Usually, when Bush is speaking from a script, he’s less inclined to make nonsensical arguments. When he’s giving a “significant speech,” as the White House described today’s speech in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Bush is usually on the top of his game.
But Bush’s primary argument today — that John Kerry is wrong about Iraq — was so contradictory, I’d be surprised if even Bush’s sycophantic audience didn’t notice it.
Consider:
“My opponent says he has a plan for Iraq. Parts of it should sound pretty familiar — it’s already known as the Bush plan. Senator Kerry suggests we train Iraqi troops, which we’ve been doing for months. Just this week, Iraqi forces backed by coalition troops fought bravely to take the city of Samarra from the terrorists and Baathists and insurgents. Senator Kerry — Senator Kerry is proposing that we have — that Iraq have elections. Those elections are already scheduled for January. He wants the U.N. to be involved in those elections. Well, the U.N. is already there.”
Now we can quibble over whether this actually is the “Bush plan,” but that’s not the point here. Bush went on to say:
“Senator Kerry approaches the world with a September the 10th mind-set….In Iraq, Senator Kerry has a strategy of retreat; I have a strategy of victory.”
So we’re supposed to believe that Kerry’s plan is just like Bush’s plan — and at the same time believe that Kerry’s plan is dangerous and will lead to defeat.
Is it me or is Bush making even less sense as time goes on? The poor guy doesn’t wear desperation well.