The Great Denier

(From Talking Points Memo):

At least Lyndon Johnson was introspective. That's the takeaway from Peter Baker's big Washington Post exploration of George W. Bush's "tranquility" in the midst of the compounding disasters of his presidency, from Iraq to Katrina to Alberto Gonzales. Enduring what Baker calls "the most drastic political collapse in a generation," Bush holes up in the White House, turning down appearances where he might face public disapproval, as when he declined to throw out the first pitch for the Washington Nationals' opening day. Even when he calls historians to the White House to discuss precedents for Iraq war strategy or the "nature of good and evil in the post-Sept. 11 world," he remains surprisingly confident.

In public and in private, according to intimates, he exhibits an inexorable upbeat energy that defies the political storms. Even when he convenes philosophical discussions with scholars, he avoids second-guessing his actions. He still acts as if he were master of the universe, even if the rest of Washington no longer sees him that way.

"You don't get any feeling of somebody crouching down in the bunker," said Irwin M. Stelzer, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute who was part of one group of scholars who met with Bush. "This is either extraordinary self-confidence or out of touch with reality. I can't tell you which."

From the comments posted by TheraP:

Denial is a wonderful thing - gives you serenity and a good night's sleep.

Well.... it's wonderful for the one who denies, anyway. For the rest of us? Denial has got us where we are today.

Bush - the Great Denier. The Great Liar.

The man should look inside if he wants to consider good versus evil. Not to "experts" on history. He is our own worst enemy.

Lord, this is so crazy as to be scary. Our president is in an utter state of denial (a nutter state of denial?), which is where he actually BELIEVES his own lies. Fasten your seat belts, folks. It's going to be a bumpy flight!