Bush's Press Conference

Everybody's been critiquing Bush's performance at his press conference. I didn't watch much of it. I hate those things, because the press acts like it's more interested in embarrassing the president than in getting any news.

One thing I noticed from the few minutes I did see was that Bush was acting like a man who has read and believed the Sermon on the Mount. He seemed determined not to treat them the way they were treating him, and to "make allowance for their doubting, too."

That seems to have disappointed some people. Maybe they're right, but I think that his strength is 'what you see is what you get.' He made clear that, although he doesn't have all the answers, his resolve is unchanged, his plan has not been derailed, and that the recent resistance and flair ups are not cause for doubting his policy.

I've read that Bush's advisors are making a mistake by having him give a press conference instead of just a speech to the nation. I don't know what difference it makes having a hostile media asking stupid questions or having them dissect your speech as soon as you give it. I think they probably just decided that they couldn't go without some reaction to the recent casualties, and that it would play better if he was less formal.

He probably didn't appear as resolute as he could have, but Kerry, with his continued promises to repair relations with our "allies," would have looked worse. His faith in the U.N., NATO and diplomacy probably gets a good response at his stump speeches, but not from those who pay attention. I don't know how he would have handled the last 10 days, but I don't think his trademark "nuanced" maundering in response to every question and his habit of overly explaining his views would convey the sense of a leader in control.