Speaking Nonsense to Power

I'm sure the lefty blogs are all excited about the guy who stood up and "spoke truth to power" by challenging President Bush at a town hall meeting in North Carolina today, but the whole thing just pointed out how silly the wacky left has become. It sounded much more like nonsense than truth to me:

A man who appeared to be in his 50s and bore a slight resemblance to John Kerry, Bush's defeated Democratic foe in the last election, said: "Okay, I don't have a question.

"What I wanted to say to you is that I -- in my lifetime, I have never felt more ashamed of, nor more frightened by, my leadership in Washington, including the presidency, by the Senate, and ...," the man said, as the audience began booing.

"No, wait a sec -- let him speak," Bush said.

"I feel like despite your rhetoric, that compassion and common sense have been left far behind during your administration, and I would hope from time to time that you have the humility and the grace to be ashamed of yourself inside yourself," the man said.

He did not mention the continuing war in Iraq, which Bush is seeking to justify, but criticized the administration's wiretapping without warrant, environmental policy and the president's restrictive views on abortion.

Let's examine the delicious irony of this guy, claiming he's never been more frightened by his leadership in Washington, and yet he was able to freely express himself directly to the president, in person, and without fear of arrest or other punishment. How many countries could he do that in?

If you get a chance, listen to the whole exchange. The president was very patient, allowed the guy to vent his spleen, and then proceeded to give an excellent explanation for his policies in regards to terrorism and the surveillance program. It was a masterful performance by the president.