Clinton was persuasive in that role because he was â??sincereâ??.

Clinton could feed his base with a neck-deep line of B.S., with a tear in his eye, and they would, and still do (for some reason) gobble it up.

Bush tells it like it is. It's 'uncomfortable' for some people, and that pisses them off. Interesting that some one who is such a liar can simultaneous say so many 'distasteful' things. Why would he just stay in character, and 'lie'?

I thought his comment yesterday was awesome, about Democrats standing up against the terrorist monitoring program. They won't do it, nor will they take a firm stance on Iraq, because it would be political suicide. Good on him.

Some people want a President that tells them what they want to hear, true or not. Bush tells people what needs to be done, and they pick out the parts that they want to hear, to support their beliefs. That's the difference, just look at any dialogue on impeachment. All hysterics, no substance.

Wonders never will cease:
Mr. Bush, however, hasn’t lost sight of the stakes. “The enemy has said that it’s just a matter of time before the United States loses its nerve and withdraws from Iraq. That is what they have said,”...

I think he sees the trend lines going in his direction.

The media, the talking heads and the political class is not looking at the same set of facts as the President. The media and Democrats in particular have bought into their own critique:Bush is an idiot and the public is losing trust. After all, "the polls" prove it. Don't they?

I haven't seen the word "credibility" used so often in "news" articles since 1969. Or was it 1974?

It's not all beer and skittles for Bush. He's been on a bad losing streak for 9 months. That's taken a toll on his political health. But losing streaks end. And when you have the powers of the Presidency at your disposal, that's a helluva combat multiplier.

And I'm not much for the Dick Morris strategy of being on TV all the time touting your achievements. I think that works fine if you are Bill Clinton. I doubt if it would work well for anyone else. Clinton was persuasive in that role because he was "sincere". He believed in the need to brag about his policies and their success. The media was more than happy to midwife his popularity and "success". But we often forget that before the 1996 election, he was reduced to moaning abouth how he was still relevant.

Bush can come back from the doldrums. I hope that this marks the end of his downturn. Not ready to bet the ranch yet, but I'm beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Recommends the editorial page of WaPo:
PRESIDENT BUSH should hold more news conferences. In his hour-long exchange with reporters at the White House yesterday, he was considerably more effective in explaining and defending his commitment to the war in...

This is modern politics. Policy or progress be damned. Full speed ahead, deep into the partisan breach. Whose bottom has yet to be seen, known, or explored.