I’m listening to Bush’s press conference – his opening speech is fairly good. It could be more Churchillian and forceful, but he said what he needed to.
First question, “is Iraq Vietnam?” – Bush answer is good. Iraq is not Vietnam, and it is a comparison that is not only far from apt, but hurtful to our troops.
Terry Moran is hitting the reconstruction issue. Bush needs to explain this well.
His explanation is fairly good, but still could be better. Bush never emphasized the humanitarian aspect of this conflict nearly as well as he should.
Overall, Bush sounds like he knows what he is doing, which is important. Bush’s critics are trying to paint him as someone who doesn’t have a clue as to what’s going on, that his policies are all failures, etc. Bush needs to dispell these criticisms. So far I think he largely has, but we’ll see what the poll numbers show. This is much about perception as it is about policy, and Bush needs to start changing some of the negative perceptions that have gathered around him. I think this conference will do just that, but we’ll see.
Bush will never be Clinton when it comes to speechifying, but it seems to me that he did a pretty good job. He was focused and specific, stressed — wisely, I think — that the June 30 transfer-of-sovereignty date is firm, but that the transfer doesn’t mean the end of our commitment. There was a lot of stuff (prompted by Kerry’s oped today?) on international cooperation. (Mentioning Kosovo may have been bad salesmanship, though).
Attention Mr. President. When a reporter asks you if you feel responsible for 9/11, your answer is “No.” What is so hard about that?
The President did a mediocre job of answering this question. He ought to have made the ponit that our troops were welcomed in most places in Iraq.
It’s no secret that I’m no fan of the President, but I’ve always given honest praise when he’s given good speeches (and he’s given many). He looks terrible tonight.
Jesus. This seems like a disaster to me. Am I wrong?
I’m not that pessimistic, and I think Bush’s reaction was exactly what he needed to do. He needs to humanize himself, and dismissing the question would make him look far too arrogant. Of course he’d agonize over what could have been done to prevent September 11 – anyone in his position would. He needs to appeal to the common voter, and I believe that answer helps him do exactly that.
However, Bush’s answer to why he’s appearing in front of the commission with Cheney rather than seperately sounded like a dodge – because it was.
The decision to make this a press conference rather than a speech was a good idea. This give Bush the ability to answer the hard questions, and these have been a set of very pointed questions. This gives him a forum to directly address the issues in this war, which is something he has needed to do.
"I don’t intend to lose my job" – nice line, but his answer was full of stumbles. He recovered later, and gave a good answer, but he needs to be more direct on this issue.
Bush’s answer on what he considers his greatest mistake post-September 11 is interesting. It’s clear Bush has no major regrets, but I’m not sure that answer will fly. He was more contrite towards the end, but I think he flubbed this answer – and he seems to think so as well.
"Freedom is not America’s gift to the world, it is the Almighty’s gift to humanity" – I always liked that line, and I think it’s one of his best.
Bush could be more confident, but I think this conference will play well with Middle America. Bush’s plainspoken nature doesn’t make him a great orator, but it appeals to people who don’t like political doublespeak it works well. If I were going to borrow from Cicero, Bush has the ratio but not the oratio. He’s right on the issues, but compared with the brilliant oratory of Tony Blair he is not much of a public speaker. However, Bush says what he believes and stands by it. That is in direct contrast to the diplobabble and "nuance" of his competitor for the White House – and I firmly believe that in a direct debate Bush will do very well.
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