One of those slick reporter types tried to trip up a Senior Administration Official this afternoon by pointing out that, you know, “nothing short of victory” (past Bush assertion) is not exactly compatible with “our commitment is not open-ended” (current Bush assertion). And, of course, there’s this:
Can you tell us whether the President is going to use the phrase “victory” the way he did in his “victory in Iraq” speeches in the end of 2005, and whether he defines it the same way that he did then?
Think fast, SAO! And, he does:
I think you’ll see some words like “success” and “victory,” but we’re in a very different context, we have a very different strategy. And I think you’ll find that that will affect how he uses those terms.
Still using words like “success” and “victory” but in a different context? Like, preceded by “no hope of” and “cannot pay the price for”? Or, I know! Hey, everyone, it’s opposite day!
And Bush is really at 73 percent approval!