Posted Sept. 13, 2007 – Before President Bush can address the country tonight, Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings  (D) is making it clear that he’s expecting the same old, same old.

“I am confident, before even hearing the president’s speech tonight, that it will entail more of the same deceptions and distractions from this administration to which we have become accustomed during the course of this War.“I expect the president to claim that the troop surge is working but that we need more time to see its full effects. I anticipate he will criticize Congress for demanding the will of the majority of Americans to change the course in Iraq,” Cummings said.

In his comments to the American people, Bush will likely point to the testimony of Army Gen. David Petraeus and a recent poll by Rasmussen that shows that  43 percent of the American people are also prepared for the predictable.     

The poll by Rasmussen found only 38 percent opposed the strategy to withdraw about 30,000 troops, as Petraeus outlined, and 71 percent said it’s likely that “a large number” will remain in Iraq for the next five years.

Cummings says Bush will ignore any news that doesn’t support that the surge is working.  “I will also not be surprised if the president uses his report tonight as an opportunity to paint this drawdown of troops as a change in strategy or as an indicator of success,” he said.

We’ll all be watching to see just what Bush has to say.  I don’t think anything can surprise the American people.