Anchorage Daily News: “Bush candid on Iraq.”

King George W held a press conference, and even took a question from Helen Thomas. This is from his answer to her:

We worked to make sure that Saddam Hussein heard the message of the world. And when he chose to deny the inspectors, when he chose not to disclose, then I had the difficult decision to make to remove him. And we did. And the world is safer for it.

Here's how Eric Alterman parsed the President's remarks:

Leave aside the “world is safer for it” crap, which you have to be either Fred Barnes or George Bush to believe, but is ultimately a judgment call. Look at the part about the inspectors. Remember the inspectors were in Iraq doing their job when George W. Bush, not Saddam Hussein, kicked them out in order to launch a war that was opposed by most of the world.

Many in the media are making a fuss about the fact that W seems to have launched into an “war on the media” strategy, which was in full flower today in Wheeling, West Virginia.

Can someone explain to me why there is not more attention being paid to the other strategy that was on display: war on truth? One Republican Senator gave an explanation, though it was offered in a different context. Arlen Specter of Maryland gave an update on the illegal warrantless spying program. “They want to do just as they please, for as long as they can get away with it.”

“… and tell ’em Big Mitch sent ya!”