Rocket Man is by nature

Rocket Man is by nature an optimist with an indomitable spirit. It hurts to read his dispirited response to the utterly hysterical, gleeful, and phony Democratic assaults on President Bush in the context of the Wall Street meltdown and corporate scandals. I tend to think that Americans have taken their measure of President Bush following 9/11 and that it will take more than the current wave of attacks to alter his high standing with them, although the political climate for Republicans in this fall’s elections may be changing. We shall see.
In the meantime, I would take heart from the example of Arizona Cardinals safety Pat Tillman. On Friday Peggy Noonan published a genuinely inspiring account of his decision to turn his back on a multimillion dollar contract with the Cardinals in order to enlist with the Army. Tillman enlisted in hopes of joining the Army’s elite Rangers unit and fighting for our country on the front lines of the war in which we are engaged. In today’s NY Times (registration required), Mike Freeman adds a few powerful details to the story, but is willfully obtuse to Tillman’s blindingly obvious patriotism. Nevertheless, Freeman’s account is also worth reading as a powerful antidote to the cynicism that is otherwise weighing on us. I have no doubt that it is the example of Americans like Tillman that inspires President Bush to perform his crushing job, making life and death decisions, in the face of the phenomenon that Rocket Man observes.

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