[Texasforever]

In a way he is correct but for the wrong reasons. Bush has not used his "political capital" gained from 911 because he does not want to make the WOT a political issue. There is no doubt whatsoever that if he tried that it would be screamed from the headlines "Bush politicizes WOT". I don’t know when people will wake up to the fact that GW is NOT a politician and for that reason alone he squeaks out victories on the basis of his perception of right and wrong. That is NOT a bad thing.

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

In a way he is correct but for the wrong reasons. Bush has not used his "political capital" gained from 911 because he does not want to make the WOT a political issue. There is no doubt whatsoever that if he tried that it would be screamed from the headlines "Bush politicizes WOT". I don’t know when people will wake up to the fact that GW is NOT a politician and for that reason alone he squeaks out victories on the basis of his perception of right and wrong. That is NOT a bad thing.

The president could have said that, with so many suspected terrorists and their accomplices in custody, we can't afford vacancies and backlogs in our courthouses and my good frien' Pat needs to stop playin' politics with the federal judiciary. He could have said that wartime is no time for Congress to put preserving the integrity of Alaska's most pristine mosquito habitat over the energy needs of America.

There are two issues right there that Bush coulda run with, and mashed any charges of "politicizing the War on Terror".

• I could be wrong, but it seems to me a good common-sense argument that if we are going to put terrorists on trial, having some judges available to try the cases is a Good Thing.
• I could be wrong, but it seems to me a good common-sense argument that if we are going to War in the Middle East, domestic oil we produce ourselves is a Good Thing.

What woulda stopped Bush from running with these two, at least (just for example)?? The Media says what it will, but most Americans favor energy independence; and while less Americans follow the matter of "judicial appointments", it seems like an easy argument to say, "we're detaining suspects; we need some judges". What woulda stopped Bush from running with these two?

[billybudd]

Bush is not a politician? He acts on principle? Hehehehe! Don't make me laugh! Bush is the slickest politician around ('xcept fer maybe Slick Willie). Steel tarrifs, case in point. Bush talks up a storm about free trade and fast track, then signs the new steel (and other) tarrifs to buy votes. When the new tarrifs drive up prices AND global supply, and piss off everyone who's not working in a steel mill, Bush back-tracks and eliminates the tarrif little by little. Then he gets pissed off that the Europervs want their own tarrifs too. Face it, he's a pragmatic politician, though not a very good one.

[iconoclast]

I don’t know when people will wake up to the fact that GW is NOT a politician

Wow! How many hugs for Ted Kennedy, literal or symbolic, did it take to convince you of that.

Or did "Islam is a religion of peace" finally nail it for you?

[varon]

Bush has not used his "political capital" gained from 911 because he does not want to make the WOT a political issue.

What you say appears to be correct which leads a person to wander if WOT is not a political issue, just what is Bush’s political issue/agenda? Remove WOT from the table and what does he have? Nothing!

[Sabertooth]

I don’t know when people will wake up to the fact that GW is NOT a politician...

They're all politicians, even the ones we like.

What Bush isn't, is a scumbag.

Bush has not used his "political capital" gained from 911 because he does not want to make the WOT a political issue.

This is thankfully untrue. As with all other matters concerning politicians, the War on Terror is a political issue. It cannot be otherwise, and this is not changed by the fact that the WoT's political alternatives present us with a choice between right and wrong which is more stark than usual. Success in the War will require successful mastery in the politics surrounding it.

Despite a few missteps, the President has largely mastered the politics of the WoT, and that's a sincere compliment.