The Bush Speech

Wow.

I'm not a political expert. I don't even play one on TV. But I'm a gifted amateur, and I've seen plenty of good political speeches... and a few great ones.

But Bush just gave one of the best I've ever seen. And it capped a week filled with great ones.

Bush was rightly criticized for giving a less-than-impressive State of the Union speech. In that speech, he tried to minimize domestic policy (the expected topic of any SOTU) in order to respond to the critical mass gathering against the war in Iraq. It wasn't the right place for that speech, and it cost him momentum.

Tonight, Bush delivered a speech that was part SOTU, part convention acceptance. And it meshed perfectly.

Part of this stemmed from the fact his leadoff hitters set this week up perfectly. McCain defended the war on Iraq as the right thing to do. Guiliani inspired us with tales of the President's leadership after 9/11. Schwarzeneggar appealled to the ideals of the GOP by recalling the positive message of Ronald Reagan. Mel Martinez and Michael Steele affirmed the theme of opportunity in the United States. Laura Bush discussed the humanity of her husband. Zell Miller attacked John Kerry's Senate record with a zest that seemed Jacksonian. George Pataki defended W's track record. And Dick Cheney set forth the case for George Bush in the mature, businesslike manner we all know.

By doing so, these people established two tones for this convention and this election. First, that this election was about national security and whom you would trust to keep your family safe. Second, that you can't trust a man who lacks stability and principles to lead us in that battle, so you can't trust John Forbes Kerry with this job.

This left Bush with two tasks tonight. First, he had to make sure that he dealt with domestic policy, lest he be accused of not addressing the economic concerns of voters who want to see new jobs and new proposals to make the economy better. Second, he had to hammer home the impression that he was a strong yet compassionate leader, someone who could be trusted to make difficult choices, and to have the courage to stand behind them, unlike his opponent.

The domestic part of his speech will leave some conservatives unsettled, since there's a goodly amount of spending proposed. It even sounded Clintonesque (ugh) when he started discussing how the work force and families have changed. But the fact that Bush asserted tax incentives for businesses regarding health care and pressed the issue of tort reform shows that he knows how to keep his base close to him, even with a big-spending past. They trust him because he stands strong on tax cuts, including the brilliant call to simplify the tax code and stands with them on social issues. Name a Republican who had the guts this week to raise the issue of abortion on that stage before W. He hit all the right notes in this parft of his speech. He even covered it later for those who disagree with him with the simple statement that while you may not agree with him, at least you know where he stands.

As for the rest of his speech -- he hasn't been this good since September 20, 2001. I'm serious -- even the speech to the U.N. didn't match this one for elegance, humor and structure. It was a little too long, but it never had me looking for the remote. He expressed the case for Iraq quite simply, yet never got defensive about it. At the same time, he expressed the pain of having to send men and women off to war, and the pain of having to speak to the families of the fallen. And he exhibited the emotion that people who meet him personally have felt after speaking with him. Just about everyone acknowledges that they'd rather have a beer (or club soda, I guess) with W. than break bread with John Kerry. But what people can lose track of, during the campaign rhetoric, is the basic decency of W. He's a good person at his core, and one who's very sincere and strong of will. You can question his decisions, but you cannot question that he believes in them.

He displayed the sort of self-deprecating humor politicians need, unlike Kerry, who's shown a thin skin when attacked. Bush didn't whine about unfair attacks upon himself. Instead, he made fun of his mistakes with grammar, his supposed arrogance, and his blunt manner. Again, this reinforced that humanity, one of his great advantages in this race. He used the same gentle humor to poke fun at some of Kerry's outlandish announcements, like his claim that he had conservative values. He also challenged Kerry again on his votes and his lack of consistency, again framing the decision on Bush's own terms -- terms that are favorable to him.

He closed with the idealism about America that many mock -- but one that again contrasts him favorably to John Kerry. He believes in the good things about this country, and believes that we are destined for great things. He framed the issue as one where John Kerry thinks this election is about minor issues -- and one where he's challenging Americans to make a choice that will be very important to future generations.

In the end, he delivered his best political speech at the time when he needed it, with the world watching. That's a damn good start to the fall campaign, and great ending to a spectacular GOP Convention. If this doesn't deliver a significant bounce, nothing could. The race isn't over by any means. But Bush has seized the initiative.

Cue the theme music. Good night, New York.