Bush funeral in focus

With the passing of former President George Herbert Walker Bush, every media outlet has given historical accounts of his life, his accomplishments and his presidency. It is, of course, the right thing to do. However, what I’ve taken umbrage to, is how fast and how suddenly those news outlets and individuals seem to have jumped on the “he was such a great man” bandwagon. Looking back 30 years, it seems like those were precisely the reasons why this good and decent man had my support and my vote in the first place. Lest we forget, many of these voices were the voices that savaged him during his presidency. I’m reminded of the buildup to Desert Storm. Remember the tired old bumper-sticker battle cry presented by the left — “no blood for oil”? I sure do, and it was ugly. These same people opposed President Bush every step of the way. To make matters worse, on the heels of an abbreviated, near perfectly executed, overwhelming victory, they all armchair quarterbacked his decision to NOT put boots on the ground. Amazingly, they went from opposing … to supporting a protracted war that would have caused an exponential increase in American casualties to search for and take out Saddam Hussein. I was barely in my 30s, wondering to myself at the duplicity and ignorance of these people who identified as “the left.” President Bush never buckled and stood firm during a time this country needed strength and leadership. It was particularly close to the bone for my family, when we bade farewell to my brother, John, who went off to fight in Desert Storm. So, yeah, it was personal then, and it’s personal now. Suddenly, we’re all being regaled by the likes of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama with stories of this man’s goodness and virtue, his character and his love of country. Now, before I get accused of sowing the seeds of discontent, I should admit that these virtues should be the talking points of past and present world leaders and news outlets. Perhaps it’s just that my own personal “garbage-o-meter” has been pegged over in the red ever since listening to Obama and Clinton put on their best “look at me, I’m so statesmanlike” appearances. Now, it’s just a matter of time. Like watching to see who will be the first one to blink. Who will be the first one to use the death of President Bush to somehow take jabs at and undermine President Trump’s standing? Not that irresponsible behavior and bad taste from the left is something we’ve all come to expect, mind you. My guess is that they’ll use nostalgia and whimsy in hearkening back to a time “when we could all get along.” Truth is, the left never COULD get along with the right. Remember Dan Rather’s “ambush” of then-candidate Bush? Or the nonstop, incessant liberal bias of the entire media back then? It’s still there and has only gotten worse. So, yes, Clinton and Obama and the news media are saying and doing what they should. No, I don’t begrudge them for saying and doing what is right. Frankly, I’m surprised to think they haven’t long since forgotten how to exhibit that capacity. In the meantime, the rest of this grateful nation offers genuine and sincere condolences to the entire Bush family. Rest in peace, Mr. President. You served your country well. Dave Del Camp, Portland, Maine