BUSH’S MONDAY IMMIGRATION SPEECH: Reader CJ Burch emails:

If “jobs Americans won’t do” is a central part of Bush’s address his approval ratings may be in the single digits Tuesday morning. I honestly do not understand where our political class has gotten the idea that calling the average american lazy and worthless is good political strategy. Do they truly think that little of us? Iraq has been a hard ( and in my opinion a worthwhile) job, should only illegals be allowed to that? Our previous leaders thought Americans could do anything they set their mind to. They asked big things of us and we did them, better than any other nation on earth has ever done them. These bozos think we can’t get off the couch to make our own freaking dinner. I’m beginning to think they despise us, I truly am. And I’ll be damned if I waste my vote on someone that thinks that little of me.

I’m hearing a lot of that kind of sentiment.

UPDATE: John Podhoretz: “There are really three immigration debates. There is the cultural debate, there is the economic debate, and there is the security debate. . . . The potential for self-destruction is terrifying. The potential for grave national harm is worse. Please, you guys, pull back from the edge.”

One problem is that the tin-eared approach of the White House has led to considerably more anger and polarization than would otherwise have occurred. Bush can start to overcome that process Monday, if he will. I’m not sure what will happen, though. John Hinderaker is expecting something major: “I’m pretty sure the President hasn’t booked prime time on Monday night to repeat what he’s said before. I think we’ll see a sharp course change that will gladden the hearts of conservatives, and, for that matter, Americans in general.”

MORE: I’m guessing it will take a lot to win Bill Quick over.