It's not about Bush; I'd despise any demagogue who tried that with me. You're presumptuous to assume I felt an "overall hatred". Like most people, after 9/11 I hoped that Bush would grow into the role of a leader during a time of crisis, and gave him some slack those first few months. For better or worse, he was the only President we had.

But I do recall that Bush's speech seemed, to me, to signal that he was going to take the low road, and try to exploit the terrorist attack for political gain. I heard that "us" quite clearly as not just a warning to other countries to side with America, but for domestic consumption it clearly meant "us Republicans". For years after that we had to suffer through the ugliest of political rhetoric impugning the patriotism of anyone who dared disagree with the GOP. The tone of politics in America changed that day, much for the worse.

Remember the great "sleaze bags committing treason on the HabitableZone" flap? That slime touched us here too.

"Us or them" is fundamentally divisive. It's literally about dividing us from them.

You are right about the seductive nature of being part of a mob. Had I been in the audience, I might have found myself on my feet before my conscious mind could engage and decide on its own. I don't think you can really learn much by watching the liturgical rise and fall of the congregation during a speech to Congress, because people in a mob like that give up a lot of free will.