Bush-Russert transcript
Posted by Peter W. Schramm
Here is the transcript of President Bush’s interview with Russert. I did not see the interview, but some folks at The Corner seem critical of it. Just reading the transcript, I thought it was perfectly O.K. I may be missing something.
8:09 PM / February 8, 2004
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And a fair number of the responders thought Bush did OK. Yes, Bush is not naturally eloquent or glib, but it is pretty clear that he knows what is important and what has to be done to save the country. That is enough.
The thing that struck me was that Bush said that he was a "war president". Too few of us appear to realize that were at war. Maybe he will continue to emphasize this fact. It needs to be emphasized.
Too few of us appear to realize that we’re at war.
Bush is a victim of his own success in this regard. To do well in the WOT is to lull Americans into a sense of complacency. Interestingly enough, though, is how the ghosts of Vietnam keep returning to haunt the political discourse this year. Vietnam shocked the Democratic "establishment" very hard, and those who rocked the "consenus" boat thirty-some years ago seem bent on keeping the ghosts alive any way they can. Ergo, Clinton is cheered and admired because he evaded the "war," while Kerry wallows in his hero status and virtually calls the president a coward for doing service in the guard.
Can the Democrats truly believe they can play this "war" thing any which way they choose? Can they make such a big issue about Vietnam while ignoring 9/11 or the continuing dangers America faces in its aftermath? Will all of this twisting and turning just plain wear people out in the sea of complacency which Bushs success has spawned?
Stay tuned, folks...