Speech Could Decide Course of U.S. – and the World

The Chicago Sun-Times ^ | June 28, 2005 | John O'Sullivan

[quidnunc]

President Bush's broadcast tonight on the Iraq war will almost certainly prove to be a major turning point in his presidency. Either it will be the first of a line of broadcasts that track a gradual collapse in the will of the American people to win the war. Or it will be the broadcast that persuades the American people to fight the war to a finish in the realistic spirit that no war can be won without casualties and setbacks.

In embarking on this persuasion, the president cannot afford false optimism. If people are persuaded by a well-argued case that falls apart in the days following, they will discount genuine good news in the future. If they are given all the facts, even facts that are for the moment discouraging, they will trust that leader through thick and thin.

It is not irrelevant that one of the most inspiring and ultimately optimistic speeches in the English language begins with the words: "I have nothing to offer you but blood, toil, tears and sweat." When Churchill told the British people that in 1940, he won their backing through the following two years of military setbacks. Only in October 1942 did the great victory at El Alamein in Africa mark the turning point of the war. Even then Churchill refused to exaggerate the good news, saying memorably: "This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is the end of the beginning."

So the president must level with the American people in the sober and realistic mood he should want them to adopt.

That does not mean the defeatist mood of his opponents, some in the Democratic Party, some in the media, and some in European governments. Defeatism is quite unnecessary in this war. …

-snip-

[TommyDale]

I'm hoping that tonight President Bush announces that Osama Bin Laden has been captured by the British SAS.

[Republican Red]

Speech Could Decide Course of U.S. – and the World

Geez, talk about a little pressure!

[goldstategop]

The Democrats WANT America to fail. The President should simply say we will not flag, falter, flail or tire and that in Iraq we have but one objective: VICTORY. And to bring our soldiers home with the honor they deserve from a grateful people.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[Brilliant]

Building up expectations.... And tomorrow's headline will be "Bush Speech Unconvincing--America Demands Withdrawal."

[hsalaw]

Pres. Bush has told us from the start and all along the way that this would be a long, hard fight against terrorism and its roots. The Chicago Sun-Times must have overlooked the fact that we've always been told that, and some of us haven't forgotten it.

[DTogo]

El Rushbo was saying he thinks it'll likely be more of the same, because the MSM tends to ignore the President the first 2~3 times he says something. But to those who support the war and troops, it will sound familiar.

I agree, I don't expect anything ground-breaking and my support of the war and troops remains at 110% - if only politicians would let them do their job (and kill the enemy)...

[NO_2_CORZINE]

I'm hoping that tonight President Bush announces that Osama Bin Laden has been captured by the British SAS. Or that Operation Sword netted Zarq

[Tarpon]

WOW we finally reached 'the make or break speech'.

How many of these did we get with Clinton.

Laughable

[Names Ash Housewares]

America's action under Presdient Bush has decided the course of the world, not a speech tonight. Its been set in motion for years now. Two new emerging democracys in a part of the world where there were none before. Tryants toppled. Terrorists hunted down. We are draining the swamps. The only issue is strengthening some of the American peoples resolve in this endeavour. The point must be made that we fight today, so that our children and grandchildren will not have to fight tommorrow. If we had did nothinng if we had let the bribed UN decide matters. We would face a terrible cost in the future. The time to act is now. Not in ten years when we face a much larger foe.

[Moral Hazard]

"Speech Could Decide Course of U.S. – and the World"

And according to the laws of quantum mechanics I could spontaneously change into a ham sandwich.

[roses of sharon]

Nonsense, the President took the bait of those in the defamation campaign against our troops and our war effort, his speech simply gives them a platform for their propaganda.

[sirchtruth]

And according to the laws of quantum mechanics I could spontaneously change into a ham sandwich.

LOL! With mustard and swiss!

[stuartcr]

Why would the Democrats really want the US to fail...wouldn't that put them out of work?

[jayef]

The media dictating terms again?

[Jonah Johansen]

The network spin machine will be in full gear after the speech.
They are busy today finishing up their post-speech attacks. Assuming the Presidents speech will be uplifting, encouraging, optimistic about the long term, the networks realize they must suppress any possible boost in the peoples will to endure and any potential improvement in morale must be quashed.
What is truly shameful is that nothing the President says no matter how inspiring, no matter how truthful and realistic, no matter how important to the nation and the world, will in any way effect the networks "analysis" They might as well tape them all in advance.

I picture some terrorist leader watching the speech on satellite TV, and one of his followers telling him that he feared that the speech might rally the American people and strengthen their resolve. The terrorist leader tells his follower
"Do not worry, our people have not spoken yet."

The follower looks up at the monitor and sees George Stephanopoulos, Chris Matthews or Brian Williams face and his look of worry, turns into a smile of understanding.

[stuartcr]

I think it's pretty safe to assume that the Presidents speech will be uplifting, encouraging, and optimistic about the long term....that's his job.

I think the key here, is that not everyone believes it is the truth and realistic.

[Moral Hazard]

It's tough to get any kind of real grasp on the odds of my becoming a ham sandwich, but if we make the following assumptions:

1) There is one unique ham sandwich configuration
2) That the ham sandwich is the same mass as me
3) That the ham sandwich is made of the same molecules as me
4) That the total number of atoms in my body is approx 10^30
5) That the probability of any molecule spontaneously jumping into the proper place is, say, 1 in 10^100

The probability of my becoming a ham sandwich spontaneously under those circumstances would be 1 in 10^100^10^30, which would be a 1 in 10^30,000, which is roughly the same as the same as flipping a coin and getting heads on 100,000 consecutive flips.

[GSlob]

As one Otto von Bismarck remarked some 150+ yers ago, the major problems are never decided by speeches...

[mtntop3]

A refreshingly valid commentary from the print media.