Beyond repair

The Politico’s Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei have a piece up outlining the Administration’s plans to rehab the President’s image and burnish his legacy. I know, I almost spat out my coffee when I read that too. Look, there are some things in life that are too far gone to salvage, too damaged to renovate. In the real estate world, properties that dilapidated are called “tear downs”. As is often the case, something structural has given way, either to rot, or termites, or water damage. Essentially, the bones of the place are just no longer solid and to reclaim the land, the house must be demolished.

Presidencies, like houses, are temporal things. Over time, they can be built upon, or torn down and rebuilt, or simply left to their own devices. This Administration has but a bit more than one year left and then, thankfully, it will be swept aside by something most assuredly better. Whatever the reasoning behind this effort to gild the lily of his Presidency (I would hope it is shame but that might be asking too much), the work is all for naught. No matter how much they gussy up the exterior, the core is still rotten. This Bush Presidency is a tear down, with almost nothing sound enough to be built upon.