I've been watching the world for a long time. I'm used to seeing politicians twirling and spinning like weather vanes. And so, when the President and his team say they have a long range plan, that they don't want to swat flies, that they'll stay the course---I worry that they'll weaken when fickle public opinion turns against them.
Public opinion is a battleground, one strategically valuable ground, worth fighting for. The Bush team doesn't seem to think so.
I agree with you on this point. This actually is a problem or tendency that goes back to the earliest days of the administration. It seemed to have been resolved in the rush of events afte 9/11, but in retrospect, it seems rather to have been temporarily submerged. The fact of the matter is that this White House's public relations efforts leave a very great deal to be desired.
Karl Rove is a political operative, not a PR guy. I wish the president would bring in a strong PR person to lead that part of their overall communications effort.