Bush Doesn’t Impress at Press Conference

It wasn’t until Tuesday night’s press conference that I finally understood why we went into Iraq. President Bush said, “Freedom is the Almighty’s gift to every man and woman in this world. And as the greatest power on the face of the Earth, we have an obligation to help the spread of freedom.” We are on a mission from God.

People who believe they are on a holy crusade see nothing that doesn’t fit with their mission. They don’t entertain opposing viewpoints. They will pay any price to succeed. Someone with the power of the U.S. president and that much conviction is very frightening to me.

Michael Hesse

Westlake Village

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“We’re doing the right thing,” to paraphrase Bush’s statements. How can so many people here and around the world disagree, even though they are not the ones losing their husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, sons or daughters, nor are they the ones bankrolling the billions of dollars to cover the war? Freedom is relative, and what is freedom to Bush could be colonization to millions of others.

Kofi Oparaocha

Los Angeles

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At long last, Bush showed that he can deliver his collection of glittering generalities, half-truths and loaded words without stumbling over the pronunciation. His smooth presentation was aided and abetted by seemingly scripted questions that gave him the opportunity to drag out tired references to weapons of mass destruction, noble causes, freedom and sacrifice. Worse, he wrapped his mission in doing the work of the divine.

Dan Meylor

Westminster

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Why didn’t Bush give an answer to the question of why he and Vice President Dick Cheney had to appear together before the 9/11 panel? He ducked it. His invocation of a higher being guiding him was so pathetic an attempt to pander to the rabid right, it was disgusting.

Skip Houston

Laguna Beach

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Bush could not bring himself to apologize for anything, not even for the thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians who have died in his “war against terror,” a war he initiated on their soil in an effort to “liberate” them and bring democracy to the Middle East, notwithstanding his claims of weapons of mass destruction. His policy of “taking the fight to the terrorists” has made us preemptive-killer Americans.

Is this what made our country great? That we kill faster and better than anyone, without apology, all in the name of liberty and democracy? This is not my America. I am a former Republican. Bush does not speak for me.

Kris Winter

Pasadena

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A reporter asked Bush if he could discuss mistakes he may have made. Bush couldn’t come up with an answer. Perhaps he could recall the May 1, 2003, “Mission Accomplished” extravaganza aboard the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln. That’s where he announced that combat operations were over in Iraq. I wonder where that “Mission Accomplished” banner is -- “lost” or destroyed? Is it just ironic, or tragic, that it was Lincoln who said, “It is true that you may fool all the people some of the time ... but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time”?

Suzanne Stone

Winnetka

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It appears three commandments have been added to the original 10 in the Bush version of the Holy Bible: (1) Thou shalt not apologize. (2) Thou shalt not admit mistakes. (3) Thou shalt not answer questions.

Sidney Lam

Los Angeles

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Bush has admitted that the blame of 9/11 goes to Osama bin Laden. If so, why was not a simple question asked: Why did we not concentrate all our efforts toward hunting Bin Laden instead of going to Iraq? Or had the president already been briefed on the easy questions put to him? Bin Laden is still out there, and we are still in danger. So, now, arrogantly he plans to change the world. How many more attacks on foreign countries that have not attacked us can we expect from this man?

Loli Henderson

Laguna Niguel

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This is what Americans really want to know: Mr. President, how will we know that the war on terrorism has been won?

David N. Hartman

Santa Ana

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I have a question for Laura Bush: Has her husband always danced (around) so well?

Frank Feiler

Encino