Incredibly Optimistic

"Vice President Cheney said Sunday that his 10-month-old claim that the insurgency was in its 'last throes' was 'basically accurate' and reflects reality. Since Cheney's original comment, on at least 70 days there have been violent attacks that in each instance killed more than 10 people. . . .

"Pollsters and some congressional Republicans said the administration's sunny-side-up appraisals, instead of lifting the public mood, may now complicate the task of sustaining support for a long-term military commitment in Iraq. The loss of trust, they said, is affecting Bush's presidency more broadly, as polls show his public support at a nadir."

John Ward Anderson and Omar Fekeiki write in The Washington Post: "As Iraqis on Monday marked the third anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion, there was a stark difference between their pessimistic outlook and some U.S. officials' upbeat assessment of the situation. With insurgent violence grinding on, essential services sagging below pre-invasion levels and the prospect of civil war looming, many Iraqis question whether Hussein's ouster was worth the cost."

Gail Russell Chaddock writes in the Christian Science Monitor: "Capitol Hill lawmakers are signaling that 2006 must be a decisive year in the Iraq war -- and many of the war's vigorous defenders are looking for guidance outside the Bush administration on how to move ahead. . . .

"The move to develop alternatives to Bush administrative briefings signals a growing distrust on Capitol Hill for the 'closed circuit between people sitting inside the Green Zone and the "good news" being sent back to Washington,' says [Edward Luttwak, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies]. 'Congress is discovering that the Bush administration is repeating its own propaganda -- and believes what they are saying.'"

Tough Questions

President Bush took questions in Cleveland yesterday. And in a surprise e-mail at 8:30 a.m. this morning, the White House announced that Bush would hold his first press conference in two months at 10 a.m. in the White House briefing room.

(I'm filing my column before the press conference starts.)

One problem with the Bush presidency, particularly since the 2004 campaign, has been that Bush was so reluctant to be questioned. It's not clear whether his sudden willingness is a blip, or a welcome shift. But either way, the other problem remains: His answers.

Yesterday, for example, Bush faced a handful of really interesting, evocative, even combative questions. But questions alone -- without the ability to follow up, interrupt a filibuster, redirect the response, or challenge his facts -- are not enough to throw the president off his well-worn talking points.

Here's the transcript of Bush's 90-minute talk, which included almost and hour of questions and answers.

One man in the audience asked what I consider the seminal question of the moment (see my Feb. 3 column, It's the Credibility, Stupid.)

"QUESTION: Mr. President, at beginning of your talk today, you mentioned that you understand why Americans have had their confidence shaken by the events in Iraq. And I'd like to ask you about events that occurred three years ago that might also explain why confidence has been shaken.