TERRORISM SNOOZEFEST

To find video of the statement, follow the link below, scroll down to the small box labeled Video, roll over the “More Videos [+]” button and choose “Bush Issues Statement on Terror Plot.”

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Cracks are beginning to show in the Bush Administration’s famous resolve, as evidenced yesterday in President Bush’s terrible little address to the American people.

Bush, who looks and acts like he was abruptly awakened from one of his frequent naps, stepped onto an airport runway or something to deliver his boilerplate about the dangers we continue to face, how we are a country at war, looming threats, vigilance, all the old chestnuts. After he thanks the British for their efforts and touts the cooperation between international and national agencies as “solid” and “excellent” respectively, he disintegrates into stock phrases. He sounds, as per the ususal, like one of those dolls with the string in the back. Only now the recoil unit is wearing down, and the rhetoric is starting to dip and drag. Some highlights:

“The recent arrests…are a stark reminder that this nation is at war with Islamic fascist-ist who will use any means ta...to destroy those of us who love freedom. To hurt our nation.”

“…obviously we are still not completely safe, because there are people who still plot…”

“It is a mistake to believe there is no threat to the United States of America.”

“The inconveniences [to travelers] occurs because we will take the steps necessary to protect the American people.”*

“The American people need to know that we live in a dangerous world…”

and my personal favorite, because he can’t even say it without a grimace:

"This country is safer than it – eehughh – was prior to 9-11."

He only uses the word “freedom” once, which must have been a challenge, but he does use “to protect the American people” or some close variation about 4 or 5 times. What is noticeably absent is the bold face Bush used to put on these things. Where is the “Our resolve is strong” or the “greatest country in the history of the world” stuff? The only noticeable call to action is that travelers should be patient and vigilant. No jet engine sound of freedom bullshit. All we get here is the clitter-clatt of cloven feet.

Bush was completely lifeless yesterday, and brought none of the 5th grade ballast and bellicosity that we have all come to expect in the standard Terrorist Threat speech. His performance had all the charisma of a Vegas comedian on the night before he starts checking apartment prices at craigslist: Branson MO, and if he is not at least going to be entertaining then this is the [most recent] last straw.

Which leads me to wonder what else is at work. Unfortunately, we must also be vigilant about uncovering political motivation in the timing of major threats, arrests, or battlefield gains. Only days after papers are running headlines about the Lamont victory being a referendum on Iraq, when Republicans are out like parachute pants, Bush doesn’t muster up the cussedness to capitalize on his bread and butter issue? He seems downright distraught. He seems unhappy. He seems scared.

That frightens me more than anything to date.

*The grammatical inconsistencies applied here between the subjects, verbs, and the tenses of the clauses are to be ignored based on a Signing Statement applied to recent legislation.