On this the solemn occasion of the third anniversary of Flight Suit Day, let us join together in remembrance.
It has been three years since that sunlit day in which our President stood on the deck of the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, in front of a banner proclaiming “Mission Accomplished,” to tell us that the military phase of the Iraq operation was over. A CNN poll tells us that today 9 percent of Americans believe the U.S. mission in Iraq has been accomplished, which makes one yearn for whatever it is that 9 percent are smokin’.
I think this will go down as the symbol of the Bush administration — like Carter’s malaise speech, Bush’s father with the carton of milk, LBJ falling on his metaphorical sword in a nationally televised address. It captures everything. The arrogance. The dingbat personality cult. The fleeting triumph of Potemkin stagecraft over tangible accomplishment. The happy willingness to let others take care of the president’s messes.
Could be, but he’s still got 1,000 or so days to pull off something even more absurd.
McJoan has posted a “then and now” commemoration of the great day at Daily Kos. See also Think Progress.
See other observances from The Left Coaster, Digby, Atrios, and Matt Yglesias.
President Bush celebrated the day by announcing that we’ve turned another corner. Unfortunately, we’ve turned so many corners that we have, in fact, been going in circles for some time.
Update: See Greg Mitchell in Editor & Publisher for a roundup of news coverage and commentary from three years ago.
“Unfortunately, we’ve turned so many corners that we have, in fact, been going in circles for some time”
Maha, that is such a great sentence, I wanted to repeat it!
The fleeting triumph of Potemkin stagecraft over tangible accomplishment
This sentence ain’t too bad either…and both sentences are extremely accurate. I guess that’s what makes them so cool.
one codspiece to rule them all…
Here is another take on today’s celebration:
http://simplyappalling.blogspot.com/2006/05/anniversary-of-day-mission.html
What I enjoy the most is that the bad news keeps coming slowly over time…thus preventing the administration from mounting a “campaign†to alter the reality on the ground. Like the saying goes…corruption, the gift that keeps on giving. Let’s just hope it continues through the midterm elections so that the Democrats can finally begin real investigations with actual consequences.
read more observations here:
http://www.thoughttheater.com
OMG I had forgotten how stupid he looked in that outfit…….after seeing the photo of him in his underwear (where was that? I can’t seem to remember?..was that at the Queens place?)I can’t help but wonder, comparing the two photos in my mind, what he had stuffed in the crotch of that flightsuit..
As I look at that photo I try to imagine what people in the future are going to think of us when they see that photo…..It hurts to consider the answer.
Justme – I remember even Republican pundits making comments about his “manliness”. I’m sure his pants were stuffed like Tom Jones and other rockers.
Macho Man – He belongs with the Village People
What’s with Bolton – in early 50’s and never married?