Strikeout!

Date: August 2, 2005
Sent to but not published in the Boston Globe

President George W. Bush with his unerring talent for getting things wrong, managed to make a trio of bad decisions in the past day.
He made a recess appointment of John Bolton to be ambassador to the UN (Boston Globe, August 2nd, Pages A1 and A12). If ever there was a situation requiring a person with subtlety and strong persuasive, as opposed to bullying, skills, it is the US ambasssadorship to the UN. First strike against G. W. Bush!
He made a strong endorsement of Karl Rove as a "valued member of my team" despite his appeal to everyone to remain silent on the issue of Rove and the Wilson/Plame leak until all the facts were in (Page A3). Strike two!
Finally he announced that "intelligent design" should be taught in high school science classes along with the theory of evolution (Page A7). The problem is that scientifically, there is no controversy. Intelligent design has no empirical evidence in its support -- the theory of evolution does. The ideas of the proponents of Intelligent Design and their social implications can be taught in social studies classes but they have no place in science classes. Strike three!
Surely after three strikes in a single day, he should be out.