Accountability Moment vs Focus Group

[2pac Shakur]

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 — President Bush dismissed antiwar protests today as a factor in his plans for confronting Iraq and pressed ahead with a strategy to persuade reluctant allies that United Nations weapons inspections would not secure the disarmament of Saddam Hussein.

In his first public comments about the antiwar demonstrations by millions of people over the weekend in the United States and abroad, Mr. Bush said his overriding goal was to protect the American people and that leadership sometimes involved bucking public opinion.

"Size of protest — it's like deciding, well, I'm going to decide policy based upon a focus group," Mr. Bush said in response to a reporter's question at the White House. "The role of a leader is to decide policy based upon the security, in this case, the security of the people."

http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/2003...sts19feb03.htm

THE PRESIDENT: Well, we had an accountability moment, and that's called the 2004 election. And the American people listened to different assessments made about what was taking place in Iraq, and they looked at the two candidates, and chose me, for which I'm grateful.

Listen, in times of war, things don't go exactly as planned. Some were saying there was no way that Saddam Hussein would be toppled as quickly as we toppled him. Some were saying there would be mass refugee flows and starvation, which didn't happen. My only point is, is that, on a complicated matter such as removing a dictator from power and trying to help achieve democracy, sometimes the unexpected will happen, both good and bad.

And the point is, there has to be a flexible strategy that will enable our commanders on the ground and our diplomats to be able to adjust strategy to meet the needs on the ground, all aiming at an eventual goal, which is a free and democratic Iraq, not in our image, in their image, according to their customs. See, we haven't been -- we've been there -- sovereignty was transferred in June of 2004. So this has been a sovereign nation in its new form for less than a year. I'm optimistic about it, and so are a lot of other people who were there in Iraq --optimistic about that, being optimistic about the emergence of a free government.

I'm also mindful that it takes a while for democracy to take hold. Witness our own history. We weren't -- we certainly were not the perfect democracy and are yet the perfect democracy. Ours is a constitution that said every man -- a system that said every man was equal, but in fact, every man wasn't equal for a long period of time in our history. The Articles of Confederation were a bumpy period of time. And my only point is, is that I am realistic about how quickly a society that has been dominated by a tyrant can become a democracy. And therefore, I am more patient than some, but also mindful that we've got to get the Iraqis up and running as quickly as possible, so they can defeat these terrorists.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2005Jan15.html

So, when Bush winds up with the result he wants - it's an accountability moment.
When the public doesn't agree with Bush - it's a focus group.

Makes perfect sense to me.
:GBA:

[whisper]

Originally Posted by 2pac Shakur

http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/2003...sts19feb03.htm





http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2005Jan15.html

So, when Bush winds up with the result he wants - it's an accountability moment.
When the public doesn't agree with Bush - it's a focus group.

Makes perfect sense to me.
:GBA:

How is a protest of a few hundred given the same weight as an election of millions?

[2pac Shakur]

Originally Posted by whisper

How is a protest of a few hundred given the same weight as an election of millions?

You mean the largest worldwide protest in history?

[knowles]

I'm not sure I disagree with him. Popular isn't always right.

It does bother me that he talks about 'leading' so much. He mentioned it during the election dozens of times. "I know how to lead." It always sounds like he's trying to sell it.

I've never heard a great leader say that he (himself) was a great leader. Am pretty sure this is not an exception to that.

[2pac Shakur]

Originally Posted by knowles

I'm not sure I disagree with him. Popular isn't always right.

Except for that one day in November, according to Bush.

[knowles]

Originally Posted by 2pac Shakur

Except for that one day in November, according to Bush.

Which is unfortunate for anyone who cares about anything other than, well, i'm not sure exactly what Bushy cares about. Leaving a legacy, perhaps?