President Bush and key members of his administration have spent the days leading up to the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terror bombings making the case to the American people that we are winning the war on terror.

According to today's Wall Street Journal, the administration's speech offensive has produced mixed results. A Wall Street Journal/NBC News Poll reports that a 42% plurality describes the country as safer than before 9/11, up from 31% a year ago and 38% in September 2002; another 32% calls the U.S. “about as safe” as before.

The same poll says that fewer than one in four describes the U.S. as “less safe.” Further, nearly eight in 10 Americans say the Bush administration deserves at least some of the credit for the absence of another strike within U.S. borders.

Yet the public is less approving of the administration's handling of the war in Iraq. Some 58% of Americans say that war has succeeded “just some”, “very little” or “not at all.” A 41% minority describes the war as having succeeded “a great deal” or “quite a bit.”

To me, one of the most telling criticisms of the administration comes from a retired New York City police sergeant named Wilton Sekzer. Mr. Sekzer volunteered for service in Vietnam when he was 21, because he grew up believing, "If the bugle calls, you go." Years later, he lost a son in the bombing of the World Trade Center. Obsessed with striking back against his son's murderers, Mr. Sekzer persuaded a Marine air division to inscribe "In loving memory of Jason Sekzer" on a 2,000-pound bomb that was dropped on the Republican Guard during the Iraq War. The Marines duly reported to Mr. Sekzer that the bomb "met with 100 percent success."

Mr. Sekzer enjoyed the moment, but later had second thoughts. In an article published in yesterday's Parade magazine, he shared those thoughts with the nation, He said:

"Months later, I was watching TV when President Bush came on and said he didn't know why people connected Iraq to 9/11. He said, 'We've had no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved with the September 11th [attacks].' I said, 'What did he just say? I mean, I almost jumped out of my chair. I said, 'What is he talking about? What the hell did we go in there for? If Saddam didn't have anything to do with 9/11, then why did we go in there?'"

"I'm from the old school. Certain people walk on water. The President of the United States is one of them. It's a terrible thing if someone like me can't trust his President. I began to wonder what the hell's with the whole system. There's something wrong with the entire system."

If "old school" patriots like Mr. Sekzer are beginning to feel that something is wrong with the entire system, the Republicans are in bigger trouble than they realize -- and it's going to take more than a barrage of speeches to get them out of it.