knuckled against them in the 2002 congressional elections, after he had momentum in the war on terror and had succeeded with the bipartisan No Child Left Behind Act.
Those are questions for another day, for history to evaluate. What we know today is George W. Bush won't go out irrelevantly.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
William McKenzie is an editorial columnist for The Dallas Morning News. Comment by clicking here.
01/24/08: After Bush, who's going to crusade for education?
12/20/07: Candidates who prey on fears may generate votes at this moment in our cycle, but we really need to think hard about how far inward we turn
10/30/07: Is America building an empire? That is a central question for the next presidents
08/28/07: Don't let Gonzales' record taint all Bush appointees
08/16/07: Rove was half right: He got the big picture, but didn't belong in the White House
02/01/06: GOP needs changes, but it can't forget the big picture
03/31/05: Mexico fixes problems when it wants to
12/06/04: Bush's new team has a Texas feel
11/08/04: Second chances shouldn't be wasted
08/25/04: Bush could profit from being like Ike
© 2007, The Dallas Morning News Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
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