Bush's Optimists Club

"Since the purpose of this morning's meeting involved the President's desire to put out a clear, strong message about the War on Terror, it makes all the sense in the world that he would count on broadcasters who support the message he means to send.

"As it happens, I'm proud -- not embarrassed in any way -- to try (in any small way) to help our embattled chief executive in this essential endeavor, which will help to determine the sort of security and prosperity that we pass on to our children."

The Previous Pitch

It was only a few weeks ago that Bush held a similar meeting with a group of conservative columnists.

William Kristol, David Brooks, Fred Barnes, Michael Barone and Kate O'Beirne and Rich Lowry were among those writing mash notes after that meeting.

Brooks, for instance, wrote in his New York Times column (subscription required): "I left the 110-minute session thinking that far from being worn down by the past few years, Bush seems empowered. His self-confidence is the most remarkable feature of his presidency."

But is Bush's ostensible optimism going to win over any converts?

Liberal columnist Eugene Robinson wrote in The Washington Post last week: "One hopes the leader of the free world hasn't really, truly lost touch with objective reality. But one does have to wonder. . . .

"Bush was 'not at all weary or anguished' and in fact was 'very energized,' wrote Michael Barone of U.S. News and World Report. He was 'as confident and upbeat as ever,' observed Rich Lowry of National Review. 'Far from being beleaguered, Bush was assertive and good-humored,' according to David Brooks of the New York Times. . . .

"It's almost as if Bush were trying to apply the principles of cognitive therapy, the system psychiatrist Aaron T. Beck developed in the 1960s. Beck found that getting patients to banish negative thoughts and develop patterns of positive thinking was helpful in pulling them out of depression. However, Beck was trying to get the patients to see themselves and the world realistically, whereas Bush has left realism far behind."

And even conservative columnist Peggy Noonan wrote in her Wall Street Journal column, right after Bush's July 12 news conference: "As I watched the news conference, it occurred to me that one of the things that might leave people feeling somewhat disoriented is the president's seemingly effortless high spirits. He's in a good mood. There was the usual teasing, the partly aggressive, partly joshing humor, the certitude. He doesn't seem to be suffering, which is jarring. Presidents in great enterprises that are going badly suffer: Lincoln, LBJ with his head in his hands. Why doesn't Mr. Bush? Every major domestic initiative of his second term has been ill thought through and ended in failure. His Iraq leadership has failed. His standing is lower than any previous president's since polling began. . . .

"Is it defiance? Denial? Is it that he's right and you're wrong, which is your problem? Is he faking a certain steely good cheer to show his foes from Washington to Baghdad that the American president is neither beaten nor bowed? Fair enough: Presidents can't sit around and moan. But it doesn't look like an act. People would feel better to know his lack of success sometimes gets to him. It gets to them."

Reality Check: Iraq

See anything here to be optimistic about?