[Patriot from Philly]

Good article. It is demoralizing to be a Bush supporter when he doesn't defend himself.

[samtheman]

It is demoralizing to be a Bush supporter when he doesn't defend himself.

The only thing I can say to that is that it is demoralizing to be a Bush supporter when he doesn't defend himself.

[VictoryGal]

I agree. I think he should take heart in the excellent Supreme Court pick, and know his base is behind him now that he's returned to his promise. I think he should continue the momentum by slashing the bloated transportation bill.

Playing defense is no good. He's got to come out charging. Come on W!

[Patriotic Bostonian]

You are not a Bush supporter. Supporters support -- they don't constantly bash everything he does and doesn't do to their liking.

[My2Cents]

I'm right there with you. Over a year ago, I started putting together (mainly from Google searches) a list of evidence of Saddam's WMDs, and was, as the Bush Adm. said in 2002-03, a threat. The information I compiled is compelling, but I've somewhat abandoned the effort because I figure if the Bush White House isn't willing to confront the myth that Saddam didn't have WMDs, and wasn't interested in pursuing their development, why should I bother?

the bipartisan Silberman-Robb commission found no evidence of political manufacture and manipulation of intelligence. The administration's weak and disorganized attempts to respond to Joe Wilson's misrepresentations put the lie to the existence of any campaign to "destroy" opponents of the war. In fact, the administration has done amazingly little to confront, and discredit, attacks from antiwar Democrats.

Kristol is right. Bush thinks that if he does a good job, people will notice and give him the credit without him having to bang his own drum. This is delusional.

[Steve_Seattle]

"It is demoralizing to be a Bush supporter when he doesn't defend himself."

It's even more demoralizing when the Dems and media characterize Bush's almost total lack of response to his critcs as "a vicious smear campaign" and "trashing critics." Is it possible the media have the administration cowed into not defending themselves at all, because ANY defense whatsoever, even a stammering, "But . . . but . . . " will be characterized as a "smear"?

[JFC]

I am one of the biggest Bush fans there is.. and I know fighting msm and polls is just almost impossible. Wish we knew the answer. 24 hour news, internet and boring days make everyone want to pile on Bush.


He needs lots of prayers. I am not going to change how I feel about him. I think everyone thinks they are armchair qbacks.

[Dont_Tread_On_Me_888]

It is demoralizing to be a Bush supporter when he doesn't defend himself.

Bush said he himself was to blame for Katrina.

He called Manslaughter Ted Kennedy a fine Senator.

He let Manslaughter Ted Kennedy have a free will with the first Dept of Education budget--then once Kennedy ballooned it to stratospheric levels, Bush asked for even more money than Kennedy did, even though the RATs shot down Bush's hope for school vouchers.

Bush said he would go after nations that harbor terrorists, yet he lets Iran build the IDEs for Iraq and does nothing about it.

He gave Turkey BILLIONS of dollars after Turkey would not let the 4th Infantry Division enter through Turkey as planned, costing lives of the British and the Americans.

Bush gives $15 billion to Africa, even though we "can't afford" the F-22 and we "can't afford" the military bases.

On and on and on . . . In short, Bush is Mr. Nice Guy in an arena where nice guys finish last. The RATs are waging a brutal frontal assault and all out war against Bush and the Republicans, yet Bush chooses to "reach across the aisle", even though that means getting one's arm amputated by the RATs, and Bush chooses to "have bi-partisan support" for agenda, even though that means a leftist, Marxist agenda.

Bush is too nice. He does not have the focused vision that Reagan had to do what is right for the nation, and screw what the RATs think. The RATs are anti-American opportunists who care only about their own power, not the nation's future--you know that and I know that. Why doesn't George Bush know that?

[ballplayer]

I am not really interested in Bush defending himself but he has thousands of americans in harms way fighting for this country and HE ordered them there !!!! Its time for him to get off his a.. and defend this country from the liars who are giving aid and comfort to the enemy ,and he can start by putting that sleezbag Wilson and his Mata Hari wife in their place

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Well said. I love it when critics of Bush are automatically labeled trolls and so forth by the bots.

I don't like Kristol but deep down every conservative wishes that Bush would be more blunt instead of this new tone or compassionate conservatism crap.

[ladyinred]

It does not demoralize me at all. I know that he was raised to not toot his own horn, ala Bill Clinton. His parents and grandparents taught him that, and it used to be considered a good trait before the world went into madness.

The Miers episode as the author says, did cause damage, and it was caused by his own so called party supporters. I am appalled to this day at the behavior of the republicans who did this.

[Jorge]

It is demoralizing to be a Bush supporter when he doesn't defend himself.

I agree.

Latest polls show a majority NOW doubt his honesty and integrity, thanks to the constant "Bush lied" mantra from the MSM and the misrepresentation of the CIA leak nonsense.

It angers and disgusts me that the TRUTH is not being put out there by the White House and Republicans to counteract this campaign of misinformation.

I feel like they almost deserve to be smeared.

[MNJohnnie]

Good article. It is demoralizing to be a Bush supporter when he doesn't defend himself.

Stupid article. A President "fight back" sounds to the bulk of the pulbic as a President with something to hid". Instead of feebling pretending to defend the President by regurgitating all the Democrat Talking point lies, Kristol should be using his position and column to help the attack that utter stupidty of the Demos actions this week, little Billy makes yet another one of his childish, hnadwringing "Oh fight back Mr President." whines.

Hey whine all the time Choirs, why don't YOU fight back FOR once instead of piling on Buss? I, for one, am competely sick of these RINO handwringers like Kirstol.

[NYC Republican]

Good article. It is demoralizing to be a Bush supporter when he doesn't defend himself.

EXACTLY what I've been saying for a couple of years now. He needs to debunk these BS charges... It may be too late now, too many of our fellow Americans believe all of the BS being spewed by the left... After all, if these charges aren't answered by the inept GOP leadership - Cheney, Frist, Hastert, etc, why wouldn't most non-politically savvy Americans believe these lies? What a DISGRACE!