City Club of Cleveland

I'm watching President Bush's speech at the City Club of Cleveland right now.

He just stated that "what makes the evening news isn't the children playing in the streets, shops reopening, and people getting their lives back to normal. It's IED's exploding, and the terrorists know that."

11:53: "The decision to remove Saddam was a difficult decision. The decision to remove Saddam was the right decision." Got his first applause of the speech.

11:57: He just compared Islamic extremism to Communism and Fascism.

11:58: "Americans have never retreated in the face of thugs and assassins, and we will not begin now." Applause.

11:59: Question, "President Bush, do you believe the war in Iraq is a sign of the apocalypse, and why or why not." Laughter. Bush: "I haven't really thought about that." Laughter. "I guess I've never heard of that." Laughter. "I'm more of a practical fella." Stupid question.

12:01: In response to the above question, says 9/11 changed him and affected his decision as much as anything. Continues to tie 9/11 and the war on terror to Iraq. "If you harbor a terrorist you're equally as guilty as the terrorist."

12:03: still responding to the question, has now gone on to Iran, stating that "we will use our military might to protect our ally Israel." "Our objective is to solve this issue diplomatically." He's taking a tough stance on Iran. "This is unacceptable behavior. Your desire to have nuclear weapons is unacceptable behavior." "How do we deal with threats before they fully materialize? ... That's my job. ... That hit home on September 11. ... And I think about my job of protecting you every single day."

12:05: "I didn't say there was a direct connection between September 11 and Saddam Hussein." "I was very careful to never say that Saddam Hussein ordered the attacks on 9/11." "The whole world thought that Saddam Hussen had weapons of mass destruction. It wasn't just my administration, it was the previous administration." Goes on to say that the U.N. even agreed. He's so much better in Q & A, just going with it, then he is giving a scripted speech.

12:11: A guy asking a question first put in a stump for a Hungarian event going on in October in Cleveland. Bush laughs: "A guy seizes a moment when he sees one." Laughter. "Put me down as a maybe." Sustained laughter and applause.

12:15: "I believe that those of us who are free have an obligation to help those who are not free become free." Applause. "Next question. But I'm tied up in October." Laughter.

12:19: Bush just referred to the Japanese as "one of my best buddies." That's why a lot of Americans love him (and why others don't). He then pointed out that his dad fought in a war in which Japan was an enemy. Bush makes the point that 60 years ago if anyone had said that our sworn enemy would be a democratic, capitalist society that was one of our best allies, people would have called you crazy. It's obviously a reference to his critics today concerning Iraq. "History has shown us that democracies don't war with each other."

12:22: To a high school student: "I hope I gave you an excuse to skip school."

12:24: "We need good tort reform." Can he give more speeches on that?

12:30: "I agree...that Pakistan should be allowed to develop a nuclear power industry. And that flies in the face of Cold War philosophy." "As we become less addicted to oil and fossil fuels, which I'm serious about, we need to encourage others to do so."

12:33: "How long do you usually ask questions here?"

12:34: "He's talking about the terrorist surveillance program that has created quite a kafluffle in the press." Kafluffle (spelling?). Nice word.

12:52: "Understand what made America. We're a land of immigrants."

12:57: An hour and forty-five minutes after he started, he's done. Events like this usually last about an hour. Interesting stuff. If you read the transcript of the event, read the Q & A, not the speech. That's where the meat was.