Leadership: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

[Richardo]

Once again, I've posted a guest article on a RW blog I frequent. Here, in the style of Keith Olbermann, are some excerpts:

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...if we're at war, Mr President, govern as if we're at war - have the courage to raise taxes, equip our armies and MAN our armies. Make sure the citizenry has a stake in the outcome. Encourage Americans to conserve, to invest. Stop telling us to go shopping, for God's sake: we're at war, aren't we? Well, AREN'T we?

Leadership, as you've often pointed out, Mr Bush, is not 'governing by the polls'. But neither is leadership 'ignoring the polls'. After all, if no one's following, you're not leading.

Leadership is having a vision, articulating the vision, and executing the vision. Leadership is trusting yourself and your fellow citizens enough to be honest and frank with them. Leadership is being flexible enough to modify tactics when necessary to realize the vision.

Leadership is, paradoxically, being confident enough in yourself to doubt yourself, to seek counsel, to make SURE you're doing it the right way - not for the sake of the next election, but for the sake the country and your fellow citizens, especially those serving in the military.

Leadership comes not from ignoring the polls, it comes from ignoring the politics. And anyone who keeps a political adviser at the top of his staff does not know this truth.

You should have given this speech, or at least parts of it, at the start of the war - you're 45 months; 3,000 American lives; 20,000 American wounds; and about $400 billion too late.

And you get no credit from me for giving it now. You got us into this, now we and your successor(s) have to get ourselves out of it. What I heard from you tonight will achieve nothing but getting you a few more months closer to your own 'graceful exit'.