I think Mr. Novak meant that "well-informed, sophisticated and influential conservatives" disliked Bush's speech.
Whether it's popular on FReep or not is, frankly, beside the point, because we are mostly just isolated kibitzers who often don't see anything like the big picture.
The domestic side of Bush's speech was largely lacking in conservative vision and equally lacking in conservative rhetoric. He seems incapable of bashing the Democrats straightforwardly. Instead, he uses useless words like "some," "those who," "politicians," etc. that spread the blame both too narrowly and too widely.
While the energy and competitiveness programs may or may not make sense, the only serious conservative content in this speech was on foreign policy. And even there, in addition to not blaming the Rats squarely and unambiguously, Bush also wasn't tough on Hamas or nearly tough enough on Iran.
No doubt about it. The elite conservatives like Novak hold disdain for isolated kibitzers like thae pajamahadeen and Freepers like me. Ordinary common folk, without a pointed head. I don't know why you lower yourself to post here.
Agreed - The only reason I voted for Bush (twice) was that the Socialist Demoncrats can not be allowed to be in control of our national security / foreign policy, and for conservative court appointments. Bush is no Reagan; he is weak, is not an effective leader, and is a moderate too concerned with PC both in our war on terror and domestically. Additionally to other Woodrow Wilson-like statements and those you mentioned, I was outraged in his moderate leftist-like defense of illegal aliens (not mentioning it, nor much time spent on our dissasterous border security) in his calculated use of the word 'immigrant' to define all who are invading this country across our borders, and his defense of his amnesty / guest worker idea. I was not happy with his continued push for trade at all costs (he didn't mention Red China in his list of undemmocratic countries that need to be freed, by the way)am trouble by all unpatriotic big businesses and oil companies that put their profits in selling out to enemies like Red China, or price gouging Americans, or trashing the middle class in lieu of illegal workers, and the politicians that are beholden to them, like our President and many others in both parties.
As a Conservative, I in fact did like some of the things he said on the cultural front and on subjects related to the war on terror. On the whole, though, very dissapointing to this right-wing former Army Vet.
What an arrogant elitist person you are. No wonder I always disagreed with you. Now you have revealed your true colors.