The Blog Formerly Known As Vote '08

The 1st in a new Vote08 series.

Look for other comparisons with the other presidents between now & Inauguration Day.

Here’s a whole blog dedicated to the idea expressed in this post’s headline.

The Wall Street Journal, July 2nd:

“…the next President, whether Democrat or Republican, is going to embrace much of Mr. Bush’s foreign and antiterror policy whether he admits it or not. Think Eisenhower endorsing Truman’s Cold War architecture.”

(above: a morph photo of Obama, Bush & Cheney. Image by Digital Halide)

Steve Clemons:

There is a strong chance that Lawrence Summers is going to be returned to the post of Secretary of the Treasury. If so, he’s pulling a “Donald Rumsfeld” who served as Secretary of Defense twice — the first stint under Gerald Ford and then of course under George W. Bush.

…

I will keep an open mind, but we are beginning to see trends that if Obama does bring back Summers — and possibly keeps Gates at Defense — that he is not ready to make the first term of an Obama administration about the new great leaps forward we need. He may be crafting a hybrid of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush holdovers.

Indeed, there is a chance that Obama I could turn out to be GW Bush III & Clinton III.

Chris Knudsen, October 19th:

- Reduction of rights in general. As we’ve already seen that Obama is not afraid to try and use police force to suppress and intimidate opposing voices. Obama is still just an amateur compared to Bush. Just wait until Berry [sic] gets into office and finds out what he can do with the NSA! Its going to be like Christmas in January!

- On illegal immigration, Bush let them in and wants to give them “amnesty”. Obama loves the idea.

- National ID Card? They both love it.

- Both Bush and Obama supported programs to get low income and traditionally unqualified people into mortgages.

- Both support deficit spending (Bush for his war. Obama for his social programs).

- The national debt. Given George Bush’s record and Obama’s planned expansion of the government, its obvious that neither man cares about our $55 trillion in unaccounted future liabilities

From the Weekly Recorder, April 11th:

“Like Bush, Obama may not have been on his own path to become president but instead may have been convinced to run by a group with there [sic] own agenda. It was rumored that Bush never had an interest to run for president but was persuaded by the same group that happened to work with his father and then became part of his administration. Obama has barely stepped in the water yet alone get his feet wet in Washington but feels he is qualified to run for President. And the first one to come out and support him is the woman who has access to millions of American’s everyday.

Obama’s similarities with the current administration are not his only downfall. I have yet to hear or read an original or full idea from Obama. He’s copied the republicans campaign tactics right down to the “unifying” everyone to the misleading of morals of his competition. His vague programs mirror Hillary’s ideas, but without her foundation. Probably because if they did it would be considered plagiarism.”

I don’t necessarily agree with all that’s written above, but it will definitely be interesting comparing 44 with 43. I plan to pay specific attention to comparing what the two men did/will do with a Congress that’s of the same party.

What do you think? In what ways can Obama compare to George W. Bush? Leave a comment! All views are welcome.

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