Alexander Haig, Chief of Staff to Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford and Secretary of State to Ronald Reagan, has words of praise for Barack Obama.
John Allen is finding some sense in William Kristol, cats and dogs are living together and half of registered Republicans approve of Obama’s actions since he was elected. Are these signs of the End of Days, or the beginning of an Age of Reason?
I tentatively suggest it is the latter. Bullshit just doesn’t seem to have quite the appealing bouquet it has in recent times.
Obama has in fact made choices to date that reflect a thoughtful and pragmatic approach to advancing the common interests of the country and its people. Recognizing that is something that anyone not hanging on to an extreme edge of ideology would find obvious. The acceptance of the obvious is finding its way into odd places of late, including Newsmax, who conducted the interview and actually published it:
“Look at the diversity he’s imposed already,” Haig answered, “a diversity that includes some very very proven, wise men in the economic field. He’s turned to a secretary of defense who’s been in the job and has been doing a fine job, in my view. He’s just put in [as head of the Veterans Administration] the young fellow who I think is one of America’s hidden heroes, General Shinseki, who was run out by the departing Pentagon because he told the truth” and was “slaughtered by the Bush White House.
“So we have reason to be optimistic. But we also have to be very very cautious and patient and understand that these are horrendous problems the new president has inherited . . .
“Politics is the art of the possible and I think our president-elect is going to learn that the president, in my experience, has just a few months when he can do things. After that the worms crawl out of the mattress, not only in the opposing party but in your own party.”
Haig went on to blast the Neocons and the mistakes of Republicans Past:
Asked what Republicans did wrong leading up to their losses in the election, and what directions they should now go in, Haig declared: “We need to get rid of the neocons, and nobody has had the courage, until recently, to stand up [to them].
“They believe you can create democracy with a bayonet. I think what you create is the exact opposite, real ideological animosity, and I’d say the Gulf Wars experiences confirm that.”
Disagreement without demonization? Recognition of the accomplishments of opponents and the failures of allies? Could this be habit forming?
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