Losing The (Electronic) War How The Bush Administration Refused To (Or Didn’t Know How To) Fight

Townhalll ^ | 1/18/07 | Hugh Hewitt

[nutmeg]

Where was the Bush who gave those inspiring speeches in front of the troops a year or two ago? We saw those hidden away on cable news channels. Never once was such a speech given on national television. They all should have been.

Exactly what I've been wondering as well. And most of those fabulous, "in front of the troops" speeches were run live in the middle of the day, during the work week on cable television... when most people are working or out and about... ridiculous.

[Doctor Raoul]

Concur

[Ciexyz]

I am really sick of hearing about stem cell research. It's not on my list of priorities - economic survival, improving my standard of living, prices in Walmart and the grocery story, are at the top of my priorities. In the matter of stem cell research, I no longer care what the President says or does.

[TigersEye]

Get someone who understands the Arab/Islamic world to start flooding their media with the who, what where and why we are doing what we're doing. while I'm at it they could do a much better job of explaining this to the American people. (given what kind of comments I see here on Islam and the GWOT, it's really needed).

This is exactly right. The WH has the bully pulpit and what that means is that it can issue press releases on anything anytime it wants. If those releases are info that flatly contradicts the opposition line (stories and reports just like you suggest) it will get MSM coverage due to the fact that the opposition will vigorously try to discredit them. The WH version will get aired just to put the opposition attacks in context. As Hewitt says the battle has to be waged without cease.

As some have characterised it it's an info war. The administration seems to think that info battles are unseemly but in a war you have to engage the enemy to win the battles. Staying back from battle gives the enemy the run of the territory. That is what the MSM and the Dems have had for four years.

[TigersEye]

As for the Republicans in Congress, at their first balking, he should have taken them to the woodshed.

Not just that. He could have also encouraged them, backed them up as his supporters, shown the strong fighters favor and made clear that he would return favors. He left them all standing alone to take the heat for supporting the WOT. Senators and Congressmen can't stand alone politically.

[Bigg Red]

And it means the entire Cabinet, and the deputies, and the White House staff. Ask yourself how many of these men and women you have seen or heard discussing the war in the days since the president's speech. Where's the sales force? And that is what it is, just as Reid-Pelosi-Clinton-Obama constitutes a sales force. Only difference: They are out-selling --out-persuading-- the Administration's team. By a lot.

***
Hewitt says -- a lot more eloquently, of course -- what I have been saying for years. The Bush WH is just too nice. They still don't know what dirty fighters they are up against; they keep thinking that if they do the right thing the public will understand and be behind them. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Maybe they should have bought 30-second spots on "American Idol".