Curtain-Raiser Posted by Heather Hurlburt

I'll let former chief Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson say it for me:

“I don’t think the American people need a pep rally.  I think they need a theory.”

What questions does the President need to answer?

why the security of Baghdad is essential, why old plans didn’t work and why new ones will, and how it will work -- what leverage do we have.

How should Bush do it?  Gerson drew comparisons with JFK's Cuban Missile Crisis speech.   That's both self-serving -- JFK didn't have to explain past mistakes, as Bush must -- and a tough hurdle for any White House to get over.