Not a 'Bullhorn Moment'

Believe it or Not?

It would be entirely appropriate to consider everything Tony Snow says from now on in the context of this assertion at yesterday's gaggle : "As I said before, really it's a reflective speech, what we have learned since September 11th, where we're going. But it is, as I've been at some pains to say in the last few days, it's not a political speech, it's not trying to draw political distinctions or issue calls to action. I think this is a time to try to talk in a way that unifies the American people."

Straw Man Watch

Tim Grieve writes in Salon: "'Whatever mistakes have been made in Iraq,' Bush said, 'the worst mistake would be to think that if we pulled out, the terrorists would leave us alone.' In a single sentence, the president minimized his administration's colossal miscalculations and set up yet another straw-man argument about his opponents' views. Yes, it would be a mistake to think that withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq would cause the terrorists to leave us alone. But we don't know of any war critics who think such a thing; indeed, most critics -- and most Americans -- think the war in Iraq doesn't have much to do with the war on terrorism one way or another. Invading Iraq hasn't made us safe from terrorists; leaving it won't, either."

Only the Beginning

A few overlooked lines from the speech:

"We are now in the early hours of this struggle between tyranny and freedom," Bush said, adding later: "America has confronted evil before, and we have defeated it -- sometimes at the cost of thousands of good men in a single battle."

Was he suggesting that the loss of 3,000 soldiers is only the beginning? Or that it is just a trifle?

And near the end of his speech, Bush pulled out some unusually religious imagery: "The attacks were meant to bring us to our knees, and they did, but not in the way the terrorists intended. Americans united in prayer, came to the aid of neighbors in need, and resolved that our enemies would not have the last word."

Only in Election Years

Via Hotline , Washington bureau chief Nina Easton on Fox News last night: "It was a political speech. There wasn't a direct attack on his political foes. But there was a dwelling on Iraq. It's interesting, you know, he has not spoken about Iraq on a 9/11 anniversary, except in election years, 2004 and now. Last year, by the way, he just did a moment of silence on 9/11.'"

Here are his Sept. 11 remarks from 2002 and 2003 . All very tame and respectful compared to last night.

Five Years Ago

ABC News last night broadcast more of its interview with Bush last week. Charles Gibson asked Bush about his experience on Sept. 11:

Bush: "There is a fog of war. It was hard to get information. Communication systems were not as good as they should have been. In other words, I couldn't get information, I couldn't find out where Laura was, I couldn't find out, you know, where, uh, trying to get a hold of the vice president at times, I was constantly in touch with him, but they would have trouble getting him. Or I found the secretary of defense finally, after a period of time, just, it was. . . .

"Gibson: Did you feel a bit of a prisoner on this plane? That it was all going on down there, and they were keeping you up here?

"Bush: Well, you know I tried to get home and the Secret Service said, 'You're not going home. Matter of fact, you're heading to Omaha, Neb., where we will put you in a bunker.' . . . And it frustrated me because, you know, on the other hand I was able to stay in touch with people, you know. I had enough information to know what was going on. I was making command decisions. . . .