“God Speaks Through Me” – Bush by Dawn

Bush reached new heights of arrogance and frighteningly delusional religious fanaticism in a recent campaign appearance – but almost nobody noticed because the press weren’t even there.

In an unscheduled appearance with a group of Old Order Amish in mid-July, Bush bumbled, shook hands, played the fool, and then declared that “God speaks through me.” The campaign press weren’t present, and the event was only reported by a local Pennsylvania newspaper columnist who got the story from an Amish man who was present.

An Amish woman who lives on a farm across Witmer Road from Lapp Electric [where Bush was making a campaign appearance] that morning had presented a quilt to the president with a card thanking him for his leadership of the country.

Bush said he would like to talk to the quilter and her family.

So the Secret Service invited the family to meet the president. Friends wanted to come along, and the entire assembly eventually numbered about 60. They were evenly divided between adults and children of all ages. . . .

The president . . . shook hands all around, asking the names of all. He especially thanked the “quilt frau,’’ who operates her own business selling quilts and crafts.

“He seemed relaxed and just like an old neighbor,’’ says Stoltzfus [the Amish man who told the story to the reporter].

Bush said he had never met any Amish before and was curious about why the men were wearing straw hats rather than black wool hats. The Amish explained that they wear cooler straw in summer. Bush tried on a hat.

Given a chance to behave like a doofus, you can count on Bush. But it’s when he gets a chance to slip into religious visionary mode that things get really scary.

The Amish told the president that not all members of the church vote but they would pray for him.

Bush had tears in his eyes when he replied. He said the president needs their prayers. He also said that having a strong belief in God is the only way he can do his job. . . .

At the end of the session, Bush reportedly told the group, “I trust God speaks through me. Without that, I couldn’t do my job.”

Some of us might consider that, on those grounds, he should resign, since, as he says, he can only do his job if God does it for him and he is obviously the most godforsaken asshole in this hemisphere, at least.

But stop for a minute and consider the staggering conceit of such a delusion: “I trust God speaks through me.” Most people at least pretend to be a bit more humble in the face of their god. (It’s only safe.) The few who have the arrogance to proclaim that they are personally directed by God are rightly regarded as fanatics. And here we have the most divisive – and most religiously fanatical – President in history declaring explicitly that he is certain he is God’s personal instrument and mouthpiece.

It’s been reported before that Bush harbors the delusion that God chose him to be President, but I haven’t seen a quote in which he said it in so many words. Now he’s said it. Can we afford to have a religious psychotic in the White House any longer?

Link via South Knox Bubba and LibertyPost, who deserve kudos for catching the story.