Tales of a Wimp President

UNREST and dissatisfaction have spread wildly throughout the national media corps assigned to the White House. Editorials, columns, cartoons abound, and all harp on the lack of leadership emanating from the Oval Office.

Why the fidgety behavior from the press?

Let's face it, with two major international tours under his belt, President Bush has quietly illustrated that, while he may be a first-rate friend, he is definitely a second-rate leader.

Now that Bush is confronting the first major "crisis" of his administration, the hostage situation in the Middle East, his response has done nothing to improve his image.

After videotapes purported to show the hanging of an American Marine, Bush called on the "release of all the remaining hostages" and made preparations for "prudent steps." Strong words, these are not. And stronger actions do not seem to be forthcoming.

Satiric cartoons that have appeared in the press--like the one showing a terrorist keeled over laughing hysterically at Bush's words--illustrate the country's lack of confidence in the president.

Michael Dukakis failed to pin a label on Bush last year in his run for the White House, but Bush has managed to pin one on himself now. He is truly the "Wimp President."

BUSH will never be compared favorably in the same breath to many of the great figures in the world today. People like Mikhail Gorbachev, Francois Mitterand and Margaret Thatcher are able to overcome political pressures and force their agenda on the nations they lead and the world around them. Bush cannot.

This was all-too-painfully evident on Bush's trip to Europe two weeks ago, which brought to mind the lyrics of the song, "The Rainbow Tour," in the musical Evita. As Evita and President Peron are in the midst of a whirlwind tour of Europe, the people speak out at home:

Let's hear it for the Rainbow Tour,

It's been an incredible success.

We weren't quite sure,

We had a few doubts.

Would Evita win through?

But the answer is "Yes" and "No"

And "Yes" and "No" and "No."

Evita shone gloriously in rhetoric as a visiting second-rate leader. She was feted by everyone, but a snubbing by the English and her own illness struck down the optimistic tenor of the "Rainbow Tour."

Like Evita's tour, Bush's own "triumphant" tour of Eastern and Western Europe was just as rhetorical, just as optimistic and just as indicative of his relative lack of power in the world political scene.

WHEN given the opportunity in Poland and Hungary to reward the first signs of democratization in two socialist countries, crowds cheered him during his speeches. But Bush's initiatives failed to impress.

His aid package to the heavilyindebted Polish economy has been described most favorably as "modest." He is Poland's friend, too--Solidarity leader Lech Walesa felt humble serving Bush a meal in his home. But Bush has done little to help the Polish economy recover from its sorry state.

When given the opportunity to reassert America's dominance in the world economic system, Bush deferred to Japan. At the summit meeting in France of the world's seven leading industrialized countries, it was the Japanese who strode to the forefront when they announced a comprehensive aid package for Third World countries.

And Bush later in the meeting deferred to Gorbachev, whose letter asking for inclusion in future summits with the most advanced industrial economies stole the headlines in papers around the world.

Once again, Bush was everyone's friend, especially after a shortened press conference when he escorted the media through the U.S. embassy residence in Paris.

Let's hear it for the Friendship Tour,

It's been an incredible success.

We weren't quite sure,

We had a few doubts.

Would George win through?

But the answer is

"Yes" in rhetoric,

"No" in substance.