day after that, Bush described the Scud attacks as "purely an act of terror." Bush's mental health had
not gotten any better during the first days of the war; he showed signs of clinical hysteria, therefusal to recognize obvious facts. During this press conference, he was asked:
Q: Why is it that any move, or...move for peace is considered an end run at the White House these
days?
Bush: Well, you obviously...what was the question? End run?
Q: Yes. That is considered an end run, that people that still want to find a peaceful solution seem to
be running into a brick wall.
Bush: Oh, excuse me. The world is united, I think, in seeing that these United Nations resolutions
are fulfilled [...]
Bush was sensitive, as he always was, to any hint that the conflict was what it seemed to be, a war
of the west against the Arabs. In a long monologue, he claimed that "we want to be the healers, wewant to do what we can to facilitate what I might optimistically call a new world order. But the new (^)
world order should, should have a conciliatory component to it." Even Jordan, which was
threatened with dismemberment over the short run might "continue to be a tremendously important
country in this new world order," Bush claimed. [fn 83] Bush was buoyed by the poll reports
alleging that his war was now supported by 76% of the US population.
Day after day, Iraq military and above all civilian targets were subjected to a hail of bombs. The
centerpiece of Bush's personal self-jusitification remained the equation Saddam=Hitler. "was it
moral for us in 1939 to not stop Hitler from going into Poland?" Bush asked a group of Republican
officials. One party worker described Bush as "a man obsessed and possessed by his mission" in theGulf war. During those days, Bush was preparing his State of the Union address. At a press
conference to introduce his new secretary of agriculture, GOP Illinois Congressman Edward
Madigan, Bush made pugnacious statements that he was proceeding with business as usual despite
the war. "We are not going to screech everything to a halt in terms of our domestic agenda. We're
not going to screech everything to a halt in terms of the recreational activities...and I am not goingto screech my life to a halt out of some fear about Saddam Hussein," said Bush. After making these (^)
remarks, he introduced Madigan as his new secretary of education. The reporters looked so
perplexed that Bush realized his gaffe and corrected himself; Madigan would be his new "secretary
of agriculture," he said. [fn 84] In White House briefing sessions to prepare the domestic policy
sections of the State of the Union address, Bush was described as "frankly, bored;" "you calmost see his mind wandering to the Gulf." ould
There are indications that after a week to ten days of bombing, Bush was surprised and disappointed
that all Iraqi resistance had not already collapsed. This is what some of his advisors were rumored
in Washington to have promised him.
The 1991 State of the Union was supposed to be the apotheosis of Bush as a warrior emperor. One
of his themes was the "next American century," borrowed from Stimson and Luce. The apotheosis
was somewhat dimmed by the economic difficulties the Gulf was had done nothing to assuage.
Bush portrayed these problems as a mere ripple in "the largest peacetime economic expansion inhistory." "We will soon get this recession behind us," Bush promised. He conjured up "the long-
held promise of a new world order-- where brutality will go unrewarded, and aggression will meet
collective resistance." He urged this country to take up "the burden of leadership." For many, the
reference was clear: