Peggy Noonan: Bush Makes the Right Move

Opinion Journal | 04/05/2002 | Peggy Noonan

[fire and forget]

Always nice to find a fellow conservative who doesn't assume that just because Bush's actions don't jive with our own immediate positions, he's a traitor to conservatives.

The most disturbing thing I've witnessed in a long time has been the dramatic defections of conservatives from Bush. Conservatives are ordinarily awfully rational about matters of import. In this case, many seem much more impatient than common sense demands.

Warm regards,

Sean.

[Tauzero]

"We shall keep a score of how many Jewish lives this costs."

Maybe we should keep a score of the Americans it saves.

[Nachum]

Like father like son. Bush senior stabbed the Jews in the back and now so does the son.

Not a surprise, not unexpected. I feared that possibly in the end, Gore might have been better for he is merely a fool.

[Tauzero]

I think Bush is very misguided on a number of things -- but this isn't one of them. His position in this speech is pretty close to being perfect, IMO.

[Texasforever]

Check and mate.

[Lent]

Lot of breathy and fawning Noonan support here. I'd prefer to wait and see what Bush's ambiguous comments amount to. At first blush they appear to be the same old same old.

[intelman]

Have the Jews accepted Christ yet? Is this on Drudge?

[Benjamin Dover]

I don't know if I've ever seen so many different opinions of what one person said in a speech in my life. No two people heard the speech the same.

Amen!! We all sit in front of our monitors second guessing, and assuming we know better...based on what we have been told by a dubious press. Remember, we only know what we see on TV or read. Bush has the best minds and most experienced participants in the world to rely on as advisors. If we only knew what he knows, and what burdens he must shoulder, most here would faint at the ramifications. He balances politics, public approval, misdirections to our adversaries, his own personal opinions, Congressional interference, a media that despises him, differing opinions among his inner circle, world opinion, forging alliances with other leaders...all while worrying about our own economy and this little war we have of our own.

We're allowed the luxury of tunnel vision. "By God, if Bush doesn't do this or that on an issue, he's a RINO, sellout, wussy, coward, globalist, NWO'er, money-grubber or..." fill in the blank. It's sickening.

For the first time in 8 years, we have a President we can trust. So trust him. Not all is as it seems; or as it is as reported in the press. His ability to stumble into brilliance is not an accident.

[Jeff Chandler]

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I'm praying that Bush has something worked out in advance. Once Israel cleans out the terrorists, we need to quiet this thing down so we can invade Iraq. I can't help but wonder if those bombings weren't timed to goad Israel into invading so as to ignite the Arab world and foil our war against terrorism?

[Eagle74]

Unconditional victory by one side or the other is the only lasting solution here. Bush should have done nothing, by allowing world opinion to push him into this, he weakens his position on terrorism. Does anyone think the nations of the world will be grateful for this action. Why does Peggy think the world will respect us more, when we violate our own stated policy. War is hell and is best gotten over with as quickly as possible.

[Jeff Chandler]

You make sense. Peggy is a great wordsmith, but she seems to have lost her anchor.

[11B3]

Like father like son. Bush senior stabbed the Jews in the back and now so does the son.

Not a surprise, not unexpected. I feared that possibly in the end, Gore might have been better for he is merely a fool.

Which also implies that you would rather have Gore in there for any and all actions that the President has taken since 911? If so, you should resume your medications. You should also review the actual records of how senior actually treated Israel. Far better than x-42. For which American Jews never seem to remember. Rather than spewing out the dogma of the left-wing press, try reviewing the FACTS before opening your mouth.

[Jeff Chandler]

Maybe Mr. Powell can help the Palestinians become Terrorists of Promise.

[Bullish]

Why does Colon Powell seem to wear his blackness on his sleeve?

He's about as white as I am but all you ever hear is how he's black this and the first black that.

It's stupid really.

[M. Thatcher]

Very insightful.

[M. Thatcher]

Why does Colon Powell seem to wear his blackness on his sleeve?

He doesn't. Mentions of "blackness" come from others, who for whatever reason cannot stop themselves from posting stupid race comments whenever his name comes up. See this thread.

[Freemyland]

"We all sit in front of our monitors second guessing, and assuming we know better...based on what we have been told by a dubious press."

Amen. If we relied on the press reports, we would think that the whole speech was nothing but Bush dressing down Israel.

[Miss Marple]

Thank you. I have never once heard Powell refer to his race. I have heard him refer to growing up in New York, his parents immigration from Jamaica, but never his race.

I have also heard him speak about hard work, the pursuit of excellence, and the opportnities he found in the army.

The press has difficulty seeing anything else, apparently, since they are the source for all these comments.

[maica]

We're allowed the luxury of tunnel vision. "By God, if Bush doesn't do this or that on an issue, he's a RINO, sellout, wussy, coward, globalist, NWO'er, money-grubber or..." fill in the blank. It's sickening.

For the first time in 8 years, we have a President we can trust. So trust him. Not all is as it seems; or as it is as reported in the press. His ability to stumble into brilliance is not an accident.

Thanks for your comments. I am appalled by all the whiners on FR lately. It surely is tunnel vision. You have outlined in one sentence all the concepts, problems and players that Bush has to consider. And then he has to be strong enough not to waver when the criticism starts before he has even finished speaking.