Was I watching the same press conference they were? [View All]

Last night, I, like most of you, stared sadly at my television, wondering how we got ourselves into this mess and how, regardless of voter manipulation, tinfoil conspiracies or hanging chad, 50 million people voted for this nitwit in 2000.

I did find comfort in the fact that the other people on this forum agreed with me -- this press conference was nothing short of a train wreck. Sure, we can be accused of being an echo chamber, but last night I think it was necessary.

This morning, however, I turned on NPR, where they interviewed three different sets of people -- young professionals, older Jewish retirees, and upstate New York Republicans.

There was little harsh criticism of *'s performance (only disappointment and dissatisfaction, but nothing like we wrote yesterday) -- and much effusive praise. Much of it, regardless of the respondent's party affiliation, was along the lines of, "whether you agreed with the war or not, you have to admit Bush did a good job of presenting a strong case last night."

What?

How could they have possibly sat through the same travesty I did, and yet come away all aglow? Do they suffer from some sort of president dysmorphic disorder, rendering them incapable of seeing the stammering, the evasiveness, the "insticate," the Secretary of State Rummy? (Maybe it was the tie.)

Last night, I didn't know whether to laugh, to cry or to throw up. I think I know now. Hand me a bucket.