July 16...
I've always been fascinated by Presidents. We know what they say publicly, but what are they really thinking? As someone who has worked a little bit in politics, I can tell you politicians and their aides are always concerned about image and spin...how to put the best face on things.
So...speaking of faces, I was struck by Peggy Noonan's latest column in the Wall Street Journal. A former Reagan speech writer and strong Bush advocate, she lately has been highly critical of our current President. And she was very upset by the tone of Mr. Bush's last news conference. Among other things, she wrote, "He's in a good mood...he doesn't seem to be suffering." She contrasts that with the obvious agonies Lincoln and LBJ went through...and calls the effect, "jarring." Could that be a part of Mr. Bush's poll troubles? Critics have long complained that he has a tendency to smirk in a condescending way, but maybe those people don't like him anyway. I do understand her point...while a President must appear confident, being too upbeat can be interpreted as disrespectful to the men and women who have and are sacrificing so much in Iraq. It also gives ammunition to his critics who claim he either is in denial or just doesn't fully understand the situation. Your thoughts?