Opinion
Coup d'etat time?
By Richard J. Bishirjian
Jun 20, 2008, 22:28

Today while in New York I turned on the hotel television and chose “Morning Joe,” a talk show with Joe Scarborough.  The show’s title is suggestive of our morning cup of coffee aka “Joe.”  Today’s show featured Pat Buchanan, Dan Rather and the empathetic Peggy Noonan, who always brings insight to her discussions though too ‘precious’ for those of us who haven’t had our first cup of coffee.

Hey Peggy, drop the act, please, and just tell us what you think without pouting.

Buchanan was the same as always, slashing the air with his right hand, but gentlemanly in his repartee with Dan Rather, a blow-hard network news retiree best forgotten. 

The subject for discussion was recent polls of “W's” performance as President #43:  29% approval rating and 17% of all Americans feel that the country is moving in the wrong direction.

With the most insight I’ve ever heard a news commentator make, Pat Buchanan said that 17% was preliminary to a coup d’etat!

Coup d’etat?  What does that mean in the context of contemporary American politics?

England once faced a possible coup d’etat when it appeared that a Prime Minister had made peace with the Soviet Union on terms that spelled treason. Lenin, who knew what he wanted, achieved a coup d'etat in Imperial Russia. 

But, in the United States, coup d’etat has been whispered  only by conspiracy theorists who believe that JFK was assassinated by his own national security Establishment, possibly with the connivance of LBJ.

To suggest on national television that President Bush’s opinion polls are preliminary to asking him to resign is really BIG NEWS!

Those of us with at least one functioning eyeball can see that this President has destroyed American foreign policy in South Asia and the Middle East, aka

Iraq/Israel/Pakistan/Iran/Egypt and all the authoritarian regimes in the region. “W's” revival of Wilsonian idealism has emboldened our foes and done so in terms that in an earlier age would be called ‘heretical.’

Mike Huckabee, an ordained minister, never mentioned that "W's" liberation theology was a Christian heresy!

“W” seeks peace on earth in our time, not after our Savior returns in the Last Days.

“W” confuses his religious feelings with real politik and has done more to jeopardize our national interests in the Middle East since the last time we threw troops into that caldron—Lebanon under the misguided advice of Secretary of State, George Shulz.

The pouting George Shulz (are he and Peggy under the direction of the same coach?) made an immediate retreat (unlike "W") and none remembers the lives of Marines lost because of his hubris.

Now comes Pat Buchanan who suggests on national television that any American President with a 17% approval rating on the question of whether our country is moving in the right direction faces a possible coup d’etat.

That begs the question, “who will deliver the coup?”

Roy Blunt, John Boehner, John McCain?  Would they be willing to sacrifice their positions by suggesting that “W” and Cheney resign?

NO!, and that’s why these worthies will preside over the greatest electoral defeat of Republicans since the election 1964.

Coup d’etat are attempted and sometimes pulled off by serious people.  That eliminates the House and Senate Leadership of the GOP, and the current Republican nominee for President.