Disaster Wherever He Goes
Posted on May 16, 2008 by andrew
I think this business about politics stopping at water’s edge has always been overblown, honored more in the breach than the observance. Regardless, though, I agree with Haggai: if this rule ever made sense, it doesn’t anymore. Travel is too ubiquitous, television and the internet are too global, and audiences are too sophisticated for this to matter much anymore. Everyone in the world already knows how Bush and Obama feel about talking with various international bad actors because they see see it on TV every day. 24/7 cable news has made the distinction of where something is said mostly obsolete and the symbology of showing a united front on foreign soil little more than a quaint relic of an earlier age.
What Bush said was ridiculous, but the fact that he said in Israel didn’t make it any worse. It may have had a good run, but it’s time to officially retire the water’s edge rule.
I see where Drum is coming from, but I think he’s ignoring an important fact about Bush’s remarks: The president said this to a foreign parliament while acting in a diplomatic capacity. Had Bush been visiting Israel (or some other country), concluded his official events for the day, gone to enjoy some local culture in a semi1-official capacity, and made these remarks in casual conversation only to have them broadcast around the world, I would be willing to agree with Drum on the “water’s edge” issue. But that’s not what happened.
When the President of the United States formally addresses a foreign parliament while visiting a foreign country on official business (especially on a ceremonial occasion such as the 60th anniversary of Israel’s independence), he is supposed to be speaking on behalf of America. He is not supposed to be campaigning against domestic political opponents. Now, Bush has obviously made a habit of stepping wildly over the line when it comes to the divisions between the job of the presidency and the job of the leader of the Republican Party, but that only makes it all the more important for us to call him out when he does so. Bush violated one of the key principles of his job in these remarks and failed to act as the head of state he is supposed to be. As a result, he embarrassed the country and his office.
Again, nothing new for this particular president, but still unacceptable.
- The president is never entirely “off-duty”. ↩
» Filed Under George W Bush, diplomacy
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