Promises, Promises

"And to me, that's how you solve the issue in the long-term. And the definition of long-term, I don't know what it means. I'm not a timetable person -- actually, I am on a timetable -- got 12 months."

He had more to say afterwards, back at his hotel: "I called upon both leaders to make sure their teams negotiate seriously, starting right now," he said.

Bush outlined the general goals of a peace agreement and identified certain particularly thorny issues -- such as the status of Jerusalem -- without in any way suggesting how differences could or should be resolved. In fact, I wonder how much if any of what he said today is substantively different from what he said when he first came out for Palestinian statehood on June 24, 2002.

Bush today concluded optimistically: "The peace agreement should happen, and can happen, by the end of this year. I know each leader shares that important goal, and I am committed to doing all I can to achieve it."

Michael Abramowitz of The Washington Post, Steven Lee Myers of the New York Times, and Anne Gearan of the Associated Press have much more.

Optimism Watch

Here's CNN's Ed Henry putting Bush's optimism in perspective this morning: "I remember traveling with the President last summer when he was asked about a whole other matter, the immigration reform bill back in this United States and he made a bold declaration then, saying 'I'll see you at the signing ceremony.'

"As you know, that signing ceremony never happened. So it's important to remember that sometimes optimistic talk doesn't turn into reality. That was about immigration reform. You think that was difficult, the Middle East peace process obviously much, much more complicated."

Bush's New Poodle?

Michael Abramowitz blogs for The Washington Post: "Is Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert auditioning to replace Tony Blair as George W. Bush's new 'poodle?'

"Certainly, Olmert, who may be less popular in Israel than Bush is in the United States, appears to be working overtime to lavish encomiums on the lame-duck American president."

At yesterday's joint press conference, "when the questions were over, Olmert could not resist thanking Bush for 'the courage that you inspire in all of us to carry on with our obligations.'

"'Sometimes it's not easy, but when I look at you, and I know what you have to take upon your shoulders and how you do it, the manner in which you do it, the courage that you have, the determination that you have, and your loyalty to the principles that you believe in -- it makes all of us feel that we can also . . . move forward.'

"Even Bush seemed a bit embarrassed. . . .