Columns, pieces and posts
The past week was dominated by three presidents, the new one, the last one, a past one. It was instructive. The new one continues to move forward, becoming accepted by the country as president. The recount seems if not long ago then just another strange mishap, like Al Gore’s makeup in the first debate. George […]
George W. Bush’s first trip to another country as president will be in two weeks, to Mexico. He wants to show respect and support for Mexico’s new president, the intrepid Vicente Fox. As a former Texas governor, Mr. Bush has long had a foreign policy toward Mexico, and the trip will demonstrate Mexico’s continued precedence […]
Well, that was an interesting first week from Mr. Bush. He became president, established himself as the new top dog. It’s always surprising how quickly new presidents seem to look comfortable signing orders and holding meetings with the congressional leadership. An important Democratic senator (Georgia’s Zell Miller, who took the late great Paul Coverdell’s place […]
President Bush’s inaugural address had a specific weight. Some speeches just float away because they’re light and full of air, but this one had weight and stayed and settled. It was a speech that declared the new president’s thinking as he assumes the presidency. This is what he thinks: God is here and asks us […]
The question going into Bill Clinton’s farewell speech last night was this: Is this the last speech of the Clinton presidency, or the first speech of the new Clinton era? It was very much the latter, which is why he never said the word “goodbye” or “farewell.” There was a time—it lasted more than 200 […]
And so it begins, one week and one day from today. On that bright morning—well, at just about 11:59:59 a.m.—you will place your left hand on the King James Bible your father and George Washington before him used for their swearing-ins, and take the oath of office. I wonder if when you finish you will […]
I return from 10 days away to find on the front page of every newspaper in America the official swearing-in of Hillary Clinton, Sen. Clinton, dressed in a pantsuit of robin’s-egg blue, her right hand raised, a radiant smile upon her face. Moments later, Strom Thurmond rose and asked if he could hug her, which […]
At the end of the week in which President-elect Bush finally came to Washington, the reports are: So far, so good. From public cabinet appointments to private meetings, those who see Mr. Bush in action respond with one word: Good. Colin Powell? Good. Condi Rice? Good. Mel Martinez? Good. When Paul O’Neill was nominated for […]
America now knows who its next president is, and this is cause for joy. But think how hard it was to end the Clinton-Gore era. It may well be that hard for the next president to get out from under its shadow. One of the biggest things George W. Bush has in his favor is […]
To: Vice President Al Gore From: Communications Staff, Gore-Lieberman 2000 Sir, we understand from a friend of Mrs. Gore who was overheard this morning talking on the phone with a cousin of Drew Schiff that you are going to drop out. If this is true, sir, we’re here to help. Our thoughts: First, you’re obviously […]