LOVE AND PEACE OR ELSE

Today on Meet the Press, Donald Rumsfeld and Bono were Tim Russert's guests.

Rumsfeld was first.

Russert spent the interview trotting out a group of graphics, quotes, and clips in a feeble attempt to show that Iraq has been a disastrous mistake.

Naturally, Rumsfeld counter punched with reality. He needed to remind Russert that "war is a tough business" and the unexpected occurs.

Russert was hung up on troop levels and miscalculations. Rumsfeld easily responded with the truth and Russert backed off.

Anyone who tries to estimate the time, the end, or the cost is making a mistake, according to Rumsfeld. He pointed out that it was promised our troops would be out of Bosnia before Christmas and they're still there.

Russert tried to present a bleak picture of recruitment. Rumsfeld said recruitment is off only for the Army and part of the reason for that is because the Pentagon has never set higher goals.

Then, Russert turned the discussion to ALL the abuses our military engages in at Gitmo. Not expected, but it was a silly

Russert ended the interview with Rove's recent remark that set off all the staged outrage by the Dems. He asked Rumsfeld if he was comfortable with what Rove said about liberals and wanted to know if he thought liberals responded appropriately after 9/11?

Rumsfeld firmly clarified that there is a difference between treating terrorists like terrorists and treating them like criminals.

Of course, it's Russert's job to grill Russert, so that put him in the position of taking the quagmire perspective of Iraq. The annoying thing was he seemed to relish the opportunity. For all his jabs, Russert wasn't as over the top as Ted Kennedy's recent exchange with Rumsfeld when he suggested the Secretary of Defense resign.

Next up, Bono from Dublin.

He said that the G8 meeting is like the Super Bowl in America. Uh..., OK.

Russert tried to get Bono to bash Bush, citing some comments he had made in a Time interview.

Bono said, "I think he's done an incredible job" in helping to alleviate the AIDS catastrophe in Africa. Bono went on to say that if he's as bold in his second term as he was in his first, he'll deserve his place in history.

Russert showed a commercial from one.org, the group trying to reduce poverty in Africa. He said it seemed that it was directed at Bush, criticizing him in particular. Bono wouldn't bite.

Russert brought up Bob Geldof's insistence that the concert be a no Bush bashing zone. He wondered if this was some sort of cooked up ploy not only to prevent protests, but to remove responsibility for any negativity from the organizers of Live 8. In effect, Russert seemed to be saying, "I know you hate Bush and Blair. You have to pretend to respect them to get money, right?"

Again, Bono was very diplomatic, refusing to go on record criticizing the President. He was persistent in his positive portrayal of Bush and gave nothing but support for what he has done for Africa in spite of the expense of carrying out a war and dealing with domestic issues.

Bono said, "This war can be won so much more easily than the War on Terror."

"I love America. I believe in America." Bono stated that he's offended when America is criticized for not doing enough.

Bono pointed out how Bush's Millenium Challenge to deal with AIDS and disease was so clever because it promoted democracies, rather than allow money to be poured into Africa only to fall into corrupt hands. He called corruption the biggest problem facing Africa today.

According to Bono, the bottom line is if we want to win the War on Terror, we have to win the war against poverty.

Bono only had high praise for Bush--not music to Russert's ears.