Dean Barnett alerted me to a new column by Peggy Noonan, a columnist I used to enjoy reading for her literary abilities and keen insight. Now, unfortunately, Noonan is morfing into either a cranky old woman or more likely, a Maureen Dowd wannabe. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen the two of them in the same room before. Perhaps the old dames are merely ships that pass in the night.

This statement really takes the cake.

“His good humor seems to me disorienting, and strange… Americans have always been somewhat romantic about the meaning of our country, and the beacon it can be for the world, and what the Founders did. But they like the president to be the cool-eyed realist, the tough customer who understands harsh realities.

“With Mr. Bush it is the people who are forced to be cool-eyed and realistic. He’s the one who goes off on the toots. This is extremely irritating, and also unnatural. Actually it’s weird.”

Odd that an accomplished writer like Peggy Noonan doesn’t seem to possess the literary resources that would give her more insight into the psychological heart of a great man.

One of my favorite quotes by Ralph Waldo Emerson is, Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

What does Noonan want President Bush to do? He is the leader of our country. Leaders don’t grovel at the feet of an antagonistic media. They don’t make admissions of failure which would give our enemies heart. Successful leaders are careful to focus on the positive aspects of any mission so as to give those who are working to complete the mission the needed support. We don’t need a President Woody Allen in these treacherous times.

We already have enough of them in Congress.