Not everyone in the press has woken up yet

The New York Times is still on board with the Mighty Surge:


Crap:

President Bush contended on Thursday night that his plan to begin withdrawing some troops from Iraq gradually was based on a principle he called “return on success,” saying that progress made so far could be squandered by the deeper and speedier reductions that the war’s opponents have demanded.

Mr. Bush called for an “enduring relationship” with Iraq that would keep American forces there “beyond my presidency,” arguing that a free and friendly Iraq was essential to the security of the region and the United States. He cast the war in Iraq as a vital part of a strategy in the Middle East to defeat Al Qaeda and counter Iran.

Evidently sensitive to how lower troop levels might be seen — by enemies abroad and critics at home — he emphasized in his address that early drawdowns were now possible only because the strategy of sending more troops to Iraq eight months ago had worked. He did not once use the word withdrawal.

“The more successful we are, the more American troops can return home,” Mr. Bush said, trying once again to win support for a war in Iraq that remains deeply unpopular.

[snip]

In the Democratic response, Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, a West Point graduate, said that Mr. Bush was making the case for an “endless and unlimited military presence in Iraq,” and he vowed that Congress would prevent it.

"A West Point Graduate." That's how this article describes Jack Reed's military record. It doesn't mention that he also served in 325th Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division[2] as an Army Ranger and paratrooper.

More crap:

Democratic leaders did not wait for the formal remarks before they began to render a judgment. “He wants an open-ended commitment with an open wallet by the American people,” said Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.

Oh, those mean old Democrats picking on poor Georgie. Of course the article doesn't mention that the text of the speech was distributed in advance of its broadcast. But why bother with facts, when you can paint George Bush as a beleaguered, noble leader forced to deal with Blue Meanies.

And more crap:

Still, it has been clear this week that the Democrats have too few votes to impose any real constraints on Mr. Bush’s policy, leaving the war’s harshest critics frustrated and angry. With so many troops remaining in Iraq well into 2008, the debate over the war is likely to intensify during the presidential campaign.

"...the war's harshest critics frustrated and angry." Ooh! Angry! Angry, angry Democrats. Why does this sound familiar? Because "angry" is always the Scary Boogeyman word that hack journalists use to describe the legitimate outrage that many of us feel about watching the country we love spiral its way down the toilet because we have an unelected president who decided a long time ago that he was going to win a game of Biggus Dickus with his old man.

Oh. Sorry. Got sidetracked there for a minute. Where was I? Oh yes....Angry. The word that hack journalists use whenever they want to defuse the legitimate outrage that 60% or more of the American population feels about this country's prestige, wealth, blood, and future squandered. Howard Dean is angry. Rahm Emannuel is angry. Markos Moulitsas is angry. The bloggers are angry. Oh, it's all so unpleasant and unseemly, isn't it? Not like the genteel outrage of the right:

"My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times Building." -- Ann Coulter

"When you strip it all away, Jerry Garcia
(former Grateful Dead guitarist) destroyed his life on
drugs. And yet he's being honored, like some godlike
figure. Our priorities are out of whack, folks." -- Rush Limbaugh

"If I'm the president of the United States, I walk right into Union Square, I set up my little presidential podium, and I say, 'Listen, citizens of San Francisco, if you vote against military recruiting, you're not going to get another nickel in federal funds. Fine. You want to be your own country? Go right ahead. And if Al Qaeda comes in here and blows you up, we're not going to do anything about it. We're going to say, look, every other place in America is off limits to you, except San Francisco. You want to blow up the Coit Tower? Go ahead.'" -- Bill-o

Need I go on? You get the picture. These people are hardly sitting around sipping tea with their pinkies in the air.

Sorry, Carl Hulse, but if you aren't angry, you're either an idiot or not paying attention.