Editorial
Bush news conference unveils a new leader

President Bush faced a nearly impossible task in his unusual prime-time news conference last night.

His job: Update the nation on the state of the war on terrorism and offer reassurance to a jittery American public.

Not easy when you consider this:

First, it must be enormously difficult to update about a war that — by necessity — must be waged largely in secret. We heard the war is going well, but got few details on just what that means.

Bush had to paint a picture of immediate progress while at the same time reminding us that this effort could go on for a long, long time to come.

Second, even as he called on his fellow Americans to get back to business as usual, his vice president was hidden away at some secret location for security reasons and the FBI was issuing warnings that new terrorist attacks may be eminent.

By and large, Bush walked this difficult tightrope well. He stayed on point, kept his cool and even flashed a hint of welcome humor at times.

The president also showed a strong, and welcome, interest in moving this war forward on a multilateral, international front. That's an important signal from an administration that prior to Sept. 11 seemed uncomfortably willing to go it alone.

In fact, Bush even allowed he would accept the help of nations such as Syria or Iran — nations long linked to terrorist groups.

"If you want to join the coalition against terror, we will welcome you," he said.

We have been repeatedly told that the world has changed and that we are in a new kind of war — a war Americans have never before experienced.

If that is the case, then we also need a new kind of national leadership, one that combines steely determination and American confidence with a nuanced, sophisticated understanding that we now are part of a truly global society.

Last night's news conference suggests President Bush is quickly becoming that kind of leader.