Washington Watch Articles From 2005
BUSH’S VANISHING COATTAILS
The Bush Administration is facing an unprecedented loss of control over the domestic debate on the Iraq war. Having taken a number of direct hits in recent weeks, the Administration is now fighting back in an effort to rebuild a support base. It may, however, be too late.
SECOND TERM SLIDE (Copy)
Second-term Administrations frequently begin strong and then encounter difficulties, either from scandals, dwindling public support and exhaustion, or a failure to deliver on an ambitious program.
MIERS: ANOTHER BAD BREAK FOR BUSH?
If the Bush Administration and the Republican Party didn’t have enough problems with Iraq and Hurricane Katrina, the past month delivered two new blows:
BUSH’S “MAJOR SPEECH”
President George W. Bush’s October 6, 2005 address before the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) was billed by the White House as a major speech. And it was.
BUSH: FIGHTING THE IRAQ WAR AT HOME
This war was supposed to have gone so differently. By now it is clear that the infantile fantasy of its architects (“shock and awe,” “a cake walk,” “flowers at our feet,” “six months and out,” and “the spreading of democracy throughout the Middle East”) did not pan out.
WORDS AND DEEDS
Palestinians have every reason to be pleased with President Bush’s Rose Garden remarks to Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas.
SHARON AND BUSH WIN AT CRAWFORD
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is a master strategist. US President George Bush is a master tactician. The two met this week and both accomplished their respective objectives.
UNDERSTANDING THE SPEECHES
Listening to both President George W. Bush’s second inaugural address and his 2005 State of the Union message, even before focusing on their content, one was struck by the President’s new demeanor and the confidence and sense of purpose it was meant to convey.