On May 24, President Bush talked about life as a communicator: "See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda."
And last night, while seeking to reassure increasingly skeptical Americans about his stewardship as commander in chief, he hewed to his credo of repetition. His old message was that while Iraq is hard work, we must persevere. His new message is that while Iraq is hard work, we must persevere.
Actually, there is something more: The return of an old Bush talking point, the implication - long dismissed - that Iraq is directly linked to the 9/11 attacks. It is a risky rhetorical device, given that a majority of Americans - in polls, for the first time - are questioning Bush's credibility as a war leader, and that a respected senator in his own party, Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, believes that the White House has become "disconnected from reality."...
He paid the price when the facts on the ground contradicted his rhetoric. Bush's challenge is to ensure that the facts in Iraq ultimately match his take on the truth. By his own admission, there will be "tough moments" before that day arrives. This time, at Fort Bragg, there was no "Mission Accomplished" banner.
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