Why Did George Bush Win In 2007?

Attorney Glenn Greenwald, a former constitutional lawyer who is now ablogger on politics and the media for Salon.com, was interviewed by DeanLawrence R. Velvel on how George Bush became the Republican candidate in2000. Greenwald has just written a book, to be published on Tuesday, June26th, on the disaster of George Bush’s presidency. The interview withVelvel was for the radio show called What The Media Doesn’t Tell You, whichdiscusses subjects the mainstream does not present (or presents only verybriefly) and why the media ignores these subjects.
Greenwald said that there were three fundamental reasons why George Bushbecame the Republican candidate in 2000. One he called “tribalism,” meaningthe cultural ideology of the right wing. Another was the political lineageof the Bush family. Finally, Bush has an affable personality that the medialiked. This last point was of major importance, said Greenwald, because themass media focuses on personal amiability and attractiveness, not oncompetence or knowledge. It also focuses, he said, on the horse raceaspects of politics - - who is ahead, by how much and why. Here too itignores competence and knowledge.
The reason the mass media ignores substance is that it is now largely ownedby large corporations, which feel they get more readers and viewers - - andmake more money - - by focusing on personalities rather than substance.Reporters have to go along with this to advance in their careers. In thisvacuum of substance, said Greenwald, blogs are making an importantcontribution because they are focusing on the substance neglected by themass media.
In addition to the foregoing reasons, there were also other reasons too whyGeorge Bush became the Republican candidate. The Republican politicalestablishment was desperate to win, especially because it hated theClintons, and was persuaded that George Bush had the best chance to win.And while member of the Republican establishment weren’t completely sureabout Bush’s ideology, they knew they did not like John McCain’s. Bush alsohad name recognition because of membership in a political dynasty, and hehad access to huge sums of money. Nor did the Republican politicalestablishment care a whit about the inadequacy of Bush’s record as Governorof Texas, nor about the fact that he had been a continuous failure inbusiness - - and thus had never demonstrated competence.
When asked whether America needs a third party because currently it has“only one party with two branches,” Greenwald demurred. In his view, thesituation is currently so terrible that it is crucial to defeat theRepublicans in 2008, and he feels the Democrats have the best chance to dothis. He thus favors efforts to change the Democrat Party so that, in thoseareas where it closely overlaps the Republicans, it would instead stand forthe very things that a third party would otherwise stand for. In responseto the possible objection that the nation is claimed to be in a criticalstate in every single presidential election - - a claim that would alwaysaugur against a third party and would make it impossible ever to start one -- Greenwald said that this time the situation truly is dire.
Greenwald concluded by saying that it is now essential to findcandidates who will engage in honest, competent debate, for the edificationof the American people, about America’s role in the world.
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