The Terror Card

When the going gets particularly tough, what do you think George Bush might choose to talk about, and where? Would making a speech about the war on terror in front of an adoring, hand-picked military audience be too obvious? How Bush spent his Friday, from the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

President Bush, his administration reeling from the withdrawal of Supreme Court nominee Harriet E. Miers and the CIA-leak investigation, traveled to Norfolk yesterday to drum up support for continuing the fight in Iraq.

"We will confront this mortal danger to all humanity," Bush told a mostly friendly gathering of about 2,500 military personnel and business and political leaders at Norfolk's Chrysler Hall. "And we will not tire, and we will not rest until the war on terror is won."

Those in Bush's Norfolk audience -- roughly half of whom wore the uniforms of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines treated him to warm applause throughout.

No tickets were available to the general public, but several dozen protesters massed outside the hall, carrying placards with messages such as "Bush lies" and "No Human Sacrifice to the God of Oil." One managed to get inside and heckle Bush, shouting from the balcony, "Mr. President, war is terror!" Bush kept speaking as the crowd booed the heckler, who was quickly escorted out.

The president flew into Norfolk International Airport and rode to Chrysler Hall in a motorcade, which briefly halted traffic in downtown Norfolk and the interstates leading there. Bush spoke against a backdrop of red-white-and-blue images and the words, "Strategy for Victory." Seated to either side of him on the stage behind the podium were roughly 100 military men and women.

Of bin Laden, Bush said: "What this man who grew up in wealth and privilege considers good for poor Muslims is that they become killers and suicide bombers. He assures them that this is the road to paradise, though he never offers to go along for the ride."

The OBL mention is telling. During the past four years, Bush has uttered his name only when he's forced to do so---as in the debate with Kerry---or when he's desperate, as is the case now.

As far as I'm concerned, as long as this president countenances Pakistan's ongoing don't ask/don't tell song and dance about OBL's whereabouts, he forfeits his right to invoke Bin Laden's name.

Amazing it's come to this going on a half-decade since 9/11 and wanted dead or alive, eh?