The president apparently gave this magnificent speech, redolent with the highest ideals of democracy and freedom, and Americans spreading liberty to the world. The usual suspects swallowed it whole.
Now, however, all the president's confidants (and parents) are telling us that we shouldn't read too much into the words. Certainly not any policy implications.
And now some liberals are surprised at this turn of events:
Even accepting that rhetorical BS is a politician's stock in trade, this is inexplicable. What's the point in giving a speech like this if you're going to spend the next week telling everyone to ignore it? This is political buffoonery of a high degree.
Perhaps 'clarifying' that the ideals expressed in your inaugural aren't worth the air they were breathed into, after just three days is a little low even for Bush. But not by much.
In any case the great unwashed who the Bush administration not-so-secretly despise while courting their all important votes will have heard little of the "clarifications," and much more about what an inspiring speech it was to begin with.
Posted by robe0419 at January 23, 2005 4:36 PM