Moving forward once again, here's the start of the Sept. 13 NYT Magazine cover story on sometimes heir-apparent GWB, which I stumbled on last night. It's quite favorable to Bush the younger in general. This must mean he's beyond hope, considering the source. Who can say?
George Walker Bush was visiting his parents in the White House one day when the talk turned to religion, which is precisely the subject that some powerful factions in the Republican Party want their Presdential standard bearer to talk about, forcefully, in 2000. But Bush, sitting one day recently on a sofa in the Governor's office at the Texas State Capitol, says he is cautious about wearing my religion on my sleeve in the political process." And he offers this particular story to explain why.
"Mother and I were arguing not arguing, having a discussion - and discussing who goes to Heaven," recalls the Governor, who at the time had religion very much on his mind. Having dealt with a gathering drinking problem by abruptly swearing off alcohol, he had vowed a renewed commitment to his family and his faith. Bush pointed to the Bible: only Christians had a place in heaven. "I said, Mom, look, all I can tell you is what the New Testament says. And she said, well, surely, God will accept others. And I said, Mom, here's what the New Testament says. And she said, O.K., and she picks up the phone and calls Billy Graham. She says to the White House operator, Get me Billy Graham.
"I said, Mother, what are you doing?" Bush continues, chuckling at the memory, "Seriously, And about two minutes later, the phone rings, and it's Billy Graham, and Mother and I are on the phone with Billy. And Mother explains the circumstances, and Billy says, From a personal perspective, I agree with what George is saying, the New Testament has been my guide. But I want to caution you both. Don't play God. Who are you two to be God?"
I guess Billy Graham wouldn't find too many takers on that advice here, where many seem to have their own direct line to God and Leviticus rules on religious matters. Continuing on that note, we have this:
For George W Bush, a man who, in large part because of his famous name, shows up in most polls these days as the very early front-runner for a Republican Presidential nomination battle that is still more than a year away, it is an interesting story to choose to relate. Bush says it explains in part why he urged an end to "name calling" this summer when a fracas broke out over his party's decision to bar a gay Republican group from setting up a booth at the G.O.P state convention.
"There are some great admonitions in the Bible, talking about, you know; don't try to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye when you've got a log in your own," Bush says. "I'm mindful of that."
Oh dear. This seems to present some problems for the local sanctimonious moralizers. Dwight, Who, Me? and bp don't seem to feel much need to be mindful of those kind of verses. And what would resident political hygienist Rev. Pilch make of this? I guess GWB has to have the Pharisees explained to him. Or maybe GWB would join me in judging Rev Pilch a Pharisee. Who can say? At any rate, will the moral reformationists ever find GWB acceptable? It says later in the article that Ralph Reed thinks he's cool, which could be worth something. |
