Bush and the "M" word

George Bush seems to have trouble saying the "M" word ... but when describing just about any of his decisions over the past six years it certainly seems appropriate.

His decision to spend the first few months of his first term on vacation, while intelligence information strongly indicated the US was vulnerable to an attack is one.

His decision to sit in a classroom for seven minutes while the US was under attack is one.

His bravado about 'smoking out Bin Laden' that evolved into an 'I don't even think about him anymore' is one.

His lies that led to the invasion of Iraq is one.

His decision to land on an aircraft carrier and address the public under a "Mission Accomplished" banner is one.

His decision to give the wealthiest one percent a war-time tax cut, leading to the largest national debt in history is one.

His handling of the Katrina and Rita hurricane disasters is one.

His continued mis-handling of the war in Iraq is one.

His willingness to let members of the administration place a CIA agent's life at risk is one.

His unwillingness to do anything to alleviate rising gasoline prices is one.

And the list goes on, and on, and on ...

In an April edition of Newsweek magazine Richard Woffe and Holly Bailey examine the presidents inability to say the "M" word ... "mistake."

"April 12, 2006 - For Elton John, sorry seems to be the hardest word. But for George W. Bush the hardest word has always been "mistake." His difficult relationship with the M word stretches back many years and is bound up with his view of leadership, politics, the media and, yes, his ego."

"The way his friends tell it, President Bush simply couldn't bring himself to admit to making a mistake—never mind drawing any lessons from one—in a 2004 press conference. That would have been, in his mind, politically damaging in the early stages of a presidential campaign. And it would have been red meat to an insatiably hungry press corps. Maybe so. But the president has spent several months hinting at mistakes, even spinning about mistakes, without really conceding one—until now."

Speaking to a group of foreign-policy students in Washington, Bush said "We have learned from our mistakes [in Iraq]."

"The president's readiness to concede to a mistake—and do so explicitly—marks a watershed moment for his administration. It may be a statement of the obvious that will satisfy few of his critics and change nothing on the ground in Iraq. But it is yet another sign that the White House recognizes how its political fortunes have changed forever—and how public opinion has shifted against the war."

"Perhaps, with no more elections ahead of him, Bush feels he has more leeway to speak freely. Or perhaps he feels he needs to reconnect with the public in ever-more-human ways. Either way, it's time for the press corps to demand something other than the M word. Maybe it's time to ask him to say sorry." (full story)