I don’t quite recall where I first saw this discussed but it resonated with me pretty heavily.
The President of the United States takes the following oath of office:
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
The one thing that is absolutely clear in that statement is that the key role of the President is to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. It’s pretty simple and direct. Has President George W. Bush succeeded in this oath? I don’t believe anyone can say that he has and continue to have a leg to stand on. This administration has, if anything, outright attacked the Constitution and done little to move to preserve it. Instead they’ve viewed it as a major stumbling block to where they want to take the nation. The Constitution has been lost to a large degree over the last seven years and this issue needs to be corrected.
This basic tenet needs to be passed on so that everyone remembers what the job of the President is. President Bush has failed miserably at the one specific thing he took an oath to do. It is this reality that he needs to be measured against with respect to legacy and it is here that history will view his administration as a complete failure.
