PARENTING LESSONS FOR A PRESIDENT
The American president needs to refine his parenting skills.
As troubling as I find our current constitutional crisis — and thatยs precisely what we have, as the history books wait to be written — my most severe criticism of George W. Bush and his inner circle involves a pair of skills I consider critical in the raising of my own two daughters. (The President and I have this much in common. I have to believe these very qualities might be valuable in leading the free world.)
Letยs start with honest dissemination of information (telling the truth, in parent-speak, and in a timely manner). When my four-year-old is near a swimming pool, I tell her absolutely not to go near the pool unless a grown-up is already in. I could easily tell her thereยs a fang-toothed, swimmer-eating water dragon at the bottom of the pool . . . sheยd certainly stay away. But I donยt. I tell her to stay away from the pool because water is dangerous when you canยt swim yet. You need help.
When President Bush ยlooked into our eyesย — his most valued foreign-relations talent — via national broadcast on March 17, we were told that the plethora of weapons at Saddam Husseinยs disposal could not go ignored any longer; that enough bio and chemical ยbulletsย were in Husseinยs arsenal to warrant a pre-emptive invasion . . . the first such attack in the history of this republic. More than three months later, we have managed to locate the fourth card in our deck of Iraqi enemies — in a country, the presidentยs cronies remind us, ยthe size of Californiaย — but somehow canยt uncover ton upon ton of lethal gas or liquid.
Someone lied to us. Knowingly or unknowingly, someone lied. Lying cost Richard Nixon his presidency, more than any hotel break-in. It almost cost Bill Clintonยs his, more than any extra-marital fling might have. But somehow, some way, the deception — again, knowingly or otherwise — that spawned Gulf War II has been struck from President George W. Bushยs record.
The second parenting lesson President Bush needs is in the concept of accountability. At this point, Iยd almost welcome some good, old-fashioned political spin. Instead of limiting his public appearances to photo-ops on aircraft carriers and contrived sit-downs with Ariel
Sharon and Mahmoud Abbas, the President needs to re-establish a connection to ยthe American peopleย (the overused, generalizing expression he so often leans on as the trigger for his decision-making, however ill-conceived). President Bush needs — must — explain (1) how ยintelligenceย on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was gathered, (2) how this ยintelligenceย was corroborated and detailed to the point an act of war was warranted, and (3) in light of the complete absence of WMDs in Iraq to date, how the ยintelligenceย may have been marginalized.
If anything, youยd think President Bush would want to provide an explanation of sorts, an out, so to speak. Despite his unequivocal claims in March that these horrid threats were merely a Saddam Hussein whim away, now is the chance — prior to the kickoff of campaign season — for the President to deflect blame, to shift the ever-shifting media glare in a different direction. Give me something, Dubya, anything. But I — no, we, the American people — demand and expect accountability.
As angry as I get at the continued media-dance performed by President Bush — and Mr. Rumsfeld, Ms. Rice, Mr. Cheney, etc. — itยs a fear of sorts that I find squeezing my heart when I look at my little girls. Iยm afraid at the thought of not being able to explain to these precious ยAmerican peopleย why the executive branch of our government wasnยt held to the same rules that shaped their upbringing. ยYou mean, Dad, the president told us there were deadly weapons, but they were never found?ย
Yes, sweetheart.
ยSo, the president then explained where he went wrong, and why?ย
No, Iยm afraid not.
ยBut Daddy, people died, even kids. Someone made a mistake. Someone needed to be punished, someone needed a timeout.ย
Yes, my love. Someone needed a timeout, to say the least.
