Bush speech to offer vision of world leadership

[EuroObserver]

Financial Times. By Andrew Balls in Washington
Published: January 29 2006 18:16 | Last updated: January 29 2006 18:16 (GMT)

President George W. Bush is expected on Tuesday to try and retake the initiative in the Washington political debate, in a speech that is expected to be long on optimism and short on detailed policy proposals.
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White House aides have characterised the speech as one that will lay out his approach and views on the importance of US world leadership and be visionary and thematic rather than deal with policy specifics.

In an interview with CBS television on Sunday, Mr Bush said the low level of public support for his policies in Iraq showed that the public had been distracted from achievements made in the country by images of violence on the news. He said he intended to play the role of “educator in chief” as well as “commander in chief”.
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He is also expected to make optimistic comments on the US economy – unbowed by a report on Friday that suggested it slowed sharply at the end of last year – and to endorse policies aimed at improving the competitiveness of US industries.

/more at link: suggest start honing rebuttals... what does real leadership take in an increasingly multipolar world... without forgetting the crony economy, stupid... ah yes, and worry I guess about whether that "educator in chief" phrase really sounds as potentially sinister (or just absurd) as some would think...