I’ve decided to keep a quick tally and keep score:
• Uses of the word “victory” = –5 points per instance
• Uses of the word “success” = –5 points per instance
• Uses of the word combination “victory/success in Iraq” = –5 points points per instance
• Reminders of the danger we face if we leave “without achieving victory” = –10 points*
• Admitting mistakes made already in Iraq = +5 points per mistake (+10 if he admits personal responsibility)**
• Stating specific goals or strategies, beyond the obvious (improving Bagdad security, etc.) = +10 points
• Stating promise to end war before he leaves office = +20 points
*It's a valid point that leaving Iraq in the throes of a civil war is dangerous, but the neocons should have thought about that when they hatched this war.
**I expect that, quite early in this speech, we’ll hear a frightfully rare admission of mistakes made from Bush — it’s required to build any credibility whatsoever for the speech — so I’m basically starting him out ahead here.
A negative score and he fails. A positive score he passes and I’ll score it a good speech (never mind the idea that a surge will actually do anything, but that's a subject for another post). I’ll keep score and meet you back here later.
Alright, I'm back ... and here's the score:
• Uses of the word “victory” = –5 x1 = -5
• Uses of the word “success” = –5 x1 = -5
• Uses of the word combination “victory/success in Iraq” = Ouch! –5 x5 = -25
• Reminders of the danger we face –10 x5 = -50
• Admitting mistakes made already in Iraq = (A big hit for Bush here!) +10 x1 = 10
• Stating specific goals or strategies = (general goals mentioned only, but I'm feeling charitable) +10 x1 = 10
• Stating promise to end war = +20 x0 = 0
Grand Total = –55 points
We'll give this speech a score of lame.
Sorry folks.
It's worth noting that the name of this new White House initiative has been titled "A New Way Forward"; the name of the last plan was simply "The Way Forward" ... what's next? Let's see, Yet Another Way Forward, A Way Forward That's a Bit Saner, A Way Forward After I'm Outta Here, the mind boggles at the possibilities.
2 comments:
At this rate, the operation ought to be called, "I'm Forwarding This Mess to the Next Administration."
I give you a lot of credit for sitting through that speech. I could only endure clips of it on the radio. Extended visual contact with that man makes me want to throw nearby objects at the screen. And this ass isn't worth a new TV.
Is it true he looked hesitant, nervous, etc., as some of the pundits have claimed?
He looked somewhat nervous, paarticularly in the early going. This was a very different speech, gone was the swagger of old.
I endured for the sake of the Blogosphere! Ha!
And I like your operation name best, since thaat's probably the ultimate goal at this point (surge for nearly two years and, oops, times up!)...
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