I Listened to the President's News Conference Yesterday

Because I was curious.

He was explaining how and why getting 8 out of 18 benchmarks on his mid-term report card in this new SURGING 101 'course' he's teaching Iraqis and Americans (together!), amounts to a passing grade. This what I heard him say.

. . . . I understand why the American people are -- you know, they're tired of the war. There is -- people are -- there is a war fatigue in America. It's affecting our psychology. I've said this before. . . . . Those are all legitimate questions that I'm sure historians will analyze. . . . . history is going to look back to determine whether or not there might have been a different decision made. . . . . . .You know, I guess I'm like any other political figure -- everybody wants to be loved, just sometimes the decisions you make and the consequences don't enable you to be loved. And so when it's all said and done, Ed, if you ever come down and visit the old, tired, me down there in Crawford, I will be able to say I looked in the mirror and made decisions based upon principle, not based upon politics. And that's important to me.

Hearing this, deepened my understanding.

My country president right or wrong. When right, to be kept right; when wrong, to be put right out.

With apologies to Stephen Decatur & Carl Schurz