http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-0409160189sep16,1,579419.column?coll=chi-news-colHow tough is Bush, really?
From China to Iraq to Afghanistan to Russia, the president has a proven record on flinching and yielding, time after time after time
In this campaign, Republicans have portrayed President Bush as the political equivalent of a New York City firefighter: strong, manly, eager to rescue those in need, and utterly fearless in confronting danger. It's a safe bet that the words "toughness" and "resolve" got used about as many times at the Republican National Convention as "combat" and "veteran" were heard at the Democratic gathering--which is to say, beyond counting. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) set the tone in praising the president: "He has not wavered. He has not flinched from the hard choices. He will not yield." Bush himself boasted, "I will never relent in defending America--whatever it takes."
By contrast, Republicans accuse John Kerry of having a pacifistic allergy to weapons systems, as well as a craven tendency to appease ruthless enemies, such as the French. Relying on him to protect the nation's security, they suggest, would be like buying a pet rabbit to ward off burglars.
What's most surprising about this whole picture is how much it leaves out. Anyone looking at his record on defense and foreign policy can see that Bush indeed has flinched and yielded, time after time. What this president has proven is that Republicans can routinely get away with behavior that, in a Democrat, would be labeled wimpy.
Most people have long forgotten the crisis that erupted early in his term, when a U.S. spy plane landed in China after colliding with a Chinese fighter. When Beijing demanded an apology before it would release the crew, Bush refused, only to back down. In the end, the administration issued a letter saying it was "very sorry" for the plane's intrusion.