I'm not overdramatizing, I'm pointing out it was needless, and it sets the President up for yet another round of bashing in news stories.
There was no need to mention it at ALL, that's my point. You play to your strengths, and Bush's strength has always been the war... He should have vetoed it purely on the effects on the war (which I am certain based on his past behavior is fully the reson he vetoed it) and not eve mentioned Pork.
Now that he has, every single news organization will be sure to run repeated stories of Bush never standing up to pork in the past, purely for the purpose to make him look hypocritical and bad... mark my words.
What do you think the news stories will be? BUSH'S Veto's due to congress overstepping authority and putting our soldiers lives at risk? Or will it be spun as this "Why did Bush finally veto pork?".. followed by the listing of every pork bill he's ever signed listed ad nausea?
You play to your strenths, had he stuck purely with its a bad bill and I won't put our soldiers lives and the war at risk by signing it. He'd have framed the news cycle to his advantage.. but by mentioning pork at all, he's open the door to one of his biggest weaknesses and as such the news cycle will get framed that way, IMHO.
He shouldn't have mentioned it at all, there was no reason too, he was fully justified in Vetoing the bill without that topic even coming up. Bad move.
IMO, no matter what Bush said or didn't say, the media will spin it according to their agenda anyway.
He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. But I for one, support him and what he said today.
That would happen regardless of what he says. All President Bush has to do is get out of bed, smile, seem to enjoy life, it doesn't matter what he does, he gets blasted.
Get real, HJ, in the eyes and dark souls of his enemies, and they are legion here at home, he can do nothing right. If he hadn't used the word pork, which has you so concerned, it would have been something else. Maybe his tie, his facial expression, it doesn't matter, it's always going to be something.
He's still standing, and it drives them nuts.
Okay, HJ, you have self-certified yourself as an authority on political rhetoric and strategy. I think we could even get a FReeper concensus that you are very possibly the world's smartest man if only you, in return, would agree to just STFU. Enough, already. You have made your point. Whatever it was.
Will you never learn.
There will be bashing of Bush by the media if he got up there and just hummed.
So, are we supposed to only hum because they might like that better?
I say fight them - let the world know they are buying votes with taxpayer dollars to make a war funding bill double in cost to the public. Let them explain that when they ask for a tax increase for education and defense.
Good for GWB. I want to see more and more of this ire directed against the dems.
Of course, again he is the only one fighting the terrorists, the wars, the government, while all of your nitpick and withdraw support.