A president in the fray, more Truman than LBJ

Opinion Journal ^ | PAUL A. GIGOT

[slowhand520]

'Most People Want Us to Win' A president in the fray, more Truman than LBJ.

BY PAUL A. GIGOT Saturday, September 9, 2006 12:01 a.m. EDT

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi?

"That's not going to happen," snaps the president of the United States, leaning across his desk in his airborne office. He had been saying that he hoped to revisit Social Security reform next year, when he "will be able to drain the politics out of the issue," and I rudely interrupted by noting the polls predicting Ms. Pelosi's ascension.

"I just don't believe it," the president insists. "I believe the Republicans will end up being--running the House and the Senate. And the reason why I believe it is because when our candidates go out and talk about the strength of this economy, people will say their tax cuts worked, their plan worked. . . . And secondly, that this is a group of people that understand the stakes of the world in which we live and are willing to help this unity government in Iraq succeed for the sake of our children and grandchildren, and that we are steadfast in our belief in the capacity of liberty to bring peace."

Love or loathe President George W. Bush, you can't say he lacks the courage of his convictions. Down in the polls, with the American people in a sour mood over Iraq, Mr. Bush isn't changing his policy or hunkering down in the Oval Office. Instead he's doubling down, investing whatever scarce political capital he has to frame the November contest as a choice over the economy and taxes and especially over his prosecution of the war on terror.

[slowhand520]

It is a long good read

[Paladin2]

Enforce the rule of law at the southern border? Won't happen?

[STARWISE]

Excellent up close and personal article!

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Could he have done more, as president, to win over more Democratic allies?

"I met with a lot of Democrats over the course of this war, and"--he pauses for the longest time in our interview--"you know, it's hard for me to tell, Paul, whether I could have done a better job. . . . I don't know. I just don't know."

((You've done all any president could do, Mr. President. No one could succeed dealing with these obstructive, morally dishonest and dishonorable partisans.))

He then says that he has GOP majorities, and thus Republican leaders, to deal with. "Obviously, I wish that the effort were more bipartisan; it has been on certain issues.

It certainly was when it came time for people to assess the intelligence that they had seen and knew about and vote on a resolution to remove Saddam Hussein from power." And it was as well on his policy of pursuing state sponsors of terror.

But then the 2004 campaign intervened, he says, and now it's another campaign season.

[pissant]

Hastert said it will, and I believe him. Plus, it's a great political issue for the House GOPers, and they know it.

[GretchenM]

I get so sick of being told that Bush has scarce political capital, that the country is against the war in Iraq, that the president is down in the Almighty Polls (where the bias in the full questions is almost never "revealed" that would show WHY people are saying Bush stinks) ...

I do not believe this president is as looked-down-upon as the media, even a rather friendly Paul Gigot, would portray him. I see the videos of the thousands of Americans who mob him when he gets off Air Force One, who stand in line for hours to listen to him for 45 minutes, of the world leaders who fall all over one another to get next to him for a few minutes of conversation.

THIS AMERICAN is very pleased that President George Bush has the guts to stick it to the terrorists, and to Congress, when need be. Bush needs our support, not a death by a thousand (media) cuts.

The man is genuinely loved and appreciated by a great number of his fellow citizens.

I understand this recent photo is of family members of some who died on 9/11

[MeekMom]

re: 5
A HEARTY AMEN, Gretchen!!!