He was at his best when he was at his toughest, in the days after 9/11 when he told everyone that they were either with us or with the terrorists. By playing nice, he turns off those who cheered that attitude, and he doesn't gain the votes of anyone who is moderate in this fight for our lives.
He has to choose whether to be Reagan or his father. Right now, he's somewhere in between. As a result, this election will be somewhere in between 1984 and 1992. It should be 1984. He is the man who has kicked the terrorists' butts in 2 wars and kept America safe, and who has conquered the recession he inherited. He should be reelected by acclamation. But instead, he will win, but will have to work hard for it. And if he makes any big mistakes, it could get close. I don't think he will lose, but I was hoping for a landslide of 1984 proportions, one that picks up lots of Senate and House seats.
That said, there is another type of conservative voice against the war, the Brent Scowcroft/Grover Norquist wing. There are the pro-Arab types who got too friendly with the enemy during the cold war, and haven't adjusted to the clash of civilizations. The people cited in the above article seem to be of this type. Ignore them, they are either bought off by Saudi money or not able to adapt to new realities.
Well said!