As a political act, the speech was a failure

ABC instant polling. "Indeed, rather than Bush bolstering public confidence, the national survey, conducted after his address to the nation on his new Iraq strategy, finds that a new high -- 57 percent -- think the United States is losing the war. Just 29 percent think it's winning." (61-36 against the Bush plan. 58% think the war wasn't worth fighting.) (Later: AP-Ipsos.)

USNews does a brief media roundup with links. "Most media analysts greeted President Bush's new Iraq strategy with marked skepticism, if not outright hostility." (The first two paragraphs.)

(Also, as an empirical, last night, my mom finally stepped off the bus.)

It's only going to get uglier from here.

(Has anyone seen a major publication that gave a positive review or analysis?)