Oh, my.
The painting at right by WHD Koerner was bought by George W. Bush shortly after he was “born again.” Titled “A Charge to Keep,” it is a favorite of Bush’s, and he explains in his autobiography (which he gave the same title) how it represents a Methodist circuit rider “determinedly charging up what appears to be a steep and rough trail. This is us.”
Except … that’s not quite the whole story of the painting …
(via kottke)
38 view(s)
The quoted section and this is all I needed to read to have a smile put on my face:
**snort**
He used the title of the painting in the first minute of the SOTU address.
Idiot. ;P
Tolstoy Syndrome indeed …
To be fair …
This article indicates that, subsequent to its original use, it was recast as an illustration that matches Bush’s interpretation. (The article also includes armchair psychology such to make the above look tame.)