Quick-draw critics

How many days went by before Charles Krauthammer challenged the Bush/Cheney administration? I’ll bet it was more than 19. Probably 1,900. Yet here he is raising the issue of fear-mongering, while nearly the entire Bush presidency carried on under a banner of fear.

When he couldn’t scare us, he showed his absolute fear of failure as in the “Mission Accomplished” moment. Most of us know that those who fear failure are unlikely to take on difficult tasks. Clearly that is not a characteristic that can be ascribed to President Obama.

To punctuate that fact, Dick Cheney played his ubiquitous fear card with respect to terrorism. The man has no shame. What outgoing constitutional officer has publicly admonished a new administration as quickly? I’m sure Guinness is checking the book and will probably list Mr. Cheney soon.

That sad thing about Cheney is that his public utterance was nothing more than a defense mechanism to cover his woeful record. And, I’m afraid that Mr. Krauthammer is a member of the same club.

Bob Wynhausen

Sandpoint