This was a short speech, so President Bush could have ignored the subject of freedom. But no, in his farewell address last night, he could not help but mention the liberation of 50 million people as his legacy.
‘To all nations.’ In 13 minutes, he made reference to freedom or democracy a dozen times, which would be an unusually high number for even a long speech. Any count over 10 is relatively high.
“Afghanistan has gone from a nation where the Taliban harbored al Qaeda and stoned women in the streets to a young democracy that is fighting terror and encouraging girls to go to school,” he said. “Iraq has gone from a brutal dictatorship and a sworn enemy of America to an Arab democracy at the heart of the Middle East and a friend of the United States. …
“When people live in freedom, they do not willingly choose leaders who pursue campaigns of terror. When people have hope in the future, they will not cede their lives to violence and extremism. So around the world, America is promoting human liberty, human rights, and human dignity. We’re standing with dissidents and young democracies, providing AIDS medicine to dying patients -- to bring dying patients back to life, and sparing mothers and babies from malaria. And this great republic born alone in liberty is leading the world toward a new age when freedom belongs to all nations. …
“In the 21st century, security and prosperity at home depend on the expansion of liberty abroad. If America does not lead the cause of freedom, that cause will not be led.”
This is how the references broke down:
The Freedom Count
Freedom: 5
Liberty: 4
Democracy: 3Total: 12
Meter re-set. During the Bush years, we’ve become accustomed to hearing about the transformative power of freedom. I wonder how President Obama will compare on the Freedom Count.
Frank Warner
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