The morning of September 11, at the moment the first plane hit the WTC, I was chuckling along with a humorous commentary on WFCR about George Dubya and his tendency to stick his foot in his mouth and make ridiculous remarks on a fairly regular basis. Minutes later, I received the news about what was happening in Manhattan and, like so many others, turned on my television and watched the horror unfold and witnessed the deaths of thousands of people. That night I was no longer laughing at the president. I was praying that he wouldn't be ludicrous after all, that in spite of all the evidence to the contrary, he was indeed wise, intelligent, and prudent. Talk about a complete reversal from morning to night! It still shakes me up!

It still is impossible to come to terms with and fathom all that has happened and I wonder if we ever will be able to. But, suddenly we are compelled to follow a president who didn't win the election. Since September 11 he has 95% approval rating nationwide, according to the polls. One commentator said, after Bush's speech to Congress and the nation, that Bush appeared downright presidential that night. Do I dare say he doesn't, and probably never will, have my approval? What if the polls were done here, in the Valley, instead of in Texas, or wherever they took place?

Diane Dix
Greenfield, MA

(Back to Viewpoints)