While doing some surfing, I came across a great link to the Presidents reaction upon learning about the attack on the World Trade Center. I've heard stories and seen a few stills, but had not watched the whole video segment. Thanks to the
Memory Hole, I was able to watch this now famous five minutes for myself.
Of course, now that I have, I don't get all the noise out of Kerry recently. An aid whispers in his ear, he waits for more information, reads to the kids, is perhaps worried about the extend of the attack or it's scale, then moves on to decisively address the situation.
I could Monday Morning quarterback this and come up with a senerio where if (I were president), I would immediatly repsond to the situation, marshal forces, take action etc... but, it would be no differnet that when I watch the Lakers and yell at Kobe for shooting a low percentage shot when he should have passed to Shaq.
I am reminded of the words of
Teddy Rosevelt. "It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out where the strong man stumbled, or where a doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs, and who comes up short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause. The man who at best knows the triumph of high achievement and who at worst, if he fails, fails while daring greatly, so that his place will never be with those cold timid souls who never knew victory or defeat."
Kerry could learn a few things from Roosevelt.
