Roe on Noonan on Bush

Courtesy of columnist Peggy Noonan, one of the few columnists whose writing consistently stirs genuine feelings of patriotism by evoking history and the greatness of American ideals, we get a fabulous analysis of President Bush's speech in Berlin last week. In the age of mass and highly diffuse media, it is easy to understand how presidential speeches often get lost in the flotsam and jetsam of our daily lives. This we should lament, because President Bush's speech is worthy of widespread attention. Despite American hegemony as the world's only "hyper power," close ties to Europe are essential to our economic ($2 trillion yearly trade) and military (NATO) well being. Noonan's analysis goes a long way to bring President Bush's plain-spoken yet movingly eloquent words home to us. Further, her analysis, seen through her lens as former speech writer for President Reagan, is fascinating in its dissection of the messages a presidential speech conveys to allies and enemies alike.

--Price Roe