“At this moment, experts believe I am giving a terrific speech.”

If you heard the president’s message Thursday night, perhaps you felt the same craving I did—a hunger for facts. We live in an information based society everywhere but the White House. The president went on television and praised himself and his policies with no solid facts in support, saying things like,

“…our success in meeting these objectives (basically, security) now allows us to begin bringing some of our troops home.”

The proof of that success?

“Today, a city where al-Qaeda once planted its flag is beginning to return to normal. Anbar citizens who once feared beheading for talking to an American or Iraqi soldier now come forward to tell us where the terrorists are hiding.”

So, security, that’s good, right? Later on, far after he’s done praising himself, when he’s moved on to another topic, Bush happens to mention:

“Earlier today, one of the brave tribal sheikhs who helped lead the revolt against al-Qaeda was murdered.”

Okay, so if you oppose Al Qaeda in Iraq, even if you’re successful, apparently they can still find you and kill you. So, it’s a mixed bag.

But wait, we have expert testimony:

“This week, General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker testified before Congress about how that strategy is progressing … they concluded that conditions in Iraq are improving, that we are seizing the initiative from the enemy and that the troop surge is working.”

Or, to rephrase, “two people who work for me think we’re doing a great job.”

Then there’s this gem,

“Throughout Iraq, too many citizens are being killed by terrorists and death squads.”

Y’know how many “too many” is? One. One is too many citizens killed by terrorists and death squads. But I’m gonna guess you have an actual number, vastly larger than one, which you won’t share. Not just because it would be embarrassing, but because it would be a fact.

The speech was filled with what people think about how they feel, and what we should feel about what they’ve done, but no facts.

Come on, Mr. President, mention a fact…ANY fact… “there are four quarts in a gallon,” “on March July, October, May, the ides fall on the fifteenth day,” “my Vice President feeds on human flesh.” ANYTHING that isn’t some posed oil painting of how you wish things were, but is a picture of what is. Just once. For variety’s sake.