The Decisive George Bush

Published in El Tiempo
(Colombia) on 27 August 2011
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Menaka Dhingra. Edited by Mark DeLucas.
According to his collaborators, Rick Perry’s presidential dream was launched after a “touch” from Bush. Perry — who in 2000, when the former president went to the White House, succeeded Bush as governor — called him to inform him of his intention to participate in the Republican primaries.

The former president was most enthusiastic. According to Perry, “He said you don’t want to wake up when you’re 70 and go, ‘I wish I had tried that. I wish I had done that.’” The “blessing” of the former president came last month and was quite striking, considering that Bush and Perry are not exactly friends and, furthermore, maintain political differences. The governor stated that the former president was not “conservative enough” and, in the 2008 financial crisis, said that he should have been more liberal in his economic policy.

Many see a weakness in the comparisons which inevitably occur: Both were raised in the same western area of Texas and both speak with a similar accent and walk as though they've never worn anything except cowboy boots.


Según sus colaboradores, el sueño presidencial de Perry se puso en marcha luego de un 'toque' de Bush. Perry -quien en el 2000 lo sucedió en la gobernación, cuando el ex presidente marchó hacia la Casa Blanca- lo llamó por teléfono para comentarle su intención de presentarse a las primarias republicanas.
El ex presidente fue de lo más entusiasta. "¡Adelante! Si es tu proyecto, ve tras él antes de que sea demasiado tarde", aseguran que le dijo.
La 'bendición' del ex presidente ocurrió el mes pasado y fue llamativa, si se tiene en cuenta que Bush y Perry no son precisamente amigos y que, además, mantienen diferencias políticas. El gobernador sostuvo que el ex presidente no fue lo "suficientemente conservador" y, en el 2008, en plena crisis, dijo de él que debería haber sido más liberal en lo económico.
Muchos ven una debilidad en las comparaciones, que resultan inevitables: ambos se criaron en la misma zona oeste de Texas, hablan con similar acento y caminan como quien no conoce otro calzado que las botas de vaquero.

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