"Don't sass me. I am the Commander in Chief, dammit!"

Surprise, surprise. Bush is hesitant to change policy in Iraq even though his own family friend (and Baker would not be doing this without the approval of Daddy Bush) says that Iraq is a mess and getting worse.

What I love about this guy is his constant desire to compare himself to historically great Presidents. Remember earlier this year, he was "reading" a book on Lincoln and discovered (because he reads badly) that the Second Great Awakening occurred during Lincoln's administration. Not really about Lincoln or the Second GA, but merely a way to get GWB and Abe in the same sentence, though I suspect that Abe would not have done that.

Now, he wants to compare himself to Truman. "See, he was unpopular too, but now he is liked." Sigh. Yeah, right. You are EXACTLY like our great presidents except for the "exactly" and the "great." More like a Polk or Harding. Actually a lot like Polk.

McClatchy Washington Bureau | 12/08/2006 | Democrats frustrated by Bush's reaction to Iraq report: "Instead, Bush began his talk by comparing himself to President Harry S Truman, who launched the Truman Doctrine to fight communism, got bogged down in the Korean War and left office unpopular.

Bush said that 'in years to come they realized he was right and then his doctrine became the standard for America,' recalled Senate Majority Whip-elect Richard Durbin, D-Ill. 'He's trying to position himself in history and to justify those who continue to stand by him, saying sometimes if you're right you're unpopular, and be prepared for criticism.'

Durbin said he challenged Bush's analogy, reminding him that Truman had the NATO alliance behind him and negotiated with his enemies at the United Nations. Durbin said that's what the Iraq Study Group is recommending that Bush do now - work more with allies and negotiate with adversaries on Iraq.

Bush, Durbin said, 'reacted very strongly. He got very animated in his response' and emphasized that he is 'the commander in chief.'"