From The Vault

  Jeb Bush, in his lead-up to running for President, has enlisted the aid of his brother George, in order to reinforce his claim that "I'm my own man." This reemergence of W. led me to look through my copious notes of George W. Bush's Presidency (The Intellectual Interregnum.) I found the following piece deep in the archives, wadded up, and leveling a table leg:

  Since finding ourselves at war on September 11th, the President has been remarkably consistent in his insistence that the only way to win, was to completely enact the conservative agenda, and to spend money like it's going out of style. Basically: "Keep Calm and Buy Stuff." Words of wisdom to be sure. But I began to wonder how past Presidents have comforted and assured a troubled nation at the beginning of hostilities. As I delved through history, I found many examples of bravery, including Nathan Hale's stirring; 'I only regret that I have but one credit card to give for my country." As I wish to compare Presidential utterances, however, the following two quotes should suffice:

   Franklin Delano Roosevelt:
                 
 "Yesterday, December 7th, 1941- a date which will live in infamy- the United States was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
  Therefore, my friends, it is absolutely imperative that you go about your daily lives as if nothing has occurred, in order to snatch victory from the enemy's grasp. It is also urgent that you purchase, to the best of your ability, all of the automobiles, refrigerators,  and modern conveniences, that you possibly can, in order to fully support the economy and assure our ultimate victory...."

Profound. And now Lincoln:

  "This is, essentially, a people's contest. On the side of the Union, it is a struggle for maintaining in the world that form and substance of government whose leading object is to elevate the condition of men; to go about our daily lives as if nothing has occurred, thereby denying to the rebel that comfort and that aid, which shall sustain him; and also to procure such goods and provisions to excess in order to better maintain the engines of our industry."

 Well, given those examples, I don't see how anyone can seriously question George Bush's leadership credentials.

 Note:
  The preceding piece was undated, and also lacked any attribution of the quoted material. As my journalistic standards have always been impeccable, this shouldn't concern anyone.