Preemptive whining

LAGuy may think it's time for Republicans to push the panic button, but it's Democrats doing the preemptive whining.

The 9-11 anniversary speech carried all the hallmarks of politics as honed and polished by President Bush in the 12 years he has held public office. The most important hallmark is a passive-aggressive strategy—to land a punch without looking like you’re in a fight. So Bush took the high road of patriotism, as he called for Democrats to stop opposing his policies in Iraq and elsewhere. “Winning this war will require the determined efforts of a unified country,” Bush said, “and we must put aside our differences and work together to meet the test that history has given us.”

And this is different from Harry Reid, how?

Nothing in his speech, and nothing outside it, suggests that President Bush is ready to meet his critics half-way in setting aside their differences.

Half way . . . should we pull back to Germany?

In the president’s view, the people playing politics—and dividing the nation—are those who oppose his approach. That may not be explicitly partisan politics, but it is political debate dressed up in patriotic clothes.

And this is different from Harry Reid, how? (Okay, I'm being disingenuous; everyone knows Harry Reid isn't sincere, while only Michael "Mad Cow" Moore doubts Bush's sincerity.)

Earlier in the speech, he was more explicit about the most important of those differences: about how to end the military operations in Iraq.

Bush’s rhetorical strategy is twofold: first, issue a statement of fact about your own position; second, caricature your opponents to look foolish. First the statement of fact: “We’re training Iraqi troops so they can defend their nation. We’re helping Iraq’s unity government grow in strength and serve its people. We will not leave until this work is done,” he explained.

And so on and so on. I'd like to see Newsweeks' careful parsing of Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham-How's-"Clinton"-polling-right-now. I'm sure it's in the archives.