Huh. For once, I find myself more-or-less agreeing with Troll. I guess I'm a slightly hawkish liberal, if there is such a thing. I will fight tooth and nail for social programs and social justice, but you attack my country and I get royally pissed.

I'm not thrilled with Dubya; I wasn't happy when it became clear he would take office. But he's what we've got to work with... and rhetoric (or lack thereof) aside, I think he's doing okay. I could wish he were more eloquent, but the foreign heads of state that he has been meeting with have expressed their support in spite of his deficiencies as a public speaker. Perhaps he comes across better one on one... or perhaps those foreign governments simply are able to look behind Dubya and see the rest of the leaders, and the rest of the people. We have a long history with some of these other nations, a history that transcends part politics and the years that have passed between, say, the Allied invasion at Normandy and the present day.

Bush has at least had the sense to balance his own weaknesses by surrounding himself with some cool-headed and brilliant people, some of whom are excellent communicators. Again, some of his cabinet members are people whose domestic politics bug me... but I can't fault the intelligence of people such as Cheney and Powell.