43 versus 45
Laura and I are proud to share in the day, to look you in the eyes, and call you our fellow citizens. Congratulations, and may God bless you.” –George W. Bush
On the heels of a weekend that saw the President of the United States tweet and retweet 50 times about a number of grievances including denigrating the late Sen. John McCain, we were treated Monday to a welcoming message of inclusiveness at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Texas.
Former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush joined in a naturalization ceremony to honor new American citizens. “Honor” was the word used by the Bush Presidential Center, possibly chosen because of its meaning: “high respect; great esteem.” Honor those who have honored us by choosing our country to build their lives, much as our own ancestors chose to immigrate from their home countries.
The way the former president conducted himself and the way the current president conducted himself provided a contrast in two leadership styles of two Republican presidents whose terms were separated by a short eight years.
In addressing the new citizens, President Bush spoke of hope and optimism, much as former President Ronald Reagan spoke of the shining city on a hill with “people of all kinds” living in harmony with the doors wide open welcoming all.
As he spoke, President Bush began, “We have individuals and families from many backgrounds and cultures. As candidates for naturalization, you represent more than 20 countries. That’s what brings us all here. You know, the future we have in common, and a ritual that represents something fundamental and noble about this country is about to take place.”
He continued:
“You paid America the high tribute of aspiring to live here, leaving behind familiar ways and places, and accepting a process that everyone knows is no easy. Our country, in return, honored your efforts, and soon we will be honored to call you citizen.
“The United States of America is in many ways the most successful of nations. Historically, where immigration is concerned, we are also the most welcoming of nations. And these two facts are related.
“So many of us can draw a line somewhere back to a man or woman who had the idea that life could be better – and that hope led them here. Generations of new arrivals left their mark on our national character, in traits that friends abroad still recognize as distinctly American: our optimism, our independence and openness to the new, our willingness to strive and to risk, our sense of life as an adventure, dignified by personal freedom and personal responsibility. Such qualities don’t come out of nowhere. A spirit of self-reliance runs deep in our immigrant heritage, along with the humility and kindness to look at someone less fortunate and see yourself.
“Across the world, good men and women still dream of starting life anew in America – people who bring energy, and talent, and faith in the future. Often they bring a special love of freedom, because they have seen how life works without it.
“The great yearning of so many to live in our country presents a significant challenge. America’s elected representatives have a duty to regulate who comes in and when. In meeting this responsibility, it helps to remember that America’s immigrant history made us who we are. Amid all the complications of policy, may we never forget that immigration is a blessing and a strength.
“Public debate on the matter can get pretty sharp. That’s not exclusive to this issue or these times. I guess you’ve noticed by now that Americans like to speak their minds. You’ve just signed up with a boisterous democracy, and my hope is that you take the duties of citizenship seriously. Participate, and vote. And for whatever the opinion of one retired politician might be worth, I believe we can see our way cleared to immigration policies that are just, fair, and in the interest of the whole nation.
“That starts with recognizing a plain responsibility at the border – and, in an often chaotic situation, being willing to state the obvious: Borders are not arbitrary and they need to be respected – along with the fine men and women of immigration services and our Border Patrol. Immigration statutes, likewise, reflect the will of the people and the Congress, and must be enforced. And when the laws are outdated and ineffective, they must be rewritten. I hope those responsible in Washington can dial down the rhetoric, put politics aside, and modernize our immigration laws soon.
“As President, I worked hard on comprehensive immigration reform, and I regret that our efforts came up short. Today, emotions can cloud the issue. But here at the Bush Center, we are clear-eyed about the need to enforce our borders and protect our homeland, and about the critical contributions immigrants make to our prosperity and to our way of life.
“To that end, we have published America’s Advantage, a three-edition handbook of research on immigration’s positive effects on our economy. Our Central America Prosperity Project brings together leaders to strengthen economies, expand markets, and reduce pressure on our southern border. And we’ve convened a bipartisan immigration policy working group to develop a blueprint for comprehensive immigration reform.
“For the ideal outcome, we need look no farther than this very room, and to a joyful moment you’ve waited for a long time. The path from application to oath ends on a beautiful morning in the great state of Texas. And I’m not going to put it off any longer, except to say that Laura and I are proud to share in the day, to look you in the eyes, and call you our fellow citizens. Congratulations, and may God bless you.”
So it was indeed (just proven in court papers) “last in his class” (Annapolis) John McCain that sent the Fake Dossier to the FBI and Media hoping to have it printed BEFORE the Election. He & the Dems, working together, failed (as usual). Even the Fake News refused this garbage!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019
Meanwhile, the current occupant of the White House had thumbs on the iPhone keyboard over the weekend with his dozens of tweets, summed up here by Chris Cillizza at CNN:
- The Federal Communications Commission or Federal Election Commission should investigate whether “Saturday Night Live” and late-night talk shows are in collusion with Democrats and/or Russia because they attack him so consistently.
- Attacked late Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, for allegedly sending the FBI the Steele dossier before the election — and working with Democrats to do so. (Also, Trump called McCain — who, it’s worth noting, is dead — “last in his class” at the US Naval Academy.) [Author’s note: McCain did see the dossier until after the November 2016 election, and McCain was not at the bottom of his class, an interesting accusation coming from Trump who had his fixer lawyer demand that educational institutions hide his grades and SAT scores from public view.]
- Urged Fox News Channel to reinstate host Jeanine Pirro after she was suspended for questioning the patriotism of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, who is Muslim.
- Urged FNC to stand up for host Tucker Carlson, who has seen some advertisers pull out of his show following the release of a series of caustic and offensive remarks he made on a radio show between 2006 and 2011.
- Accused General Motors of having “let our country down” in the wake of the news that the company was relocating four American factories.
- Attacked FNC anchor Shep Smith and two other weekend anchors at Fox, alleging they had “been trained by CNN prior to their ratings collapse.”
- Alleged that Democrats tried to “steal a presidential election,” calling it “the biggest scandal in the history of our country.”
- Retweeted Jack Posobiec, who among other things, is a leading promoter of the Pizzagate and Seth Rich conspiracy theories.
Two distinctly different Republican presidents, two distinctly different leadership styles.
Cover photo: Presidents #41 and #43, father and son
Background:
-Washington Post: George W. Bush: ‘May we never forget that immigration is a blessing and strength’
