Like father, like son?

George H.W. Bush made two big political mistakes, one domestically, one in foreign policy, that arguably cost him re-election in 1992. One was his compromise with Democrats on a tax package designed to deal with the growing federal debt. The other was his decision not to invade Iraq and depose Saddam Hussein after pushing the Iraqis out of Kuwait. When he left office, the early judgment of history was that his was a mediocre or failed Presidency.

His son, George W. Bush, took office in 2001 determined not to repeat those mistakes. And he hasn't. He has made even bigger mistakes of his own. W's insistence on passing big tax cuts has turned looming budget surpluses into deficits as far as can be seen. W's invasion of Iraq has led to thousands of dead American soldiers, tens of thousands of dead Iraqis, and an ever-worsening civil war in Iraq, Hamas in power in the West Bank, Hezbollah emboldened in Lebanon, and an Iran insistent on developing nuclear weapons.

Carl Leubsdorf, Washington Bureau chief of the Dallas Morning News, points out the major irony in this case. By determining not to repeat his father's failures, the son has "created so many problems that he will end up making his father's presidency look that much better."

With hindsight, Americans are beginning to appreciate the benefits of the father's prudent foreign policy compared to the son's adventurist foreign policy. The father never looked more worthy of a place on Mount Rushmore than he does after six years of his son's Presidency.

P.S. Mr Leubsdorf's job title, bureau chief, must paint him with a red bulls-eye in the current downsizing move underway at the DMN, with the stated intention of focusing on local content.