Last week, America buried a president. This week, America seems to watch alongside as another digs his own grave.

The life and legacy of George H.W. Bush gave pause for reflection. Combat veteran, seasoned diplomat, and a bureaucrat of Swiss watch precision. An imperfect man, like his son, the 43rd president, who offered a eulogy filled with emotion and grief that nearly every person can relate to. He lost a father and we lost a president, and for an instant they were the same.

President Bush was remarkable for his intelligence, remembered for his trust, and praised for his leadership. The presidential aircraft brought the former navy pilot from Texas to Washington and back to Texas. He rode a train from Houston to College Station and was laid to rest with his daughter Robin and wife Barbara. The end of a long journey that spanned the greatest years of this country and shaped the global order.

For those of us that have yet to enjoy the good fortune of going to be with Jesus, we find an administration in chaos and a West Wing in disarray. On a recent talk show, I heard a panelist wonder if the word “extraordinary” can possibly be overused to describe the Trump presidency. Plea deals upon indictments that compel grand juries to issue subpoenas for witness testimony from conversations had with some prick named Individual 1. Hot Damn!

The funeral of Poppy Bush gave us all a moment – One Fucking Moment – that was not about the executive Twitter or second rate gossip. A sense of normalcy returned for approximately two hours while the chief grease ball was sequestered from doing anything too stupid. He sat in defiance and discomfort as mourners championed the attributes of #41, no doubt contemplating the crowd size for his own memorial service.

Hearing of true love and honest politics made my heart warm, made me think of a steaming bowl of savory Beef Stew. The soul of the nation lives in men like that. Good fathers and mothers, good sailors and civil servants; people for whom good is not good enough. “Kinder and gentler,” as one epitaph said, were the politics of George H.W. Bush.

President Trump is on a near certain path to criminal prosecution and he can’t even summon enough energy to utter a self-satisfied whoop. His stew is thick and he keeps adding cornstarch and molasses and I think some peanut butter. I wish I could tell the man to stop digging; six feet is plenty!

Good Grief,

Daniel J. Neebes