[Pest]

I agree somewhat with Noonan. However, I did think that GW was trying to figure out different ways to answer the same question over and over so he didn't appear repetitive. I also think he was specifically trying to avoid appearing as though he was reciting talking points. I think he wanted to project the fact that he was speaking from his heart and his own mind.

He did stumble frequently, as usual. He really needs to work on this. If not, he will get slammed in any open debates.

[Austin Willard Wright]

The trouble is that Noonan is that she assumes that Dubya is motivated by "philosophy." He is the most big-government president since LBJ. Where is the "philosophy" in that other than grubbing for votes and money?

Now...I suppose he could be depicted as a compartmentalized Jekyll-Hyde type e.g. "philosophical" on foreign policy but opportunist on domestic policy but this does not pass the smell test.