Sep 16 2008
Bush calms a nervous nation
(Washington, DC) Yesterday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted 504 points amid the news of Lehman Brothers Holdings bankruptcy and growing problems at American International Group (AIG). In response President George W. Bush spoke-up in an effort to reassure the public and investors that markets remain sound. President Bush said, “the changes sweeping through financial markets can be painful, but in the long run I am confident that our capital markets are flexible and resilient and can deal with these adjustments.”
Following the President’s remarks a weary and anxious nation breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that everything was going to be be just fine. And with a few calming words the President had soothed a jittery nation’s nerves, much as he had done many times before. Like when he told the country on Sept. 2, 2005, “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job.” –to FEMA director Michael Brown, who resigned 10 days later amid criticism over his handling of the Hurricane Katrina debacle
Or on May 30, 2003 when he said, “We found the weapons of mass destruction. We found biological laboratories … And we’ll find more weapons as time goes on. But for those who say we haven’t found the banned manufacturing devices or banned weapons, they’re wrong, we found them.”
Or when atop the battleship USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003 he declared, “Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.”
We caught up with one concerned citizen and asked, “How do you feel after hearing Bush’s comments?” The autoworker from Indiana said,
“You don’t know how much better I feel to know that the fundamentals of the economy remain sound despite the Wall Street turmoil. I mean sure my 401K is worth half of what it was back in October of last year, my house is worth less than when I bought it, and it looks like they might be closing the plant I work in, but just to hear Mr. Bush tell me that everything is going to be all right, I feel much more positive. Of course I still got to figure out how to send my kids through college, but I know that John McCain will fix the economy. He believes everything is sound too. So I’m sure he’ll help me send my kids to school.”
