> > Maybe my friend misheard, maybe something was misunderstood. But my friend is a careful man, and I suspect he heard exactly right. Which begs the question, what does Mr. Bush know that he hasn't said about Saddam's intentions and ability to strike America?
>
> This is the oddest column excerpt I've ever read. I don't think I've ever read any columnist of any sort write a column about what a "reliable" friend *maybe* heard.
>
> This oddity is made all the more odd by the fact that the point of contention is about what Bush has or hasn't said about Saddam's intentions. Sweet mother of mercy, has ANY POLITICAL LEADER IN THE WORLD BEEN MORE CLEAR ABOUT SADDAM'S INTENTIONS? What's all this "hasn't said" crap?



The main reason I put that excerpt there was to present just a little bit of insight into just how important an issue this is Bush, that it's not just simply him ignoring his domestic agenda for whatever reason, but that the man is...well...consumed by Iraq.

And in reference to her last point, I think it was merely Noonan wondering as to specifics. Given what else I've read of hers and what else I've heard her say, she is surely not questioning Bush in a manner such as that of one who opposes the war. I think it is almost a sort of genuine curiosity...wondering exactly what he has to hear every day, you know, "Mr. President, we've got good intelligence indicating that we ought to keep an eye on Seattle today" or "Mr. President, we've got sattelite photos of convoys leaving Iraq this morning." I don't think she's wondering *if* Bush has to hear these sorts of things, but wondering exactly what it is that he has to hear. Trying to envision just how hard this must be on the man right now.

That column was also written *before* the State of the Union address was given.

And for the record, I do support military action against Iraq, so there's no need to convince *me* of anything. ;-) It just wasn't my intent to show opposition to war with that excerpt.

The Other Matthew