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| It Takes a Nation of Millions (of Idiots) to Hold Us Back And so, George W. Bush prepares to deliver another Big Iraq Speech. Not like all those other ones, though — the January 10, 2007 version will be shot in the library, in front of a whole mess of books, to lend a little gravitas (and dodge the associations acquired by the Oval Office over the past few years — disappointment, underachievement, detachment from reality. As America pops its popcorn, shakes its cocktails, and claims its favorite spot on the couch, it's worth pausing a moment to consider just what led us to this pass (or impasse). How on earth did we get into such a mess? The President has spent the past three months doggedly trying to have an idea, while simultaneously ignoring the hard-thought recommendations of everyone from the Iraq Study Group to his own military (talk about walking and chewing gum at the same time!), and we already know that whatever he comes up with will not only fail to help, but somehow manage to make things worse. Viz. the magical transformation of the Butcher of Baghdad into a martyr of the people, which Bush didn't even stay awake for. That's right — this guy even screws up the world in his sleep! How did he end up in charge? The worst president in American history got more votes — in sheer numbers as well as percentage — than Clinton ever did. Twice. The second time, after Iraq had already been fatally bungled. Now, I've known many conservatives and Republicans in the past, and found at least a few of them to be perfectly reasonable, intelligent, well-informed, and well-intentioned, if a bit misguided. But at this point, there's no intellectually honest reason to continue to support him on the war. We're in a hell of a jam, and to the extent that we salvage even a scrap of our national prestige, honor, and security, it will be in spite of the Failure in Chief, not because of him. And yet, according to the latest USA/Gallup poll, 26 percent of Americans still approve of the job Bush is doing in Iraq. The number is presented as "only 26 percent! A record low! Holy smokes!" But think about it: more than one person in four looks at the scores of Iraqis killed every day of the week, American deaths surpassing 9/11 and tens of thousands wounded, the entire Middle East teetering on the brink of chaos, and says "You're doing a heck of a job, Bushie!" Ladies and gentlemen, I give you American Democracy.
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