If an incumbent president CAN, he is much better off waving the front page of the Wall Street Journal during a campaign, than waving the American flag. In the end, people care more about their pocket books than they do about political ideology and patriotism. So why has the president spent most of the first 35 mins of his speech trying to defend the war in Iraq? An issue on which he is vulnerable...from attacks by the Democratic candidates which are sure to come, and a general skepticism among the American people? Answer: Bush thinks that the US economy will STILL pretty much suck in November 2004. Place your bets accordingly. saxon