Performance evaluation
Posted on April 14, 2004 @ 10:41 am
I have a performance evaluation coming up at the end of this semester. If anyone asks me if I can recall any mistakes that I’ve made on the job over the course of the past three years, I think I’ll reply, “No.” Then, if they call my attention to a specific decision that could possibly be construed as a mistake and ask me if I would stand by that decision even if it ended up costing me my job next semester, I think I’ll respond, “Well, I don’t plan to lose my job next semester.”
Seriously, though, I didn’t feel like President Bush accomplished what he needed to do in last night’s press conference — that is, he didn’t exactly reach out to those Americans who have doubts about the war in Iraq and reassure them that the administration is doing the right thing. There are certain ways to communicate a “stay the course” message without further alienating opponents of the war and other critics of the administration, but Bush by and large failed to hit upon them. Instead, it seemed more like he was preaching to the choir. Obviously, the President can’t go on national television and start saying things like, “Yeah, we might have messed up. Our bad.” That would be political suicide. Nor can he completely dilute his message to improve his standing in the polls. By that same token, however, he could have perhaps attempted to present his case in a manner more consistent with the “uniter, not a divider” message on which he campaigned in 2000. As it stands, I would find it hard to believe that last night’s press conference won over anyone who wasn’t already a Bush supporter.
I don’t think it’s fair to ask President Bush to accept responsibility for 9/11. On the other hand, with regards to questionable intelligence and/or motives vis-à-vis the war in Iraq, it seems like there should come a point at which the President adopts Truman’s “the buck stops here” attitude and argues his case from there.
Posted by Jess | Filed Under In the News |
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As far as I’m concerned he can keep it up too, because I sure as hell don’t want him back! I missed the press conference last night because of class, but I can honestly say I’m never disappointed to miss him speak. He makes my blood BOIL!
I really don’t understand where this hatred and animosity for Bush comes from. I didn’t vote for him in 2000, and I wasn’t planning on voting for him necessarily, but all of the anti-Bush propaganda is getting so tiresome that I will likely vote for Bush just to spite them. And I will enjoy it too.
Bush should have answered, “Well, some people are upset that I preempted American Idol tonight.”
That would have brought down the house.
Then, he could have said, “At least I didn’t preempt The Apprentice. I would have had to deal with Donald Trump.”
But, instead, he stammered and stumbled and looked like a complete moron. “I’ll think of something…uh…I wasn’t prepared…uh…give me a moment.”
I’ve never thought that Bush was the best public speaker, and I don’t agree with everything he’s done. I do, however, respect that he seems to make his stance on most issues obvious and I feel that he, at least, sincerely believes that he’s taken the best actions for his country. I’m not convinced that there aren’t better people out there for the job, but I’d rather have a semi-intelligent Bush than a completely spineless Kerry. What are the democrats thinking? They should use the next 4 years to find a way to bring JFK back from the dead, instead of wasting that time hating on Bush during his second term.
As you might know, I’m leaving the blog-o-sphere (as a blogger) at the beginning of May. I’m attempting to do a few neat things for the last few weeks of blogging. One of my ideas is to get each blogger on my blogroll to recommend a book with reasons for that recommendation. Of course, you’ll be credited…etc, etc (that’s part of the point). I’d love to have input from everyone. Fiction, non-fiction, any book that you think worth recommending, please do. I’d like to limit the books to one per blogger, for fear the list may otherwise get too long.
You can email me your response at chews_news AT yahoo DOT com
I’d love to see what you have to recommend!
dubya is no more responsible for 9/11 than a caged monkey is responsible for the fender bender in the zoo parking lot. i certainly think that his administration could have done a lot more to prevent it, but an incident like 9/11 was inevitable (though perhaps not on such a large scale). its been shown that the bushies were gearing up for war on iraq far in advance of 9/11 and it insults me to think that the administration thinks that americans would take the (dubious at best) connection between osama and hussein as evidence and reason to spoil for a rumble with iraq.
it saddens me that so many have bought this line of bull hook, line, and sinker. i have no particular confidence in John kerry’s ability to lead this country, but george bush is pure evil. i guess its comforting to think that a president is perhaps wiser than myself, and knows whats best for the country, and we’re lucky if dubya can dress himself on a daily basis.