November 28, 2003

EVEN ELEANOR:

Bush in Baghdad (Eleanor Clift, 11/28/03, Newsweek)

George W. Bush's daring secret trip into the heart of Baghdad was such a triumph of political choreography that it left Democratic strategists gasping for mercy. Senator John Kerry had just begun airing a television spot in Iowa mocking Bush's swaggering "Mission Accomplished" photo op of May 1. Bush's genuinely emotional thanking of the troops on Thanksgiving Day wipes away that earlier image, and makes it harder to belittle the president's commitment to Iraq.

BUSH'S TRIP TO the front had all the trappings of a James Bond movie as Air Force One, its windows shuttered and the press corps outfitted in bullet-proof vests, landed at the Baghdad airport under cover of darkness. Americans getting ready for a day of feasting and football were let in on the news only after the president was safely back in the air en route to Texas. The element of surprise gave the trip an added boost, and coming as it did on the heels of Congress passing prescription drug coverage for seniors, the outlines of Bush's election strategy are coming into focus.

After weeks of bad news from Iraq, culminating in the humiliation of rocket launchers fired at U.S. targets from a donkey cart, Bush reasserted himself as commander-in-chief. For good or ill, this is his war, and he seems to have concluded that he can't run away from it. Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC's "Hardball" and a former Capitol Hill staffer, advises politicians that, rather than duck controversy, they should "hang a lantern" on their problems. Bush has taken heat in recent weeks for not attending military funerals and for seeming to distance himself from Iraq as the security situation worsened. With this visit, Bush wrapped himself in the war, which may prove smart politically.


Posted by Orrin Judd at November 28, 2003 7:18 PM
Comments

> this is his war, and he seems to have concluded that he can't run away from it

She may not run around with straws in her hair, but she is insane.

Posted by: Bob Hawkins at November 28, 2003 10:44 PM

The press' attempt to find some negative about the trip that will stick has been pitiful. My favorite is "questioning" whether the public will forgive the President his deception, which apparently consisted of not telling the press in advance and driving out of his ranch in a regular SUV without a motorcade.

Posted by: David Cohen at November 28, 2003 10:52 PM

There was a lot of sniping from CNN commentators. Howard Kurtz was fuming, "The White House lied to the press," ad nausem.

Note to CNN: Grow up. The final go-nogo decision was made an hour beforehand. Nobody is going to compromise the security of the President for your sake. You got lazy and sent your pool reporter home early and it's your own dang fault that Fox scooped you.

Posted by: Gideon at November 29, 2003 2:33 AM

Oh, but it was hilarious to watch the cool and confident Fox, and contrast it with the flustered and confused and annoyed CNN when they finally got the story 10 minutes later. I don't watch a lot of cable network news, but I'm very glad I didn't miss that little show.

Posted by: Timothy at November 29, 2003 3:02 AM

Eleanor Clift has always been among the snarkiest of talking heads, and one of the reasons I stopped watching the McLaughlin Group about 10 years ago when she was caught during the show in an outright lie. John tried to give her a way out, but she kept lying until Michael Barone told her she needed to just close her mouth - her expression was priceless (an extreme version of her usual shock look).

Posted by: jim hamlen at November 29, 2003 7:16 AM

My parents were shocked (shocked!) that Bush "didn't even tell his wife and children!" Well, I'm sure there's lots of things that a President can't tell his wife and I wouldn't trust the Bush twins with the keys to my car, much less something top secret.

Posted by: Governor Breck at November 29, 2003 7:40 AM

Although the horse is out of the barn, I wish the Whitehouse would just not respond to any of the criticism. Let the public be the judge. The leftish media and the Dem's could hurt themselves with this one. Responding just gives an aura of credence to their pettiness.

Posted by: genecis at November 29, 2003 11:05 AM

" With this visit, Bush wrapped himself in the war, which may prove smart politically. "

Gonna look even better 11 months fro now.

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at December 1, 2003 1:39 AM
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