GWB as a communicator---not so hot.

The always sensible David Ignatius has a column concerning Bush's difficulties in communications with the country. Ignatius is correct, but overlooks the fact that GWB aims to convince the Republican base first, and then do damage limitation later. I think Bush realizes that he may be able to push up his favorable ratings a few points by going out and doing his bad-guys-are-on-the-run Pollyanna pitch. But the toxic ultra-left continues a drumbeat jungle-telegraph of accusations/hyperbole that for Bush to deny in public forums is to confer the respectability of discourse onto meretricious exaggerations. So GWB is right to stay mum on the wiretapping garbage and lies, although in states with substance abuse majorities like Mass/VT on the East Coast and Cal/Ore/WA on the Left Coast, the fog of lies is too thick to cut with a cleaver.

But DI hits on a salient point. GWB does not appear to understand the "tragic dimension" of history, however much and often he recounts feeling the pain of families of the fallen. Unlike his brother Jeb, who converted to the all-too-tragic Catholicism with its tortured heroes, GWB fell into the rebirth of knowing Christ as his Saviour---a wonderful experience that keeps Bush clean and sober, but does not vault him into great heights or depths of experience, but rather a moral certainty.

So GWB has suffered, but recovered and his observations on his mission go forward:

"I believe that my job is to go out and explain to people what's on my mind. That's why I'm having this press conference, see? I'm telling you what's on my mind. And what's on my mind is winning the war on terror."

Unfortunately, GWB can explain what is on his mind, but cannot convince Americans that "winning the war on terror" is something he is competent enough to do.

Strong-willed enough, yes. But smart enough?