NEWS: Bush's Base Slipping - Dems on the Offensive

POLITICS: Bush's Base Slipping - Dems on the Offensive

faith: Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence - American Heritage Dictionary, 4th edition, 2000

President Bush called on Republican party members today to "keep the faith" and "stay the course," but it is dubious as to whether these worn out cliches will help him in what has become the most dire hour of his presidency. Beleaguered by the still stagnant economy, the lack of stability in Iraq, the prisoner abuse scandals, civil rights violations at home and alienation from many former US allies, the White House finally seems to be acknowledging that in fact, contrary to the President's words "The cause we serve is right, because it is the cause of all mankind," said in the State of the Union Address that much of mankind is actually in opposition to the neoconservative "causes," some of whom are finally speaking their minds.

While the White House continues to maintain that it does not pay attention to polls (a claim former cabinet member John DiIulio might disagree with when he wrote "Little happens on any issue without Karl [Rove]'s okay, and, often, he supplies such policy substance as the administration puts out." the fact that the president has slipped into the low 40's in a head to head matchup with John Kerry suggests that the timing of this "pep rally" may not be a coincidence.

Of course, there's still a lot of time between now and the election, but with even some Republicans criticizing the war effort, this may be an attempt to create party unity where it is starting to erode.

Maybe some moderate or traditionally conservative Republicans are starting to break ranks because they've been neglected since day one? We all know that the President is an accomplished cheerleader, but even a Rumsfeld-Cheney-Bush pyramid may not be enough to rally dissatisfied party members behind him now, when they're needed the most.

Eh, just last week, it was the democrats that were panicking.

Election coverage suckes during the spring and summer, the media tries to make a big story out of everything, while the candidates try and hold everything back till convention time.

It's certainly gonna be an interesting election though.

One thing that bugs me about both parties is their loyalty to their party before the people.

But no ones loyal to John Kerry.

i am voting A.B.B.
anybody but bush

What is most ridiculous about Bush is the fact that he had almost universal support after 9/11 and he managed to fuck everything up anyhow. How lame is that?

Shit, his complete fuck-ups are actually going to get me out to vote for the first time EVER just so I don't have to listen to him for another four years!

Question: if you're going in the wrong direction, and you "stay the course", where do you end up?

To me, it seems obvious that you'd end up in "the wrong place", but I guess that's why I'm not a politician.

Not that I support the cause, but here's a hint for the Republican Party, especially if they're trying to foster unity. (This one is a freebee.)

Don't have any member of your party insult the man who is arguably the most respected member of the GOP. If you ARE going to have someone do it, make sure it's not the Speaker of the Fucking House.

The cracks are starting to show. I'm glad for it, since I was wondering how long the traditional conservatives were going to let the NeoCon bastards crap all over everything they actually believe in.

The above is a purloined Fark headline.

I thought this was hilarious. It is so incredibly disingenuous of the various chickenhawks to try to lecture us about something they know nothing of.

For the record: Hastert was rejected by the army, ostensibly for a bad shoulder. Not as nasty as limbaugh who got out because he had a giant ass-crack carbuncle (pilonidal cyst).

I would love to be celebrating 'bye-bye bush' right now, but that would be a bit premature, there is still much work to do. Convincing nader to drop out would be a nice start.

Personally, I hope they continue to mock McCain. McCain is more popular, more respected with the American people than any other member of the senate, democrat or republican. The character and quality (or lack thereof) of a man's critics often tells you more than the words of his supporters.

Surely McCain must be aware of this. I don't know what it's like in the rest of the country, but even amongst me and my lefty friends, we all hold him in extremely high regard, and some would vote for him over Kerry. I wonder if any respectable polling agency has tried a McCain matchup against Kerry? I'm betting he'd win in a landslide.

I find the recent trend of spoiler candidates to be quite interesting. I mean, we had Ross perot in the 90s, now we got Nader.

Could it be the beginnings of some serious third party action?

At the least it will cause some modification of the parties, I guess we'll see eventually.

Like father, like son.

I think that's the appeal of McCain that even Leftists like me have...I respect him for being who is and true to heart and mind and for his constituency. I really don't agree with his politicking for Bush because I just don't see that he belongs to that fanatical mindset.

