March 20, 2002
Konrad Switters

It is over 16 months since George W. Bush was elected president. With an approval rating still hovering around 78%, and with the upcoming November 2002 mid-term elections threatening to sway the balance of power, it should come as no surprise that the president's detractors are anxiously flailing to undermine his governing prowess.

On March 14, 2002, a government official said that the election result did not reflect the will of the people. "As a result, he [the President] may claim victory, but not democratic legitimacy." [1]

On March 13 2002, another government official told a White House news conference, "We do not recognize the outcome of the election because we think it's flawed. And we are dealing with our friends to figure out how to deal with this flawed election." [2]

These statements are absurd; categorically absurd. But even more so, because they did not come from George W. Bush's detractors. These quotes are from the President himself, and from his administration. The first quotes is from The Secretary of State, Colin Powell; and the second quote is from President George W. Bush himself. Of course they were talking about the recent presidential election of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe, not their own electoral scruples. These statements could only be made, with the assumption that the voting public's long term memory only goes back as far as September, 11.

There could not be a more perfect example of hypocrisy; it is remarkable that George W. Bush can talk about the subversion of democracy with a straight face.

works cited:

[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/14/international/africa/14ZIMB.html

[2] http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html