In an August 31 article, New York Times reporter Anne E. Kornblut asserted that President Bush “did not emphasize signs of progress in Iraq as he had in the past” during an August 30 speech in Tennessee. But to the contrary, Bush repeatedly referred to the “amazing progress” on display in Iraq. He specifically cited the fact that “12 million people went to the polls” and that “a government has been formed, a unity government.” He further cited the goal of making Iraq “an ally in the war on terror that can defend itself, sustain itself” and added, "[W]e're on our way to achieving that mission."

In her article, Kornblut reported that Bush has begun a string of “speeches on Iraq and the broader struggle against terrorism” that will span several weeks. While noting that this “tour” will officially start with Bush's August 31 speech at the American Legion's national convention in Utah, Kornblut highlighted his remarks about Iraq at an August 30 Republican fundraiser in Nashville, Tennessee. From her article:

A short time later, at a fund-raiser here, the president urged an audience to vote for a Republican Senate candidate to help keep the nation safe. Declaring his “message of optimism,” Mr. Bush said he needed colleagues on Capitol Hill who understood the importance of tools like the USA Patriot Act and domestic surveillance to help stop terrorism.

“I need people in the United States Senate standing side by side who understand our most important task is the security of the United States of America,” he said.

“We face an enemy that has an ideology,'' Mr. Bush continued. ”They believe things. The best way to describe their ideology is to relate to you the fact that they think the opposite of the way we think."

He criticized detractors who have sought to withdraw troops from Iraq, saying that to leave that country “before the job is done” could lead to a much worse terrorist state. But Mr. Bush did not emphasize signs of progress in Iraq as he had in the past.

But contrary to Kornblut's claim that Bush did not “emphasize signs of progress in Iraq,” his speech included several references to the “amazing progress” and “amazing things” occurring there:

BUSH: I saw a threat in Iraq, and so did members of the United States Congress of both political parties. Saddam Hussein was a state sponsor of terror. Saddam Hussein had used weapons of mass destruction. Saddam Hussein had been shooting at our pilots. Saddam Hussein paid families of suicide bombers. Saddam Hussein was a threat, and the world is better off without Saddam Hussein in power.

And now the central front in the war on terror, the central front in this struggle to protect ourselves is Iraq. You know, amazing things have happened in Iraq, when you think about it. Oh, I know the news is full with terrible suiciders, and it shakes our will. I know that. It's troubling for many of our citizens, no matter what their political party is. But that's what the enemy wants. They want to trouble us. They're willing to take innocent life to cause us to forget our mission and purpose and the calling of this in the 21st century.

But when you really think about it, amazing progress has been made. Twelve million people went to the polls. These are people who had just recently lived under the thumb of a brutal tyrant who killed hundreds of thousands of his own people. And yet, when given a chance, these Iraqis said, “We want to be free; we want to self-govern; we want a government of and by and for the people.” And since then a government has been formed, a unity government, headed by a good man named Prime Minister Maliki.

Our task is to stand with those who reject extremism and violence. Our task is train the Iraqis so they can defend themselves. Our task is to achieve a goal of an ally in the war on terror that can defend itself, sustain itself. And we're on our way to achieving that mission.

Numerous Democrats, as well as some Republicans, disagree with Bush's claim that there is “amazing progress” in Iraq, as do a majority of Americans according to recent polls. For instance, Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN) -- who originally supported the war -- returned from a trip to Baghdad in late July and declared that the conditions on the ground were far worse “than we'd been led to believe.” In a July 28 interview, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) described Iraq as having descended into "absolute anarchy." Further, Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT) said on the August 28 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews that "[p]rogress is not being made now" in Iraq, although, as Media Matters for America noted, Shays had previously touted such progress. Recent polling also shows that most Americans believe conditions are not improving in Iraq. Indeed, in a CBS News/New York Times poll conducted August 17-21, 62 percent of respondents said the U.S. effort in Iraq is going either “somewhat badly” or “very badly.” A Newsweek poll conducted August 10-11 similarly found that only 31 percent of respondents thought the United States is “making progress” in Iraq, while 58 percent said the country is “losing ground in its efforts to establish security and democracy in Iraq.”