[lbo-talk] Bush plan goes over like lead balloon; many not sure it's worth a fight

[Michael Hoover]

On 1/11/07, Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com> wrote:
> ABC NEWS/WASHINGTON POST POLL: THE IRAQ ADDRESS – 1/10/07
> EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE AFTER 7 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007
> Americans broadly reject George W. Bush's plan for a surge of U.S.
> forces into Iraq, with substantial majorities dismissing his
> arguments that it'll end the war more quickly and increase the odds
> of victory, an ABC News/Washington Post poll finds.
>
> Indeed, rather than Bush bolstering public confidence, the national
> survey, conducted after his address to the nation on his new Iraq
> strategy, finds that a new high – 57 percent – think the United
> States is losing the war. Just 29 percent think it's winning.
>
> AUDIENCE – In perhaps another sign of fatigue, Bush's audience –
> while broad by any standard – was far below his peak. Forty-two
> percent say they watched or listened to any of his speech last night.
> By contrast, 72 percent watched his address on March 17, 2003,
> announcing a two-day deadline for the start of the war.
<<<<<>>>>>

Re. Bush's speech, surely I wasn't the only person viewing who thought
that even he didn't believe anything he was saying. There was none of
the usual smirkiness that characterizes his delivery. Moreover, he
seemed to be looking off camera for a good portion of time as if the
teleprompter was off to the side. Plus, I noticed posture that is
likely to become the LBJ slump shoulders.   Michael Hoover