Via National Review:

This is a huge lesson in political culture. It also shows just how bad the media coverage has been. Mubarak is not resigning. He’s managing the “reform” process. He is appointing a committee to study constitutional changes. He will decide when there are elections. He is going to “consider” changing the emergency law. He basically said: I am an Arab warrior, not a community organizer. That speech should be required reading for anyone who wants to understand the Middle East.

This is not over yet. There has been no revolution so far, but the protesters are going to freak out. If Obama has been interpreted as applauding real and major change, either he didn’t know what Mubarak was going to say or he is going to look like a total fool.

When Mubarak said he won’t accept outside advice, that was a direct slap at Obama. Can you imagine the expression on Obama’s face as he watched the speech after being told by his intelligence that Mubarak resigned? After he made a speech about how the youth had forced change? If I had to summarize it, tabloid-style, I’d say: “Mubarak to Obama: Drop Dead!“

The regime is not giving in — Mubarak will leave office, perhaps in September, but the regime will fight on. The speech was the equivalent of Charles Bronson or Clint Eastwood saying: Come and get me!

Of course, we should not forget that this is a dictator refusing to step down. Mubarak and the army knew that this would inflame the crowd. The army would not have agreed to this unless it was willing to deal with the consequences.