Bob Woodward tells us this:

"
President Bush is absolutely certain that he has the U.S. and Iraq on the right course, says Woodward. So certain is the president on this matter, Woodward says, that when Mr. Bush had key Republicans to the White House to discuss Iraq, he told them, “I will not withdraw, even if Laura and Barney are the only ones supporting me.”
"

He's going to be taking advice from his horse next. If Bush playing his gee-tar while New Orleans was drowning didn't remind you of Nero . . .

Isn't that pretty much the definition of a dictatorship -- I will do whatever I want no matter what anyone else says? Maybe it's not control/rule by force, but at the very least it is the OPPOSITE of democracy.

Bush says the Iraqis want us there. This poll demonstrates that the opposite is true :

"
Most Iraqis Want US Troops Out Within a Year

Say US Presence Provoking More Conflict Than it is Preventing

Approval of Attacks on US-led Forces Rises to 6 in 10

A new WPO poll of the Iraqi public finds that seven in ten Iraqis want US-led forces to commit to withdraw within a year. An overwhelming majority believes that the US military presence in Iraq is provoking more conflict than it is preventing and there is growing confidence in the Iraqi army. If the US made a commitment to withdraw, a majority believes that this would strengthen the Iraqi government. Support for attacks on US-led forces has grown to a majority position—now six in ten. Support appears to be related to a widespread perception, held by all ethnic groups, that the US government plans to have permanent military bases in Iraq.
. . . . . . . .
"

Bush says everything in Iraq is going just fine. "See, I just listen ta the folks on the ground. Them generals tell me ain't no 'civil war' goin on over thar."

I hate cliches, but seriously: "Who are you going to believe? Me, or your lying eyes?"

More on Woodward's new book at ThinkProgress: New Woodward Book Details Multiple Bush Cover-Ups Over Iraq

Bush: "I don't know Jack"

Abromoff scandal officially hovering over the White House:



And as some have pointed out, it's important to realize that the 10 meetings with Rove are only those SPECIFICALLY SCHEDULED for one-on-one meetings; with almost 500 White House visits, it's very probable that there were countless others; and once he's admitted into the White House, who knows how many people he met with how many times?

And I have not seen this reported lately, but we should recall that this was known before yesterday's new revelations:

"
Jack Abramoff was a member of the Bush Administration's 2001 Transition Advisory Team assigned to the Department of the Interior.[25] Abramoff befriended the incoming Deputy Secretary of the Interior, J. Steven Griles. In the first 10 months of 2001, the Abramoff lobbying team logged almost 200 contacts with the new Administration.
"

[ source: Wikipedia ]

On the media in general . . .

I'm pleased that the media is starting to actually do their job, to an extent. But the problem is, it's not because they're courageous or because they have integrity or anything of the sort; in my view, it's apparent that they're actually still taking the easy route -- that is, NOW it's o.k. to criticize the government, because about 75% of the population disapproves of the president and Congress. It still seems like they're putting ratings and "giving people what they want" comes before true investigative journalism. (Probably I'm stating the obvious here -- but it's worth repeating, I think.) And they're STILL going along with this march-to-war-with-Iran rubbish -- which is completely unfathomable to me.

—ungeziefer