2005-05-23

A comparison of two WASPs

Bush II Bush I
1 Invaded Iraq. Repelled Iraqi aggression in Kuwait;
did not invade Iraq
(although he easily could have).
2 Supported Israel's settlements
on the West Bank.
Opposed U.S. loan guarantees
to help fund West Bank settlements.
3 Has/had many Jewish friends. Was considered by some as
less than friendly to Jews.
See, e.g., “The Bushes and the Jews”.
4 Received considerable support from Jews
for his 2004 reelection.
Was opposed by many Jews for his 1992 reelection.
See, e.g., the Prologue to J.J. Goldberg's Jewish Power.
The relevant extract from that prologue is here.
5 Fed chairman Alan Greenspan
kept the economy super-heated
through low interest rates
during Bush's 2004 reelection campaign.
Fed chairman Alan Greenspan
kept the economy cooled-off
through high interest rates
during Bush's 1992 reelection campaign.
6 Bush II won reelection in 2004. Bush I was defeated for reelection in 1992.