How Very Wilsonian

The hilarity coming from Bratislava last week must have had the Slovaks rolling in the aisles. Imagine their excitement over the chance to host the statesmen who, as leaders of the Free World, are working (and praying) daily to advance the noble cause of democracy worldwide. The high-mindedness of it all was so moving, and then the Bush European Road Show hit its dramatic peak when the earnest clown in the ten-gallon hat met with his soul-brother Vlad Putin for a little heart-to-heart, as reported in Slate:

"The public comments, at least, were mostly make-nice talk, but Bush also shared what he called 'concerns about Russia's commitment' to democracy. Putin in turn described democracy as 'our final choice.' He added, 'Some of the ideas that I heard from my partner I respect a lot. Some other ideas, I will not comment on. Thank you.' At that, says the NYT, 'Mr. Bush started to chuckle, and Mr. Putin winked back.'"

Thank you, Chuckles and Winkie, bring on the dancing girls, folks, don't worry about a thing and have a good time. Everything's in good hands, they've got big deals to make, big companies to merge, and empires to build, so the little issues can wait till after business is done. It really brings out the patriot in me, witnessing these historic occasions - think Congress of Vienna, think Versailles, think Yalta - when Great Men make Great Decisions on behalf of all us appreciative little people, and lap-dog columnists compare them to the revered figures of our proud past.

It made me want to barf when journalists of some integrity, like David Broder, cranked out the party line in his column just before inauguration day. The buzz word du jour from Karl Rove and Co. was 'Wilsonian', and I distinctly heard Woodrow Wilson turning over in his grave in Princeton. I can understand the ideological cheerleaders Krauthammer and Kristol repeating the mantra. But if Broder at the Post and Thomas Friedman at the Times want any access in the future, they'd better play along on this one. And of course they do, as responsible professionals, swallow their principles just this once in order to go along and get along.

Just like chanting any affirmation - okay, think Stewart Smalley, the Al Franken character: I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and gosh darn it people like me! - if you repeat it over and over, people will believe it, which is as good as if it were true. [http://www.interluderetreat.com/meditate/affirm.htm] So repeat after me: the U.S. military and its corporate partners are taking over Iraq in order to spread the Good News of democracy. Again...