[Rodeo]

Carter and Bush II tie for them most incompetent administrations in my lifetime. The Johnson White House made some early and astoundingly bad decisions on Viet Nam, with negative ramifications that continue to haunt us today. And I agree that his "War on Poverty," while well intentioned, was an abject failure.

The reason I voted for Bush II over these two is that his administration is a perfect storm of mind-bending incompetence and incredible hubris. The result is bold, sweeping executive acts and lousy execution, with repeated failures that could and would have been avoided by a humbler, more rational approach to governing. Also, Bush’s is the most politically driven administration of the bunch, even topping Johnson’s. I give them credit for “selling” just the opposite to the majority of the country that voted for them. Indeed, the most skilled person in that White House is Carl Rove. Unfortunately, the country needs more than a good P.R. man, we need skilled leaders, not political operatives.

Four years ago, after he gave that speech at the World Trade Center site, I remember thinking that I was really comforted that President Bush was our leader. Unfortunately, its been all downhill since then.