Note in this New York Times report on Assad’s speech, and what the demonstrators in Beirut were saying as they watched his speech on a big screen:

In Martyrs’ Square here, the scene of many demonstrations in recent weeks, thousands of protesters came Saturday morning to watch a broadcast of Mr. Assad’s speech on projection screens, at times booing and jeering, or calling "Liar!" and "Bush sends his greetings!"

The protesters, many dressed in white, waved Lebanese flags and called for "freedom, sovereignty and independence."