Monday, September 01, 2003
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Your Bush Weekly News Digest
George W. Bush just cannot have any worse a week than he's just had without losing an election.First, there were the press stories early in the week alluding to Bush's beginning his re-election campaign efforts this week, pinning his strategy on his role as Commander-in-Chief of a war government. CNN's breathless promo teasers kept asking, "Is this wise?"
Well...
The official, unofficial kick-off included a day of raising humongous campaign contributions at a lunch in Minnesota, followed in the afternoon by a bring-the-public-up-to-speed-on-our-military-successes speech before the American Legion Convention in St. Louis. Right out of the Karl Rove handbook, this was a group seemingly tailor-made for war lessons from the Top Gun.
Luckily for me, I happened to be by a TV that afternoon and was able to catch the speech live on CNN. In keeping with the rest of the president's week, the most rousing applause he heard was upon entering the room. Remember, these are the same men and women whose veterans' benefits have been sliced and diced by Bush and Defense Dept. Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for the last year or so. These are also people who know what it really means to serve in the military (many in combat, as opposed to most of the administration) and have a good sense of how ill-prepared the current troops (their sons and daughters) are to respond to their orders.
So, crafted to create a frenzy, and filled with podium-thumping, Teddy Roosevelt-esque campaign tag lines meant to whip the faithful into an ongoing lather and delivered with Bush's best "bad dude" zeal/smile/smirk, each line in turn was met with three to four seconds of—deathly silence.
Each time, Bush would hold the pose, waiting for the tumultuous applause his handlers assured him would be there. Crickets. Soon, you could hear a wimpy pair of hands start a bored, embarrassed clap, and it would soon grow into a smattering of polite applause. ("I mean, geez Bob, I guess we should clap some, after all, it IS the president, y'know?")
This held throughout the speech. Bombastic tag line, followed by crickets, followed by one person's clapping, followed by the same smattering of polite applause. Rinse. Repeat. Since the camera held firm on Bush the entire time instead of panning the room, you could see the cumulative effect of those cricket moments wear on him as the speech progressed. Flop-sweat broke out on his face as he dutifully (nay, doggedly) held for each line. It was as if he was gonna get'em with the next line, boy! This was a wonderful opportunity to witness his inability to adjust to circumstances. He was doing his part exactly as rehearsed, even when it was clear it wasn't playing. At no time did it seem to dawn on him, "Hey, I'm gettin' killed out here, maybe I should just plow through it and just get away from this podium."
So, a major segment of Bush's natural constituency was having none of his nonsense and bull.
This does not bode well for the atmosphere in the West Wing.
But wait! This was just the beginning of the week.Other press reports throughout the week were equally kind to the president and his administration. Let's remember reports that there is still a well entrenched Taliban, even though we supposedly kicked some serious booty in the place, and all the problems are over now. (Tell that to these two kids.)
Then, his dog in the California recall hunt has embarrassed himself just the way Karl Rove was afraid he probably would. And now that Bill Simon has been forced out of the race by Republican honchos to make room for Arnold, the possibly soon-to-be Governor Gang-Bang is Bush's boy for good or for ill. Lucky George.
All week long, folks around the world took potshots at his credibility on Iraq. Iraq, as we have all come to know, is a shambles and quickly becoming an actual hell on earth, with L. Paul Bremer, the top American official in Iraq, ass-deep in terrorists. And, of course, Bush is now wondering why no one wants to play with him, after he punched all the other kids and thought it was funny.
Then, he spends most of the week making even more hellacious decisions which are guaranteed to piss off many of the swing voters he needs for his re-election. Maybe he assumes it was a pre-holiday week and no one would be watching.
Maybe this is George's deep-seated cry for help.
Understand, all of this (above and below) is the coverage FROM JUST ONE WEEK.
Some further press accounts of administration actions this past week:Bush Ends Nuclear Monitoring
EPA Quietly Cuts Budget of Energy Star
Feds Urge Overturn of Calif. Air Law
EPA Eases Clean Air Rule on Power Plants
Administration Adopts Rule on Antipollution Exemption
Clinton calls for hearings on EPA's 9/11 report
It's public be damned at the EPA
Dust and Deception
Bush Would Add Review Layer for Rules
Also, he got caught re-using his Dad's favorite device for diverting attention when things go badly:
Mr. Bush and the Flag
U.S. Aid Cut Off to Groups Backing Abortion
The Kids Left Behind
Halliburton's Deals Greater Than Thought
Amid Tensions, Saudi Envoy Meets Bush Father, Cheney
Bush couldn't even get away from the negativity at home on the ranch (have you ever noticed that he's been clearing that same piece of brush for three years now?):
Activists find a home near the presidential ranch
Bush 'Compassion' Agenda: A Liability in '04?
The economy, you ask? Fear not, there was plenty of ink on the economy this week as well.
Labor Day No Picnic for the Unemployed
A Gamble on Hitting the Payroll in Las Vegas
In S.F., 169 homeless died in past year
President Bush: Policies Reviving US Economy
Vacation Over, Bush Will Hit the Road to Talk Jobs—in which we're informed that all that those folks without jobs really need is:
"a job growth agenda, which includes a comprehensive energy plan, reined-in government spending, legal reform and free trade agreements with other countries."
If any of you have a clue as to how any of this rightist wish list is supposed to create a well paying job somewhere instead of just remunerating campaign contributors, please e-mail me at the address above and clue me in.
Time Bomb Ticks Beneath the Economy
Labor woes to linger
Iraq Costs In 'Tens Of Billions'
Budget deficit seen at $480B in 2004
And I thought I had a bad week!
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posted by Gotham 3:23 PM
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