The speech

I was unable to catch the President's speech tonight, but I expect to see a replay soon on CSPAN or late night MSNBC. The text that I will be able to follow along can be found here.

This was a much needed speech. Iraq policy appears to be drifting and support has been eroding, as even people like Sen. Hagel are suggesting that it is a disaster that is getting worse. I hope Bush tonight was able to strike the right chords, find the right words, and stop the negative domestic momentum.

I am no GWB loyalist, and I don't lose sleep over how history will judge him on his handling of economic, environmental, and social issues. But I desperately want history to judge him generously when the "9/11", "Afghanistan," "Iraq," and the "War on Terror" buzzwords are the topic of debate. This is not because I give a hoot about his "legacy," but because if history judges him harsely regarding those buzzwords, it will mean that we as a country screwed up in our response to the #1 new-century threat to the national security of this country.