In interviews with more than two dozen religious leaders who have met with the president, the startling thing that emerges is that Mr. Bush has managed to convince the most traditionalist believers of almost every stripe - Christian fundamentalists and evangelicals, Catholics, Jews, Muslims and even Sikhs - that his beliefs are just like theirs. He charmed a group of Muslims when he said he could understand their concern about shutdowns of Islamic charities, because Christians are also required to tithe. He gave a bear hug to a visiting rabbi who had told the president in a meeting earlier that day that Israel was the Holy Land given to the Jews by God.
If Bush meets with President Fox, he will tell Fox what he wants to hear....If Bush meets with Putin, he will tell Putin what he wants to hear....If Bush meets with a Saudi, he will tell the Saudi what he wants to hear....Bush is clever enough to know what people want to hear.
"The only Jews he doesn't seem to like," said another rabbi, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, "are the ones who aren't religious, because he can't understand them." Above all, Mr. Bush appears to have faith in faith.
Bush is stumped. He doesn't know what these people want to hear. They're Jews, but do they want to hear that the Holy Land was given to the Jews by God?
You can forget about what Bush proclaims about his faith, he's merely saying what he believes you want hear, sic, what gets him the best mileage.
jttmab |
