Leadership: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

[Richardo]

Once again, excerpts from my guest response on a RW blog, in the style of Keith Olbermann:

---------------------------------------------------------

...if we're at war, Mr President, act like we're at war - have the courage to raise our taxes, equip our armies, MAN our armies, and make sure all the citizenry have a stake in the outcome. If the cause is just, most of us want a stake in the outcome. Encourage us to conserve, to invest. Stop telling us to go shopping, for God's sake.

Leadership, as you've often pointed out, Mr President, is not 'governing by the polls'. But neither is it 'ignoring the polls'. You're not leading if no one's following.

Leadership is having a vision, articulating the vision, and executing the vision. Leadership is trusting yourself and your fellow citizens enough to be honest and frank with them. Leadership is being flexible enough to modify tactics when necessary to realize the vision.

Leadership is, paradoxically, being confident enough in yourself to doubt yourself, to seek counsel, to make SURE you're doing it the right way - not for the sake of the next election, but for the sake the country and your fellow citizens, especially those serving in the military.

Leadership comes not from ignoring the polls, it comes from ignoring the politics. And anyone who keeps a political adviser at the top of his staff does not know this truth.

You should have given this speech, or at least parts of it, at the start of the war - you're 45 months; 3,000 American lives; 20,000 American wounds; and about $400 billion too late.

And you get no credit from me for giving it now. You got us into this, now we and your successor(s) have to get ourselves out of it. What I heard from you tonight will achieve nothing but getting you a few more months closer to your own 'graceful exit'.

[billybob537]

1. This latest New way forward

is the same old stay the course. Leadership has totally escaped this man. When you're in sales it's imperative to believe in the product you're selling, Bush obviously does not. This poor pathetic little coward should resign and let someone, anyone else try their hand at this. It would be near impossible to do a worse job of handling the Iraq war. I fear that soon the American people will awake from their years long slumber and remove this failure.
The republicans in congress have already realized in 08 the Dems will attempt to staple everyone of them to Bush. Being attached to Bush will be the end of your political career. This horrendous failure of a war policy has ruined the Republican party and can continue to inflict damage on anyone who supports it.
So in closing Thank You GWB you have achieved one huge victory, you have united America against you. The one accomplishment you can claim in your poor pathetic existence.

[Bunny]

2. Very nice, Richardo.

Very Olbermanesque. :thumbsup: