Marc Sandalow: Bush Stays the Course

[cal04]

While President Bush insists he is not staying the course in Iraq, the message of his news conference this morning was just that.

The goals, the tactics, and even much of the language have remained broadly unchanged for the past three years.

Six times in the first few minutes of his news conference, Bush insisted that he was not clinging to a losing strategy, asserting that U.S. forces are "adapting,'' "shifting our tactics,'' "flexible in our methods,'' constantly adjusting our tactics,'' refining our training strategy,'' and have "learned some key lessons.''

Even the reporters assembled in the East Room of the White House -- where the presidential podium was moved from its traditional news conference position to the opposite side of the room, perhaps to convey flexibility -- seemed to get the idea.

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