I think we can all agree that this administration has been crap at promoting its accomplishments even w/o Fox Noise.
And then President Obama started telling us all about how all the fighting troops have left Iraq (which happened last week, where was he then?), how much the war has cost us, and how we need to buckle down to fixing the nation.
He spoke of fixing the nation as if, now that we were free of the cost of the Iraq war, we were finally free to do so. And in saying this, he completely dismissed the last 19 months of real progress that he helped to drive and for which he will be held accountable.
The flow would have been perfect. Celebrating one achievement, ending war in Iraq, naturally segues to a reminder of the long list of previous achievements. This naturally segues to saying that we still have a long way to go, that we are economically lighter without the burden of a second war, and then the inspirational message about striving for better things.
I liked the frontal assault of coming out for hope instead of fear--take that, fearmongers.
I liked making a point of the economic cost of Iraq. It felt like sniper fire (direct but subtle) into the Bush tax cut renewal debate.
But wow, there was a big gaping hole where a bragfest should have been. It didn't have to be a laundry list, but at a bare minimum, it had to change the spin from "start improving" to "continue improving."
Mr. President, do you, like Robert Gibbs, wonder why you aren't given the credit you are due?
Here is Exhibit A.
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