President Bush's Iraq Speech

President Bush gave a speech yesterday (full text here) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to discuss the war in Iraq and the War on Terror.

It was a good speech, but not a home run. One of my favorite lines was, "As we determine the right force level, our troops can know that I will continue to be guided by the advice that matters: the sober judgment of our military leaders." As opposed to the loopy judgment of our Senate Democrat leaders.

Laura Ingraham had David Frum (author of The Right Man : An Inside Account of the Bush White House) on her show this morning to discuss the President's speech. I like David Frum. He has a voice that's low-key, with a pleasant timbre, and yet is full of the passion he obviously feels as he speaks. A point he made about the speech was right on target, and it highlights why this President isn't a great speaker.

President Bush didn't tell any stories. When presidents come before the American people, it's the stories about real individuals that help get the point home. And I don't mean those stupid campaign-debate token stories about poor Sam Spam, the bucket-maker, who's going to starve to death if the other guy gets elected.

Frum gave an example on Laura's show of the kind of story that needs to be in President Bush's speeches. On the eve of the Iraq elections in January, an Iraqi policeman spotted a man with explosives around his middle. The policeman hurried to the terrorist and gave him a bear hug, holding on until the bomb exploded and killed both of them. An Iraqi policeman willingly gave his life to save the lives of an untold number of people, for the sake of the freedom of his own country. Knowing this and knowing of the times that suicide bombers have killed recruits as they wait in line to apply, still the Iraqis wait in potentially deadly lines to apply to the military and the police forces. Because they believe in what their nation is becoming. And it would never have been possible if the US hadn't gone to war there.

All President Bush's speechwriters need to do is go the milblogs to find an endless supply of stories about the difference our troops are making there in Iraq, as well finding a glimpse into the heart and character of our military. A few of these are: Mudville Gazette, Blackfive, and Major K.

The other source of stories is some of the Iraqi blogs, like Iraq the Model, written by an articulate Iraqi about life there now.

President Bush earned his political capital on two issues: Judges and the Global War on Terror. He needs to spend it on those two issues.

When he gets his political focus back on Iraq (and Iran, Syria, North Korea, and even China), and when he starts telling the stories, then he will regain his connection with the American people.