Blair's address to the nation makes him sound desperate and weak.

[BurtWorm]

I don't have a link to the video, but if you get a chance to see it, take a look. I'm sure the cable news shows will rerun portions, and C-SPAN or BBC may have links. I'm not sure if the words alone convey the whole picture, though they too have the air of desperation about them.

If you think that terrorists are a large threat on the order of a national army or alliance of nations, you may not get the same picture I do. But if you think of terrorists as a band of criminals, which is closer to what they are (albeit, no doubt a fairly well-financed band of criminals with no qualms about killing indiscriminately), then it seems ludicrous for the leader of a large, wealthy modern European state to talk about "their values" vs. "our values." It puts them on par and makes Blair look like an elephant quaking at the sight of a mouse. (Granted, a mouse with an elephant gun, but a mouse nonetheless.)

[emad]

1. It was so choreographed it looked like he'd rehearsed it religiously

since the day they caught Saddam.....

What pissed me off was Dumbass standing behind Poodle, nodding wisely at all those platitudes and looking like he had written the script...

Never mind, at a time like this just remember that BBC story about him falling off his bike....

[emad]

2. Was Bush drunk at Gleneagles when he 'crashed his bike' into a cop?

Bush bruised in bicycle crash
BBC

George Bush has collided with a police officer during a bike ride on the grounds of the Scottish hotel hosting the G8 summit.

The US president suffered scrapes on his hands and arms and was treated by a White House doctor, his spokesman said.

The Scottish police officer, on security duty, was sent to hospital to be treated for a minor ankle injury.

Mr Bush, celebrating his 59th birthday, was said to be going at a "pretty good speed" when he fell from his bike.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4658327.stm

[peekaloo]

4. or "doing some pretty good speed" when he fell and went boom.

what a dipshit.

[emad]

5. WHY do they let him out?

Next time a nice tricycle might be better, or a quad-bike. Kinda keeps the balance better....

[peekaloo]

8. Methinks he was bending down trying to adjust the playing card

he had clothes pinned to his spokes.

[BurtWorm]

3. I was referring to the one he made from Downing Street (I think)

in which he was the sole "leader" in the frame. His first address was more forceful, given that it was more immediate. The second, though, was surprisingly shaky, considering he'd had more time to prepare his remarks.

Of course it's easy for me to criticize Blair. I don't have the responsibility he has, nor the political vulnerability. But the palapable weakness of his delivery and words struck me.

[Wetzelbill]

6. yesterday I made a post that it was time for Blair to do something great..

I was hoping he would stand up and get out of Chimp's shadow, because he's playing lap dog to a man who isn't even in his class. Blair should be the premier world leader right now, the way Clinton was when he left office. Instead Blair has went from a guy who could've been a great statesman, into a snotty little weasel. Blair could have been great, now he's an also-ran even in his own country. I was hoping he'd get it together and be a leader in the last two days, but instead he's been more disappointing than ever. This was Tony's last chance to rise to the occasion.

Stick a fork in him, this fucker's done.

[elehhhhna]

7. Blair knows what he SHOULD do but Bush has photos of him with Gannon...

What's a boy to do?

[ICantBelieve]

9. He IS desparate and weak! n/t

[peekaloo]

10. It's the company he keeps.

[Taxloss]

11. The first address was a G8 "joint" address; the second was personal

I thought he looked a bit like he couldn't judge the public mood and didn't know what way to jump - he was hedging. The British public could turn either way right now - give him a bounce or hound him from office.

[BurtWorm]

14. I had a similar feeling.

It looked like he knew he had to perform and didn't know what his motivation was.

[bluedog]

12. * looked little a happy little POS

terrorist is the one item he LOVES to talk about........to me bush acted totally "smug"........like...well this gets the heat off me and my vies on Global warming........I can't even print what I am thinking.but I think you all know...

[Last Lemming]

13. What if they decided

to stage a terrorist attack on your country and you, the prime minister, was left out of the loop.

[bigtree]

15. I couldn't see it but could hear it when it was first broadcast

It sounded to me like he was crying.

[BurtWorm]

16. He seemed emotionally vulnerable.

Which is probably how he was feeling.