Bush casts himself as the Lone Ranger -- Sidney Blumenthal

[Khephra]

Bush casts himself as the Lone Ranger

Sidney Blumenthal
Saturday September 4, 2004
The Guardian

George W Bush emerged between two gigantic American flags, walked down a runway to the centre of a stage emblazoned with the seal of the presidency. The proscenium behind him resembled a Roman temple, engraved with large gold letters: "The United States of America."

The overpowering evidence of his authority did not foster distance between him and the crowd; instead his elevation excited charismatic deference. Standing alone on the image of the American eagle, he was thrust on his podium physically both amid and above the rapturous delegates at the Republican convention. His solitary presence brought him closer to them in fulfilling their dream of leadership - the president as lone ranger.

Bush has always benefited from what he calls in another context "the soft bigotry of low expectations". The dismissals of him as stupid, crude and impulsive allow the widest play for his well-planned and sophisticated shrewdness. The spoiled son of privilege, who gained admission to Yale as a favour of legacy to his family, sloughed off his military service, was indifferent to the intricacies of international affairs that compelled the career of his father, and a failure in business until salvaged by family friends, has in fact been a diligent student in one crucial area

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/comment/story/0,14259,1297206,00.html