The Enter Stage Right Link of the Month
George W. Bush
for President
It is official. George W. Bush has accepted the nomination to be
the presidential candidate for the Republican Party. If you haven't had
a chance to visit his official web site, now is as good a time as any
to learn about the man who will assume the duties of president in January.
As candidate's web sites goes, Dubya's web site fulfills most of the basic needs and throws some extras out to surfers to happen to stop by. As you would expect, you will find press releases, speeches, commentary and polls. The web site, which is available in Spanish as well, also features deeper looks at issues -- as I write this, defense gets the nod -- and even evokes the memory of the portal with the ability of visitors to customize their experience with the "MyGeorgeW" feature.
Recognizing
that broadband technology is now in millions of homes, you can even watch
GwB-TV -- three "channels" available -- or enjoy streamed audio
and video. As I said, there aren't many tricks this web site has missed.
Despite covering the mandatory bases, however, I got the feeling that
this web site was missing something. It finally occurred to me what it
was: it's what I call the "Bush magic."
The "Bush magic" is simple. Like his father, George W. Bush is a likable guy. Even if you vehemently disagreed with him on the issue, you'd still like Dubya at the end of the argument. He may be wealthy and from old Wasp stock, but you know the guy -- if he still drank -- would have a beer with you. It's that innate likability that politicians like Bush have. It's the magic that many a politician wishes they had.
The web site is missing that with its clean and antiseptic look. It's not a warm experience to visit the official web site, unlike other cruder home-brew efforts which have been crafted by people who sincerely think Bush is the best of all possible Republican candidates. That said, it's the official home of the Bush-Cheney ticket and the web site does what it has to. It may not have warmth but it does have GwB-TV.