Impressions

I said it just the other day. "Stay the course" is shorthand for "we're not leaving you", not "continue doing the exact same thing until it works".
The Washington Post today "analyzes" how the President is going to change the wording of this program since the Democrats HAVE COMPLETELY MISUNDERSTOOD SUCH A SIMPLE LITTLE MESSAGE!

Bush used "stay the course" until recent weeks when it became clear that it was becoming a political problem. "The characterization of, you know, 'it's stay the course' is about a quarter right," Bush complained at an Oct. 11 news conference. " 'Stay the course' means keep doing what you're doing. My attitude is: Don't do what you're doing if it's not working -- change. 'Stay the course' also means don't leave before the job is done."

Doh!