CENTER OF GRAVITY:

An Upbeat Bush Praises New Interim Government in Iraq (RICHARD W. STEVENSON, 6/02/04, NY Times)

President Bush on Tuesday called the selection of an interim Iraqi government a major step toward stability and democracy in Iraq, but he said he expected continued violence there and suggested that other nations were unlikely to send additional troops to help quell the insurgency.

Clearly upbeat about the formation of the temporary government after weeks in which the surge in killing seemed to threaten both the American-led occupation and his prospects for re-election, Mr. Bush said the Iraqis chosen to run the country as it prepares for elections next year constituted "a team that possesses the talent, commitment and the resolve to guide Iraq through the challenges that lie ahead."

Despite calls from even some of the administration's supporters to recognize the impossibility of transforming Iraq into a model democracy in the Middle East, Mr. Bush reasserted his intention to make Iraq the cornerstone of an effort to root out the underlying causes of terrorism and religious conflict.

"A free Iraq in the heart of the Middle East is going to be a game-changer," Mr. Bush said during an impromptu news conference in the White House Rose Garden. [...]

Mr. Bush, who had invited reporters into the Rose Garden to hear him read a statement on the developments, surprised journalists by answering questions from 16 of them.

"I'm converting this into a full-blown press conference," Mr. Bush said. "It's such a beautiful day."

One leader standing on conviction can force events to revolve around him.

Posted by Orrin Judd at June 2, 2004 11:45 AM