Tonight's Presidential press conference

As I listened to the President tonight on the radio, I was struck by the laziness of his performance; how unprepared he was to answer the most predictable questions with anything more than a rambling string of platitudes.

I agree with most of the President's platitudes. I'm glad he reminded Americans of the basic reasons why we supported sending troops to liberate Iraq.

But he needed to do something more. He needed to explain why what is happening in Iraq is not what his administration told us would happen. He needed to talk about why we were not prepared for what did happen; or, at least, tell us how we will become better prepared.

He did none of these things. He doesn't seem to understand that it is not enough for him to talk in generalities. He has taken our country to war to liberate Iraq, and Iraq has not been liberated. We expect him to deliver what our men and women paid for in blood, or else explain why the mission has not been accomplished. He failed us. Again.

I had hoped to hear a leader tonight. What I heard was Tommy Smothers with a Texas accent.