Pom-pom Psychology

Rude Pundit, who, along with Fafblog!, is one of the most insightful analysts of the utter fuck-up that is contemporary American politics, has posted a brilliant commentary on George W. Bush and his life-long avocation - cheerleading. Here is the heart of the argument:

The man was a cheerleader back in his days at Andover. Such formative experiences follow a man through his life, where he knows he's not someone who can do, but only someone who can watch and yell support, even when the score is 35 to nothin'. Someone who can shake his groove thing and lead a chant when his team is being squashed. Cheerleaders have to live in a state of unreality for pyramids would fall and waves would flounder if they lost their enthusiasm. And even when their team's defeated, they just come back, again and again, and cheer for lost causes, hoping everyone in the stands goes along. It's what we see in Bush time and again, on Katrina, on Iraq, on the economy: a failure to demonstrate an understanding of reality, just endless smiling and leading a chant of "Defense" whenever the opposition attempts to say differently. The sad delusion of the cheerleader is believing he or she is actually having an effect on the outcome of the game.

Read the whole thing. In fact, do yourself a favor and bookmark the Rude One for daily edification. Not work safe but, then again, neither is the Cheney administration.

Anglachel