Bush's Personal Performance Record

Today we affirm a new commitment to live out our nation's promise through civility, courage, compassion and character.

—George W. Bush

Civility. Given the number of tantrums Bush has thrown in just the last month alone, he hardly qualifies. One also has only to think back to his performance at the G8 summit in July. One also needs to remember the number of times that Bush has refused to listen to what others have to say despite a long dismal record of numerous blunders. No administration in recent memory has been so divisive in its approach to politics.

Courage. Bush and his top aides have used fear for political purposes for the better part of five years.

Compassion. The treatment of the victims of Hurricane Katrina was anything but compassionate. One could list many other examples.

Character. Bush has always been fast and loose with this one. Here's the latest example of Bush's character from Roll Call (by way of Americablog):

Hundreds of contacts between top White House officials and former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his associates "raise serious questions about the legality and actions" of those officials, according to a draft bipartisan report prepared by the House Government Reform Committee.

The 95-page report, which White House officials reviewed Wednesday evening but has yet to be formally approved by the panel, singled out two of President Bush's top lieutenants, Karl Rove and Ken Mehlman, as having been offered expensive meals and exclusive tickets to premier sporting events and concerts by Abramoff and his associates.

In total, the committee was able to document 485 contacts between White House officials and Abramoff and his lobbying team at the firm Greenberg Traurig from January 2001 to March 2004, with 82 of those contacts occurring in Rove's office, including 10 with Rove personally. The panel also said that Abramoff billed his clients nearly $25,000 for meals and drinks with White House officials during that period.

Rove, Mehlman, and other White House officials have denied having any close relationship with Abramoff, despite the fact that Abramoff was a "Pioneer" who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Bush's White House campaigns.

"The documents depict a much closer relationship between Mr. Abramoff and White House officials than the White House has previously acknowledged," committee staff wrote in a three-page summary that accompanied the report.

According to TPMMuckraker, Jack Abramoff is a "lifetime GOP operative" and a convicted felon. George W. Bush and Karl Rove have still not explained their relationship with Abramoff.

Thursday was not the best day in the history of America's democracy. Congress caved in to Bush instead of upholding the U.S. Constitution. It's not clear what Bush is committing himself to these days except his own political fortunes and the fortunes of his party. What America needs is to return to a commitment to its own future.

If I seem to be repeating some of my themes lately, it is simply because the stakes are so high.