Allison Kilkenny
radio host, writer, allisonkilkenny.com
Posted: May 17, 2009 10:41 AM
Rumsfeld was Bush's Rasputin
If you want to read a really crazy article, hop over to Robert Draper's article in GQ. It's all about how former secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld acted as a modern day Rasputin by manipulating the adolescent emotions and exploiting the evangelical beliefs of George W. Bush.
Rasputin was a Russian mystic who curried favor with Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, by exploiting the superstitious beliefs of the royals. No one really thought a single, crazy religious nut could bring down an entire empire, and Rasputin's critics even derisively called him the "mad monk."
But Rasputin was highly influential in the decisions of the royals, and when he wasn't raping nuns, he was an official court official. Elements of Rasputin foreshadowed modern evangelicalism. He used to preach about sin, and repentance, though he was simultaneously a sex fiend and a drunk. Religious and a hypocrite? Shock! Horror!
Flash-forward to our own Donald Rumsfeld. In GQ's highly insightful article, Draper describes how Rumsfeld utilized some Rasputin-like techniques to manipulate Bush's more mystic beliefs. That includes delivering highly classified intelligence briefings to Bush that featured, "triumphant, color images from the previous days' war efforts" and "a quote...from the Bible, from the book of Psalms: "Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him...To deliver their soul from death."
more...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allison-kilkenny/rumsfeld-was-bushs-rasput_b_204358.html