Idealism in Search of a Plan

Thank you for giving a prime-time televised news conference so all of America could see so clearly what is right and what is wrong with your approach to this job.

What is right, and what is terribly important and engaging, is the genuine idealism that informs George Bush's basic policy decisions. He embodies and gives voice to the belief that goes back to the very founding of this nation -- that America's historic role is to demonstrate the blessings of freedom here at home, to be the bulwark of freedom in the world and to share the gift of freedom as widely as possible.

The public also expects prudent judgment, candor and enough attention to the complexity of real-world choices to sustain confidence that the leader is up to the challenge.

And here Bush failed as completely as he succeeded in projecting those other attributes of leadership.

The failures came whenever he was asked substantive questions about pending or past decisions.

Idealism is a wonderful and attractive trait in a leader. But visions unhinged from strategies and heedless of risks can lead to disasters, especially when impatience produces hasty decision making. We have seen too much of that in the Bush presidency.

David Broder