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Editorials
Friday, August 4, 2000Bush was impressive
in first major addressGEORGE W. Bush faced the Republican convention and a national television audience for the first time last night. He showed himself to be a vigorous, confident candidate with a message of inclusiveness and reconciliation.The issue: George W. Bush blasted the Clinton administration and promised a fresh beginning in his address to the Republican National Convention.
The long months of campaigning in the primaries appeared to have given the Texas governor the poise and focus he seemed to lack previously. On this most important occasion, Bush was on top of his game.
In an obvious reference to the Clinton scandals, he spoke of restoring the dignity of the presidency. He teased his Democratic opponent, Vice President Al Gore, for changing his clothes and his campaign style -- and for his supposed claim to have invented the Internet. And he accused the current administration of having squandered the opportunity presented by eight years of prosperity.
But there was much more in the speech of a positive nature than of lambasting the Democrats. Bush plugged for letting citizens invest part of their Social Security taxes to save for retirement, returning the budget surplus to the taxpayers, expanding medical insurance through tax credits for low-income people, promoting choice in education and developing a missile defense system.
He promised to restore civility to Washington after years of bitterness and bickering -- a denunciation that seemed to include Capitol Republicans as well as Democrats. He called for a reaching out to the nation's poor and troubled, mentioning a youth he had met in a visit to a prison who wondered whether he had a future.
Bush is certainly conservative on such matters as abortion and gun control, but did not take a hard line on either issue. He tried to appeal to minorities and moderates by putting Gen. Colin Powell and Arizona Sen. John McCain on the convention program.
Powell broke with the GOP line by defending affirmative action in contrast to favors for special interests. McCain, of course, is the crusader for campaign spending reform.
Although Bush did not address these issues in his speech, having Powell and McCain on the program suggested that he might support such views.
To counter criticism that he is inexperienced in national and international affairs, he chose a highly respected veteran of Washington, Dick Cheney, the former secretary of defense and White House chief of staff, as his vice presidential running mate. He has assembled a blue-ribbon group of advisers from past GOP administrations.
Bush is no overpowering intellectual, but he has a directness and common touch -- despite his famous family and privileged upbringing -- that obviously appeal to many voters. He is probably a better campaigner than either his father or the last Republican candidate, Bob Dole.
Bush showed last night that he is capable of giving Gore a real fight. And he seemed fully confident that he will prevail.
Foley as
appeals judgeHONOLULU lawyer Dan Foley's representation of gay and lesbian couples seeking the right to marry has triggered opposition to his nomination to the state Intermediate Court of Appeals.
One letter writer charged that Foley would work to subvert the constitutional amendment banning gay marriage because he represented gay and lesbian couples seeking the right to marry. Judges are sworn to uphold the Constitution, regardless of their private opinions, and there is no reason to assume that Foley would do otherwise.
The gay-marriage case actually demonstrated Foley's expertise in constitutional law and his suitability as an appellate judge. The Senate should not hesitate in confirming his nomination.
Foley's representation of two homosexual male couples and a lesbian couple challenging the state's refusal to recognize their marriages was unquestionably controversial. He won a favorable ruling in Circuit Court and an indication from the state Supreme Court that it would affirm the ruling.
However, the high court kept the issue on hold to give voters the opportunity to change the state Constitution to ban gay marriages, which they did two years ago.
A former Peace Corps volunteer in Africa, Foley was director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Hawaii chapter from 1984 to 1987. He has been involved in civil rights cases dealing with issues ranging from state prison conditions to drug testing.
He fought the city's ban on T-shirt sales on Waikiki sidewalks and has gone to bat for the free-speech rights of Waikiki sidewalk performers.
Foley can be expected to lend his knowledge of civil liberties law to cases that come before the appeals court in much the same way as attorneys with backgrounds in labor, corporate and criminal law have contributed their expertise to appellate decisions.
"His stand on legal issues, regardless of whether politically popular or not, speaks volumes of the courage and commitment he will bring to the Intermediate Court of Appeals," Governor Cayetano said in submitting his nomination to the Senate.
If Foley had compiled a record of making legally faulty interpretations of the state or U.S. Constitutions, his nomination might justifiably be challenged. His record instead reflects immense understanding of constitutional law. He is a excellent selection as an appellate judge.
Published by Liberty Newspapers Limited PartnershipRupert E. Phillips, CEO
John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher
David Shapiro, Managing Editor
Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor
Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors
A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor
