Bush Speaks: I didn't see the president's remarks, and transcripts are notoriously unable to convey the . . . uh, peculiarities of his speaking style. Reactions out there indicate that either you like Bush's style or you don't. His answers were meatier this time, certainly better than those he gave on Meet the Press. Bush, like his father, can get the words right and still blow it with his body language or tone. And, honestly, the son is an improvement on the father here. Dubya is sloppier in his actual speech than has father, but he is a better total communicator. He doesn't telegraph his frustration or read his stage direction. Poppy was famous for both, and his own lapses of syntax would get him flustered. Dubya barely seems to notice his; it makes him look a bit careless, but it also makes him look comfortable.

The content of his answers was fine. It could all be explained a bit better, a bit more forcefully. But I'd say the people watching last night probably knew what he meant. I'd bet on a small bump in the polls.