Monday, December 19, 2005
The President's speech last night
Instapundit has a useful round-up of reactions to the President's speech last night, and best among them is Glenn's own:
I agree. The structure of this speech is virtual proof that the President personally believes that Iraq is going to be a palpable success. Signalling that belief by not attempting to share some of the responsibility with Congress has the added benefit of increasing the odds that we will succeed. We are in a contest of resolve, more than anything else, with the insurgency in Iraq, and sustaining our own resolve will weaken the enemy's.
If Bush were right, certain Senate Democrats will be in acute political pain. Prepare for another round of "flip-flopper" ads aimed at Senate Democrats, who by then will have been for the war before they were against the war before they were for it again. That will clear a lot of the weeds out from around Hillary, too.
UPDATE: Pajamas Media has a huge blog round-up worth digging through, including some from the left.
BUSH DOUBLES DOWN: I just watched Bush's speech. Nothing new there for anyone who's been paying attention to the speeches he's been giving over the past couple of weeks. But one big thing struck me: In this national televised speech, Bush went out of his way to take responsibility for the war. He repeatedly talked about "my decision to invade Iraq," even though, of course, it was also Congress's decision. He made very clear that, ultimately, this was his war, and the decisions were his.
Why did he do that? Because he thinks we're winning, and he wants credit. By November 2006, and especially November 2008, he thinks that'll be obvious, and he wants to lay down his marker now on what he believed -- and what the other side did. That's my guess, anyway.
I agree. The structure of this speech is virtual proof that the President personally believes that Iraq is going to be a palpable success. Signalling that belief by not attempting to share some of the responsibility with Congress has the added benefit of increasing the odds that we will succeed. We are in a contest of resolve, more than anything else, with the insurgency in Iraq, and sustaining our own resolve will weaken the enemy's.
If Bush were right, certain Senate Democrats will be in acute political pain. Prepare for another round of "flip-flopper" ads aimed at Senate Democrats, who by then will have been for the war before they were against the war before they were for it again. That will clear a lot of the weeds out from around Hillary, too.
UPDATE: Pajamas Media has a huge blog round-up worth digging through, including some from the left.
1 Comments:
By 
Cardinalpark, at
Mon Dec 19, 09:25:00 AM:
He's doing waht Lyondon Baines Johnson failed to do. He's exhibiting political will.
Good for him.
