A  respected writer-friend of mine, the late Larry Grove, once said: "The greatest task of a President is not that of Commander-In-Chief or party leader or legislative leader or director of foreign policy or chief of the executive branch or head of state. Each of these is important, of course. but if  a President is to be a great leader of a morally great nation , he must do something that transcends these jobs.  He must speak TO  the United States as well as FOR  it."

 

        Down through the years many Presidents have spent many hours demonstrating the truth of that statement. From Franklin Roosevelt to the present speaking TO  the citizens of this great country has been a integral part of occupying that house at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. But no president seemed to be questioned as much about his decisions as the man who lives there now.

 

        In the face of mounting questioning by personal-pounding- press,  President Bush this week stepped up his campaign to answer the inquisitive minds of the media while at the same time face-up to his falling favorable numbers in recent polls. He never flinched, never wavered from past statements regarding the war on terror. He said: "I'm going to say it again, if I didn't believe we could succeed, I wouldn't be there. I wouldn't put those kids there. I meet with too many  families, who's lost a loved one, to not be able to look them in the eye and say we are doing the right thing."

 

        While reminding the reporters that "every war plan looks good on paper until you meet the enemy....the enemy changes tactics and we've got to change tactics too....no question we have had to adjust our tactics on the ground." Mr. Bush also said when asked if he could envision the day when no U.S. forces would be in Iraq: "That is a goal but it will be decided by future presidents and future governments of Iraq."

 

        Mr. Bush had a rather pointed exchange with Helen Thomas, the dean of the White House press corps who was questioning his decision to go to war. The president said: " No president wants war. Everything you have heard is that, but it simply is not true. My attitude about the defense of this country on September the 11th....when we got attacked....I vowed then and there to  use every asset at my disposal to protect the American people."

 

        Few people have ever occupied the White House without facing war or the threat of war involving America. Franklin Roosevelt did not live until the end of World War Two, but every waking moment after December 7, 1941 Mr. Roosevelt spent trying to remove "this day in infamy" brought on by the Japanese. It was his successor, President Harry Truman, that brought that terrible war to en end.

 

        I remember talking with Mr. Truman during a morning walk in 1964 about his decision to use the Atomic bomb. He was in New York to receive an award and to visit his daughter. When I asked him what had been his toughest decision while living in the White House, I expected him to say the decision to use the Atomic bomb. He surprised me by saying: "Korea was the most important decision I made. That affected the whole free world and that was the reason for that." Surprised, I blurted "that was a tougher decision than the atom bomb?"  Mr. Truman said: "The atom bomb wasn't any decision at all. The atom bomb was a weapon of war and I used it to end the war.....wasn't anything heartbreaking about using the atom bomb. Saved I guess about 150,000 of our kids from getting killed, and as many on the other side, and probably five times as many from getting injured for life....I sent the Japs word that I had the most powerful weapon in the history of the world and I expected to use it, and the best thing for them to do would be surrender. Well, they told me to go to hell. Well, I didn't go!"

 

        Mr. Truman would also tell me during one of those morning walks, that the job of President was the loneliest job in the world because: ..."the buck stops here!"  But as long as he was there, Mr. Truman took morning walks....and the press was always welcome to walk and talk with him. They did not have much television then, not even a lot of radio microphones, mostly just pencil-reporters writing and walking, not sitting and stalking like many reporters seem to be doing today.

 

        Mr. Truman also told me the happiest day of his life was the day he walked OUT of the White House.

 

        We don't know how many other presidents--if any--felt that way when they finished their tour of duty in the most powerful office in the world. However, if things don't start looking better,  if he cannot find a way to speak  TO the UNITED STATES  in a more believable manner, we wonder if George W. Bush might be a candidate to share Harry Truman's departure declaration when he checks out of the White House in January 2009!