Hope for Change

On the front page of the Huffington Post tonight, I found a headline reading George W. Bush To Write Memoir About "Decisions" followed by this picture:

Now I'm not at all surprised, although I continue to be amazed and offended by the words of some who comment on that particular website. Last night I wrote about the time I spend on that website, and how I learn more about what is wrong with our great nation when I read the statements of those with whom I vehemently disagree. This is a perfect example of my point.

I do not agree with everything George W. Bush did as president. I do not agree with much of anything Barack Obama has done to date, and I do not expect that feeling to change. However, I believe that the left in America has started a dangerous trend in the political world - the disrespectful mockery and mimicking of George W. Bush over the last 8 years has been disgraceful.

I believe this behavior stems mostly from a couple of things. First and foremost I believe the impeachment of Bill Clinton was seen by the left as a personal attack, because the left does not always think in facts; often they think only with feelings. It was an unpleasant experience for them to have their first president in 12 years, and their first decent president since Kennedy, put through the embarrassing process that he truly (and legally) brought upon himself.

Second, I believe that liberalism in general allows for and creates a less moral society. I believe I am validated in this belief by the behavior of Bill Clinton throughout his political career, as well as the treatment of 'W' by liberals in the media and in public. In the case of Clinton, a somewhat decent president acted disgracefully. In the case of Bush, a great president was said by the left to have acted disgracefully (which I will never understand).

Further proof of the double-standard on the left, and the continuation of the aforementioned trend, has been on display recently in the way they have treated Meghan McCain. Ms. McCain was made fun of by the left during the campaign - she was called a princess, a daddy's girl, and had her weight made fun of. When she recently voiced a somewhat negative opinion of Ann Coulter, she was immediately invited to be interviewed on the Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC) and The View, and the left-leaning websites all had articles presenting her in a positive light.

This chain of events led to a segment of the Laura Ingraham radio show being picked up - and picked apart - by the left after Ms. McCain appeared on Maddow's TV show. Ms. Ingraham did a bit about Ms. McCain, and during this time she made mention of the fact that Meghan "Really wanted that slot on MTV's The Real World but realized they didn't accept 'plus sized models.' This was instantly picked up by the left. However, they presented the story as if Ingraham was making fun of McCain's weight, rather than presenting it as it really was intended - a sarcastic bit in which Ingraham was "channeling" Meghan McCain.

The point, ultimately, is that Ms. McCain has only become convenient for the left because she has something negative to say about Conservatives. As Tammy Bruce said on The O'Reilly Factor Tuesday night, Meghan McCain will be just fine if she wants to be a useful idiot for the left, and her statements may get her invited to some Hollywood parties. (If anyone would understand the meanness of the left, who better than a former self-described 'classical liberal,' openly gay, feminist, pro-choice woman who once headed the L.A. chapter of the National Organization for Women). However, if Ms. McCain truly is a Conservative she will soon fall out of the good graces of the left. Her statements about how both parties need to be more moderate, however, lead me to believe that she will serve the left well for quite some time. Like father, like daughter, I guess...

So my "Hope for Change" is this: I hope the left will change its way and realize that they really need to be more respectful of everyone, not just those who meet their needs or who make them feel good. Sadly it may take the very harsh demise of Barack Obama to make them realize that every liberal isn't perfect, and every Conservative isn't a hate monger.