The President’s speech was not one of his best. He did have a tough audience, though. The Army War College students are all lieutenant colonels selected for promotion, or colonels. The one-year program of full-time study is a PhD program in international relations and history, combined with contemporary topics linking to the periphery of those two themes. Bush had a few applause lines that went unapplauded, and his tempo never really clicked. People think the military is a giant Bush fan club, eager to affirm their support. But those folks at Carlisle last night showed that the military expects results, not just talk. Rhetoric is cheap. John Kerry should pay attention.
There is a significant difference between a Republican giving a speech and a Democrat giving one. And it goes to the heart of how the two groups differ. Bush gave a typical Republican speech last night. He talked about what is happening in Iraq, and what needs to happen to improve things. He said nothing bad about Democrats in general, or any of his critics in particular. He gave specifics on what will be done to fix problems.
Democrats are difficult to listen to, unless you happen to be a true believer. They will speak ill of everyone else. They will complain about every problem–real or perceived. They will suggest steps required to solve the problems, but it will be in the most general terms and usually include more spending. But the most distinguishing feature of a Democratic speech is the delivery. It matters little how many microphones are in front, Democrats feel the need to scream. You can always tell when they are making their most important points because they start low and continue to build until they are pounding the podium, waving their arms, and yelling out the end of the sentence in a high-pitched whine. And the crowd responds, “AMEN!” For all the talk of how “Bush is Hitler,” watch Hillary next time she gives a speech to the faithful. The resemblance is amazing.
Those of you who lean left will say I’ve generalized. Perhaps. But pay attention with an open mind next time you listen to speeches and decide whether or not I’m right based on what you then see, not what you now believe.