But I do like John McCain as a person and a politician.

John McCain the most respected member of the Republican Party?When did this occur?I believe that person wouldd be President Bush.McCain gets all the hype from the moderates and Democrats because they know they can push him over.
In 2000,the media was all over McCain because they knew if he got the nomination Gore would carry 40 states.Once he got the nomination, they would of turned on him and made him look like the vilest right-wing bastard this side of Pinochet.Don't get me wrong,McCain is a genuine American hero and role model,I admire him greatly for the hell he endured in Vietnam ,but to call him the most respected memebr of the Republican Party is a bit of a stretch.Maybe he's the 2nd most admired.

Yes it can. The article did not specify what "recent" means.

But that doesn't matter much either. After all, did any other president besides Bush lose the popular vote and still win the election, in recent memory? Nope. Anything can happen.

What is surprising, though, is that Kerry is not trouncing Bush in the polls after the endless parade of bad Iraq-associated news.

If Kerry is serious about winning, he needs to shape up, because I have a feeling he's going to be Nixonesque in televised debates b/c of a complete lack of image or charisma. He has a snooty voice and looks like Odo from Deep Space Nine. People are not voting FOR John Kerry, they're voting AGAINST George Bush...which is not a way to win swing voters.

By the way,I would agree with you on Denny Hastert -he is about the most worthless Speaker ,Repub or Dem,in a long time.After the Republicans bought into the media hype about becoming a minority party in 1998 and jettisoned Newt,Hastert got that position because he was a moderate-and of course the media loved him.The Republicans didnt want to offend anyone and put a conservative as Speaker.
Lord forbid we offend anyone.So,yeah,Hastert is useless.
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Considering Bush's popularity is hover in the low 40s, I think it's silly to imagine him as the most "popular" or "admired" republican. Most powerful, maybe. Also, there's this whole thing called "the rest of the nation," which includes Democrats, Greens, Libbies, and all sorts of others, none of which really care of W. However, despite being opposed to almost everything he stands for (except maybe campaign finance reform), those same groups all at least respect - if not admire - Sen. McCain.

Bush popularity among anyone other than his base is almost nonexistant, while McCain is lauded on both sides of the aisle and he's generally seen as a man of integrity by both parties, independants, and even my dog. So, yeah, I think it's easy to say that he's the most popular member of the Party.

Thank you. I don't care how much the rest of the GOP wants to kiss the President's ass... it's the voters' respect that matters come election time. That's why McCain had to be railroaded in South Carolina, with loaded polls like calling predominately rich white neighborhoods and asking if they "would vote for him if he had sired an illegitimate black child, or not?" (when in fact he and his wife had adopted a Bangladeshi child, if I remember correctly). They knew they couldn't beat him out right, so they had to smear the shit out of him before they got to States where people knew more about him and his record.

So, yeah. Respect isn't toadying or blind party loyalty. At this point, Pres. Bush has that in spades, and I believe it (and assholes like Rove) has done tons of damage to him. In the meanwhile, a guy like Sen. McCain, who can't move HALF HIS FUCKING BODY because of torture is being lectured on sacrifice. On that action alone, if Americans were more involved in their politics, Hastert would have a hard time getting re-elected.

In my post I said I disagreed with McCain being the most popular Republican but at no point did I question his integrity
or honor.Why bring up the "half his body paralyzed thing"?
McCain barely even mentions that,he proudly served his country and feels no need to remind Americans that he did so.
Contrast this to a certain Senator from Massachusetts who is running for president(ahem).McCain is a role model in perseverance and will...I wouldnt want anyone to endure what he had to.But ,it is my opinion that at this moment he is not the most popular Republican.If the good Senator from Arizona wishes to seek the nomination in 2008,he may very win it and if he does he'll have the support of most Republicans,myself included.
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[Edited on May 21, 2004 12:24PM]

Though I won't be voting for Nader, I think the best way to get him to drop out (which he won't do anyway) is for Kerry to come up with a better position on Iraq than "Bush is doing it wrong, elect me and I'll do it right." Otherwise we'll have the same "choice" on the war as between Nixon and Humphrey '68.