Bush's "major public-relations offensive" to sell Iraq war on 9/11 anniv.

[Human Torch]

Bush Speeches to Stress Stakes in Iraq
Bid to Boost War Support Will Emphasize
Adapting to Conflict, Not Gains on Ground
By JOHN D. MCKINNON
August 30, 2006; Page A4



http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB115685138066948276-fBBgc7yb0mV4K1updIj_9h6Ui3c_20070830.html?mod=blogs

President Bush will launch another major public-relations offensive to strengthen support for the Iraq war -- this time likely emphasizing the high stakes and changing nature of the battle more than the progress being made. The series of speeches begins tomorrow at the annual American Legion convention in Utah and will continue through the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and on into the middle of next month.

The new campaign is aimed at framing the Iraq debate over what the White House considers the vital stakes involved in the war and reinforcing public sentiment that favors sticking it out. The speeches will be aimed at rebutting mounting public calls -- from Democrats and even a few Republicans -- for setting some kind of timetable for at least a limited troop withdrawal.

Still, the new series of speeches -- the president's third major round of Iraq addresses in less than a year -- might in some ways sound less upbeat than prior rhetorical campaigns on the issue. While past addresses often stressed improvements on the ground, that theme is likely to be less prominent in coming weeks. Instead, Mr. Bush is likely to talk more about the importance of winning and how the U.S. is adapting to the changing nature of the struggle against terrorism in Iraq and beyond, stressing the continuing violence in Baghdad and the recent Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

The speeches also could help Republican candidates in the fall congressional campaign, despite the flagging popularity of both Mr. Bush and the war. Advisers to the president believe -- and polls reflect -- that while most people say they are unhappy about the way the war is going, they still oppose the immediate withdrawal that high-profile Democrats increasingly favor. The plans were outlined by a senior administration official. "Terrorism is on the minds of Americans, and as we go into the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, it's appropriate and necessary that the nation continue to hear about the state of the war and the nature of our enemy," the official said. "This is a long fight that we're going to have to sustain."

[ixion]

1. why do speeches help?

the problem is not PR campaigns or speeches. The problem is that people are being killed in an illegal invasion that was started for bogus reasons.

This is the point that needs to be driven home.

[underpants]

2. Dicey territory there

Trying to drum up support for a war that 60% or so are now against/think it was a bad idea (about the same % that said "don't go alone" before the war) while trying to get your candidates elected. We may be seeing the legacy building of W trumping today's political needs of his party.

[Human Torch]

3. And that 60% is pretty well fed up with being "talked down to"...

Rumsfeld visit an insult

August 30, 2006

http://www.lahontanvalleynews.com/article/20060830/Opinion/108300026

It was nice of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to stop by NAS Fallon this week while he and Vice President Dick Cheney were in the area. We should feel honored to have one of the most powerful men in the free world grace us with his presence. Rumsfeld visited the naval air station on Monday while Cheney was speaking to members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars at their annual convention in Reno. By all accounts Rumsfeld's presence at the air base on Monday was well received by the men and women in uniform who are doing the heavy lifting in the country's War on Terror. A pat on the back from the boss once in awhile is always appreciated, and though it was long overdue, Rumsfeld finally acknowledged the importance of NAS Fallon in providing the military with the world's best pilots.

With public support for military operations in Iraq at an all-time low, our troops could probably use a boost about now. President Bush's popularity is in the gutter. Several politicians who supported Bush in his decision to invade Iraq recently lost re-election bids. Protesters outside the VFW convention were calling for Cheney to resign and Rumsfeld to be fired. It is imperative in a military town like Fallon, which has a huge investment in the well being of our soldiers and sailors, that the growing tides of opposition to the war not become a drag on the brave men and women who are defending our country.

We're surprised that after six years as Secretary of Defense this is the first time Rumsfeld has bothered to spend any time at NAS Fallon, especially given its cache« as home of the famed Top Gun fighter weapons training school. It was also telling that Rumsfeld was amused he had to fly over a desert to get to a naval training installation. Maybe his aides in Washington, D.C., forgot to tell him the location of the air base is ideal because the terrain is much like our troops encounter in Iraq. Apparently he needs to get out more to see what his people are doing on the ground.

We're a bit perplexed by Rumsfeld's comment that he lays awake at night troubled by the success of terrorists in manipulating the media. From our perspective, it appears Rumsfeld could care less about the media. While at NAS Fallon in what must be one of the friendliest, pro-Bush military towns on the planet, Rumsfeld did not grant any media interviews or even allow reporters to ask him a question or two. In fact, he had his troops corral reporters like cattle on a trailer in a corner 100 feet away from his podium. Then he stands there and complains about the media.

[PurityOfEssence]

4. Please do.

There are now MANY video clips of him saying that Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11, at least one of them being a couple of years old; it'll be very easy to edit them together with the endless jingoistic inferred connection and make a devastating commercial.

[orwell]

5. Nice image...

...Bush hiding behind the flag...

[Supersedeas]

6. Image is everything - Feed them PR - Feed the Snowjob - Call them appeaser

[warrens]

7. Every day we are there, we train more terrorists

Nothing like live action to hone your talents. Same concept as live fire in military training. We now have created tens of thousands of battle-hardened, America-hating, unemployed dudes just looking for a chance to fuck us up.

[KittyWampus]

8. Adapting To Win= FLIP FLOP. BTW, whatever happened to 'stay the course'?