KCRW today interrupted NPR’s All Things Considered to air a live speech by President Bush at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, where he was to be giving a “major speech on American foreign policy.” Unfortunately, when they switched over to the sound of applause from the event, a gentleman’s voice asked the audience to remain standing “for the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Attorney General John Ashcroft.” KCRW quickly switched back to NPR’s programming, saying they’d go back to the speech once it actually started. One can only hope Ashcroft choked on the “with liberty and justice for all” section of the Pledge.
Listening now to Bush’s speech, and reading pre-released excerpts on the web, it appears this is the beginning of yet another shift in emphasis in the Bush administration’s ongoing efforts to convince Americans that a war against Iraq is necessary. Saddam’s purported ties to Osama bin Laden are so last week. Now it’s time to talk again about how America has a moral obligation to liberate the Iraqis because they live under an oppressive regime. It’s all about liberty and democracy, don’t you know?