Among Republicans these days the desire to see George W. Bush and Dick Cheney as almighty and faultless guardians of Fortress America™ is so strong that they seem to actually believe that there were no terrorist attacks on the US during the previous administration. In their fanatical devotion to party and leader, all the inconvenient facts which strike at the heart of their belief system or demand a honest accounting are simply deleted from memory.
This behavior reminds me of Alexander Deutsch’s description of the psychology of people involved in cults: “When belief in an idealized cult leader and his mission is met by disconfirming evidence, the anxiety that arises is frequently warded off by defenses among which denial is primary” (155). Sounds about right to me.
Here’s our list of Republicans who have publicly stated that there were no terrorist attacks on the US during the Bush administration:
I have a feeling we’ll be adding more.