One thing Ronald Reagan understood was that, when it came to the big issues, it was difficult to repeat yourself too many times. Provided you didn’t use the exact same words over and over again. Virginia Postrel makes a good point about the need for the administration to restate the strategy for Iraq and beyond. And the administration needs to come up with something with a little more substance than “we are fighting a war on terror.”
I don’t think it necessary for Bush himself to do this. Indeed, in some ways it might be best if it didn’t come from Bush. For example, the most important remarks given by an administration official in the wake of 9/11 did not come from Bush, but instead came from Paul Wolfowitz on September 13 when he argued:
“I think one has to say it’s not just simply a matter of capturing people and holding them accountable, but removing the sanctuaries, removing the support systems, ending states who sponsor terrorism. And that’s why it has to be a broad and sustained campaign.”
“Ending states who sponsor terrorism” broadened the campaign beyond just al Qaeda and its sanctuary in Afghanistan. With Hussein’s regime gone, it might now be worth Wolfowitz or another key administration official to re-articulate the cause.