SOTU
Some sugar coating up front. Something that was even starting to look like a strange bi-partisan lovefest. Then, the hard truth. Quiet determination and confidence from a president who, battered, tired and increasingly isolated politically, showed that he intends to fight and called on Congress and all of us to stand with him in this “generational struggle.”
My report at the Boston Herald here.Â
I was going to do a quick rewrite of the AP last night. Tight deadline, easy route. Clean the Bush hatred and the enthusiasm for defeat and abandonment out of it and bang it in for first edition. But when the speech was over and I had a look at the canned copy and advanced text they had been updating all night, it was so nauseating and utterly unusable that I tossed 95 percent of it, and produced my own version in about 20 minutes from my own notes which I had been taking for the hell of it. Because I’m a newspaperman.
Yeah, I’m bragging.
OK, here’s how I feel really. PJM.
Some follow-on thoughts: Bush laid out the case of continuing in this war with stark clarity, and called on Congress to stand with him. He did not attack the moral bankruptcy of Congress, which is pursuing gutless non-binding resolutions against surge and wants withdrawal, but has offered nothing resembling a plan for the security of the region or this nation. SOTU is generally not a venue for attack. That has to follow. He also has follow through with a stronger call for Americans and Congress to get on a war footing.Â
UPDATE:Â Madam Speaker*Â still doesn’t get it.Â
Paul at Powerline notes that words alone aren’t going to get the American people on board. That will take success in Iraq. Something implicitly acknowledged by Bush in his tone and approach last night. John at Powerline calls it back to the good old days, but likewise doubts any fencesitters were convinced.
You want success in Iraq?  Thunder Run’s your man.Â
In vodka veritas. Vodkapundit says it was Bush’s best, dispensing with the usual laundry list, getting to the point.Â
*This Parliament of (Poll & Pork) Whores almost had Jimbo at Blackfive for a minute with their pomp and circumstance. But he snapped out of it.
A paradigm change on Dr. Sanity’s couch: Surge isn’t Bush’s last chance to win. It’s the left’s last chance to lose!
The Sagacious Blonde takes on and takes apart the health care and global warming parts. Then, she dyes her roots and tackles the professional Pillow Fight League.
Dean likes the health plan and is happy Bush’s spine is stiff on Iraq.
Too little too late for Don Surber, who is also disgusted by the surrender to Al Gore’s pseudo-science.
In the Captains Quarters, a look at the man taking the helm in Baghdad. Gen. Petraeus’s Senate appearance.
The essential daily Thunder Run Web Recon, on SOTU and other issues.
Topics: Uncategorized
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 12:37 am on Wednesday, January 24, 2007
7 Responses to “SOTU”
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January 24th, 2007 at 1:47 am
Nausiating and unusable….deja vu…
Said the same thing about the specter that surrounded the President’s speech. When the President made a call for victory in Iraq, certain rather important elected officials sat cold and silent. If that were not telling enough, within 15 seconds he made a call to support the troops there and those on their way. All stood and cheered, lest we realize they don’t really support us. Thought that for just a moment, but then realized they were standing and clapping. Made me feel so much better…
….I ordered yellow ribbons for one and all.
I’ll bet the Jiahdiya are nervous as hell now. Surely they must have seen it. It has to be an intimidating sight.
January 24th, 2007 at 1:57 am
Every word of the “report” in the Post, tells the enemy that all it has to do is wait out the Bush presidency to have its victory.
Thanks for giving us a report.
January 24th, 2007 at 3:08 am
There was a time when all America had to do was wait to win in the Middle East…
January 24th, 2007 at 9:01 am
I found it a wonderful site. How is it possible to have space (hosting) in Word Press? I am looking a place where i run the Afghan PenLog (Afghan community bloggers). any one knows it?
thanks
January 24th, 2007 at 10:18 am
[...] Jules Crittenden said it was the hard truth about Iraq sugar-coated with health insurance blather. Oh he might like to see my column for tomorrow — [...]
January 24th, 2007 at 10:32 am
I already linked you, Don, now get back down that hole and bring up some clean coal.
January 24th, 2007 at 10:36 am
Web Reconnaissance for 01/24/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.