On the campaign trail in 2000, then-governor
Bush typically ended his stump speech with
a dramatic flourish: he pantomimed the oath
of office. But the oath is more than a political
gimmick; for the founding generation it was a
solemn pledge, designed to bind the officeholder
to the country and the Constitution he
serves. Throughout his tenure, President Bush
has repeatedly dishonored that pledge. And
because of that, he has weakened the constitutional
order on which the American way of life
depends.