THE SPEECH I got that Bush has a genuine connection with the grunts in the military, and they with him. This was obvious from the smiles on the faces of the enlisted ranks. I was a grunt and I can tell you I absolutely know the difference between being told by some officer to look happy for some suit and actually being happy. I also had thoughts that the Clintons could never get a response like that. The clear "feeling" I took away was that there is a "we" now between the Military and "us", the "slob populi".

The Clinton era is over.

And of course he was a cheerleader. He paid tribute to those who deserved it. As one who served in the bowels of a ship for three months pushing bombs around, I can tell you that a President personally telling you that you are worth it when you never hear a gun go off means everything. If you live through an infantry attack or a few bombing runs you don't need that kind of a boost. To paraphrase Patton: if you're shoveling shit in Louisiana while others are on the front lines doing something you need somebody to tell you that you are necessary. Bush did the job.

This was a case of "The Symbolism was the Message". I got it.