Author:
Publication: The New York Times
Date: September 13, 2001
[G]eorge W. Bush is facing multiple
challenges, but his most important job is a simple matter of leadership.
The nation, reeling from this week's terrorist attacks, needs to see its
president in control, ready to make tough decisions for the right reasons.
Expressing determination to punish the people who organized the assaults
on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon is important, but not nearly
enough.
The administration spent much of
yesterday trying to overcome the impression that Mr. Bush showed weakness
when he did not immediately return to Washington after the terrorists struck.
That is not the issue that most concerns the American people. If the Secret
Service felt the president would be safer somewhere else, the country is
prepared to accept that and move on. What matters now is what Mr. Bush
plans to do next. The disturbing part of the administration's performance
on Tuesday was the refusal of the president or any member of his cabinet
to field questions about the fast-moving and frightening events. For most
of the day, while the nation watched pictures of the World Trade Center
towers toppling, the only visible figure in Washington was Karen Hughes,
counselor to the president, who declined to take questions.
The fact that Mr. Bush has begun
to visit the attack sites is welcome news. The president has always been
good at connecting with average Americans, and his rightful place now is
lending support to the people who have lived through these catastrophes.
This is particularly true in New York. There has never been much love lost
between the city and this chief executive, but New Yorkers need to see,
in this crisis, that he is their president too.
Mr. Bush has already called for
a new tone in Washington, comparable to what a nation summons in wartime.
The president has frequently committed himself to a bipartisan approach
in government, and now is the time to honor that pledge. Some wartime presidents
broadened their cabinets to include members of the opposition. Mr. Bush
need not reshape his government, but he does need to reach across the aisle
to Democratic Congressional leaders for ideas as well as support. The challenges,
after all, may include a rethinking of priorities on defense and security,
something that cannot be carried out without transcending partisan politics.
In the days ahead, Mr. Bush may
be asking the nation to support military actions that many citizens, particularly
those with relatives in the service, will find alarming. To lead well,
he must convince the nation that his decisions are both smart and principled.
The nation relies on him to be above a personal impulse for revenge. Being
angry is a luxury reserved for the public, which counts on the president
to exercise more measured judgment.
He must also show that he knows
what he is doing. Mr. Bush came to the White House with as little preparation
in international affairs as any modern president. That does not suggest
he will be unable to rise to the occasion. But it does mean that the nation
will be watching him somewhat nervously, in need of assurance that he is
making wise decisions. The best way he can earn the country's confidence
is by appearing frequently in public, and by not being afraid to answer
questions. In the last two days, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Gov. George
Pataki of New York have tirelessly made themselves available to an uneasy
public that needed reassurance. Often it was enough to see them acknowledge
that they did not know all the answers.
On the economic front, the attacks
this week obviously came at a fragile moment. No president can use words
to change basic economic trends. But both Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan
understood that a president can help to generate confidence by statements
and actions. Mr. Bush should summon business leaders and economic experts
to show that he will do what is necessary to restore that confidence and
help the nation's financial center get back on its feet.
Mr. Bush remains an untested figure
in the eyes of many Americans. His words have shown that he well understands
the dimensions of the challenge that he now faces. He can best find his
voice, and lead, by actively and visibly engaging and sharing his thinking
and his confidence in the future. Americans are more than ready to rise
up and give him their support.
