Ever since I started regularly reading conservative blogs sometime in 2003 or 2004, I loved the level of discourse of my favorite right-of-center sites. Or maybe, I should say non-leftist. Then, Andrew Sullivan offered a balanced perspective on President Bush, hailing him for his tenacity in the War on Terror, yet faulting him for his occasional arrogance and political short-sightedness.
Glenn Reynolds thought him a decent man, but berated his big-government conservatism. Powerline offered a more pro-Bush perspective, yet even those fine fellows took issue with the Bush Administration from time to time, particularly on legal issues. Hugh Hewitt, while always offering trenchant political analysis could be pollyannish about the president (and the GOP for that matter). Roger Simon focused on the shenanigans of the Hollywood left, wondered about the influence of social conservatives on the GOP, but took a tough line on terrorism. And then there are the others, Gateway Pundit, the Anchoress, the Corner, CampaignSpot too many to list here.
Some, like Hugh, may have cut the president a little more slack than he may well deserve, yet none called “Dear Leader” or even treated him as such. Yet, all too many of our critics and left-wing bloggers assume we so reverence the outgoing president, with many writing in the vein of this commenter, “conservatives have publicly labeled anyone who disagrees with ‘Dear Leader’ as a traitor.” Or this one: “When will you all get the idea that patriotism and loyalty to this country is not the same thing as showing loyalty to single person and his cronies?”
Yet, they can find no words to back up their claim, not on this blog, not on any mainstream conservative blog, not even on Hugh’s and, of the thoughtful conservative bloggers, he has been the president’s biggest cheerleader.
A few days ago, while perusing an old post, I caught that latter comment. And on the day before Bush leaves office, I wanted to share with y’all my reply, my brief attempt to explain left-wingers assumptions about those conservative (and libertarian) bloggers who, from time to time, have defended the outgoing president:
Where, oh, where did liberals get the idea that we so venerate Bush? Or call him Dear Leader? Could it be they drew the notion from their own psyches, given how eagerly these people revere his successor?
These are the same a-holes who call you racist if you dare ask a question about Comrade Obama.
Well, it’s obvious. They take it as received, inarguable truth that everything Bush does is wrong. Therefore, anyone arguing that Bush isn’t wrong must be so insanely partisan that they would rather lie than admit that he was wrong.
Then they tell you that religious people are stupid.
DensityDuck has it right, in my experience. To some, not blasting Bush as Chimpy McBushitler is tantamount to professing your undying love and adoration. Just one symptom of BDS.