A Crisis of Confidence

Newsweek ^ | Jan 10, 2007 | Howard Fineman

[woofie]

Bush's way forward may be sensible. But his face showed fear—and that's no way to rally a war-weary nation.

George W. Bush spoke with all the confidence of a perp in a police lineup. I first interviewed the guy in 1987 and began covering his political rise in 1993, and I have never seen him, in public or private, look less convincing, less sure of himself, less cocky. With his knitted brow and stricken features, he looked, well, scared. Not surprising since what he was doing in the White House library was announcing the escalation of an unpopular war.

The president may well be right that we cannot afford to leave or lose in Iraq . He makes profound sense when he observes that a collapse of Iraq would mean the rise of a giant version of the Taliban's Afghanistan—with a million times the oil in the ground.

[FairOpinion]

"Now if only the new battle plan will cut back a little on the reserved and measured part (speak softly and carry a big stick)."

Hopefully so:


Winning: Let 'Em Loose (Iraq, War on Terror -- gloves off)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1765743/posts


Tough moves on Iranians and Syrians in Iraq planned

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1765760/posts


===

I just wish Bush wouldn't have taken responsibility for "mistakes". NOBODY would have made better decisions. You have to make decisions based on the best available informaition. That is NOT a "mistake".

I believe that the fact that violence escalated in 2006 is directly tied to the elections, Al Qaeda actually took credit for helping the Dems get elected.

[rlmorel]

Your last five sentences were spot on. Well said.

[Lion Den Dan]

What does this face show?

I see the superior stare of a constipated practiced liar. Would you buy a used car from this man?

[ReaganRevolution]

I don't know how to post a photo, but he doesn't look scared here, and I didn't think he looked scared while I was watching.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/01/images/20070110-7_g8o0232-745v.jpg

[jammer]

Look, everything the President says may be true, and Fineman may be full of crap. But Iraq has gone beyond what speeches can accomplish.

The American people have no visible stake in the fight (that they know of). Who, besides those families of troops, is making any sacrifice whatsoever for the nation? The populace doesn't have a stake in this, in its opinion, and is sitting on the sidelines making judgements. And they ask, rightly, if these maneuvers are going to work, why weren't they performed last summer when it was apparent to all that the situation was deteriorating?

No, it doesn't matter what the President said--or, with respect to public opinion, what he does--and it doesn't matter what the media say about it. Neither Reagan nor FDR could rally the country at this point, and the public has tuned out the President. It isn't listening and it won't listen.

Sorry for the cynical view, but that's the way it is.

[DarthVader]

Moronic stupidty and supreme arrogance.

[jazzlite]

..."The 'rats can hold back funding and bitch and moan, and their megaphone is the "journalists" like Fineman who amplify their liberal, defeatist, appeasement point of view..."

Hi, Woofie..You are exactly right! And, that "liberal, defeatist, appeasement" is eating away at the very foundation of freedom all of us cherish, the consequences of which Fineman and his ilk may not live to see..However, my children and grandchildren likely will..These rich, bloated, insulated from the street and real life, head in the sand, minority who feel like a majority because of their technological megaphones are reveling as the final breath of air finally goes out of reason and logic. Another opinion I have is that any Internet vote on anything is skewed to the younger among us..Most older people (65+) do not use the computer but they have definite opinions and they vote. It is a desperate wish of mine that the liberals will not be able to hide their dictatorial/collectivist wishes during these heady days and that the population out here, not on Prozac or Zoloft, will have enough judgment left to vote right in 2008. Did anyone here see Neil Cavuto's interview with Barney Frank over the weekend. How could anyone view that and vote Democratic?

[Rockiette]

Constipation? I believe Fineman wrote this "article" BEFORE the President gave the speech. How about addressing the issue, Howie and stop with the two-bit prattle of the President's "fear". Fineman's arrogance is not relevant, it is tiresome. Go to Iraq, Howie, stay with the Troops and see what is really happening over there. No? OK, then, shut up.

[dforest]

LOL, your great.

[Trailerpark Badass]

I think the President is still trying to come to terms with the fact that half the American population are gutless cowards. That was probably quite a shock to his system.

[woofie]

lol