When you stop doing the things that got you elected, you won’t get re-elected. That’s what happened yesterday in the 2006 mid-term elections. But it was more than just that.
The media’s assault on the administration and the war-on-terror has had a cumulative effect on public opinion. All of which went unanswered. By allowing the spin to go unanswered, Bush allowed the people of this country to be misled on the Iraq war. It never was he doing the misleading. The fact that too many people don’t understand that Iraq is a front on the global war on terror is proof enough for me. Too many people think the Iraq war is not part of the war-on-terror. Never mind that everyone should be united in wanting to end this war by winning it, instead of just ending it, which appears to be the Dems and the George Soros wing of the Democrat Party’s plan.
In his farewell comments today, Sec. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld summed it up perfectly when he said that this is a war unlike any other we or anyone else has ever engaged in. Everything about fighting it is unconventional. He added that this is the most misunderstood war in history. By last night’s election results, I’d say he is right.
Knowing that this country expects wars to be short and sweet, and with little to no casualties, the President’s failure to continue to make the point that this isn’t a microwavable war is also reflected in the vote yesterday. He made that point in the beginning, but his detractors weren’t listening and have short memories. The left is always asking Bush what mistakes he has made in this war. His biggest mistake is not being engaged in the media war early on. By not repeating over and over and over again, that this is going to be a long war that will extend long after the Iraq war has ended and our troops have come home, the voters have grown impatient and haven’t bought the notion that they really do need to be protected offensively, not defensively, and for a long time to come.
