1115.org

**Though I’m giving in (this time) to readers who have emailed in for thoughts on last night’s speech, don’t get too used to it. We don’t usually do instant analysis (the staff at ThinkProgress always does), especially when the only story is that the speech itself took place.

As the President prepared for yet another attempt to play Commander-in-Chief, parts of his speech were released to the media in what passes for leaks under this administration. With literally nothing new in the prepared remarks, a few of the networks even hesitated in their decisions to carry the “major address” live. Watching them play hard-to-get like a high school slut trying to protect a reputation long in tatters was almost cute, but the military backdrop of Fort Bragg proved to tempting in the end.

I’ll admit to being a bit paranoid before the actual speech. Bush’s sinking poll numbers, especially in states he won last year, wouldn’t be helped by “stay the course” etc. That there were no surprises reveals how much trouble the President is in, and the American people along with him. Bush has always been given atrocious advice by advisors eager to push their pet projects, but Communications Director Dan Bartlettt and chief speechwriter Michael Gerson were always there to put just enough make-up on the pigs they trotted out that the public wen along. But with Bartlett and Gerson promoted to senior counselor, the mistakes made in the real world don’t have the benefit of their hands-on gifts for spin and poetry.

Of course it doesn’t help that things aren’t going well in Iraq (or at home for that matter) and the restlessness that the Gore/Kerry voters have been feeling since 2000 is now starting to spread across the firebreak to people who thought the President could do no wrong, including the military. ABC’s Terry Moran reported that the only applause from the soldiers at Fort Bragg during the speech was prompted by a White House staffer. They don’t look forward to being caught in a cycle of stop-loss orders and redeployment, and they don’t want to see their fellow soldiers coming home in boxes because “we’re not going to cut and run.”

They (and everyone else) deserve more from our leaders than auto-play talking points.

Cheers to Bob Costas who, in filling in for the decrepit Larry King, did a fantastic job asking thoughtful, pointed, informed questions to Democrats and Republicans alike. He must have missed a memo. It’s shocking that CNN actually hired him.

And speaking of missed memos, how does Joe Biden expect to run for President as a Democrat when after the speech he tells CNN that Bush “made some progress?”

In the end, this speech isn’t going to help Bush at all, and that is actually pretty scary. With no major issue to milk for a jump in the polls, everything is on the table.