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George W. Bush's friends on the left
For a president who left office loathed by progressives and most of polite society, George W. Bush continues to gain admirers among those whom liberals admire most.
U2 frontman and legendary do-gooder Bono shocked many when he told Jon Stewart that George W. Bush did an "amazing" job in his work involving AIDS in Africa.
"I know that's hard for you to accept," Bono told the host, "but George kind of knocked it out of the park. I can tell you, and I'm actually here to tell you that America now has 5 million people being kept alive by these drugs. That's something that everyone should know."
Another secular saint of the left, Sir Bob Geldof, has been even more direct in his praise of the conservative ex-president.
Geldof told reporters that he was "pissed off" by the media's refusal to report the truth about Bush's good works, saying that when it came to saving Africa, George W. Bush "has done more than any other president so far."
"This is the triumph of American policy really," he said. "It was probably unexpected of the man. It was expected of the nation, but not of the man, but both rose to the occasion."
"What's in it for Mr. Bush? Absolutely nothing," Geldof told reporters.
Then there is the interview that is airing Wednesday on Piers Morgan in which the CNN host asks His Holiness what leaders he respects. After bringing up Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama then moves on to a more unlikely politician.
"I love President Bush," the Dalai Lama said.
"Which one?" Morgan asked.
"The younger one."
Shocked by the response, Morgan asked incredulously, "Really?"
"Yes, really," the Dalai Lama insisted, "I love him."
(Also on POLITICO: Dalai Lama: I love George W. Bush)
Those strong words from His Holiness surprise even conservatives like myself who faulted Bush for huge deficits and a reckless foreign policy. But reading this lavish praise from the likes of the Dalai Lama, Bono and Bob Geldof should remind narrow-minded leftists who view Mr. Bush through ideological blinders that turning political opponents into cartoon characters is the work of fools.
And for conservatives who have spent the past three years calling Barack Obama every name in the book, that applies to you as well. We can disagree with our political opponents without turning them into evil villains. As the Dalai Lama himself once famously said, "Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible."
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