Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Tweety On Dead-Eye Dick
Very interesting take on the Cheney Shooting Incident by Tweety tonight (I know...I boycott him now, too, but stumbled across him, while home sick.)0 comments
Tweety's main point was interesting: that Dick Cheney's mishandling of this whole affair can't hurt him, since he's not running for office again, and doesn't give a fuck what anybody thinks of him, in any event. But it can, and will, do major damage to George W. Bush, who now looks like he can't (or won't) control his handpicked vice president. Cheney never talked to Bush until late Sunday night, from what we can figure out, even though "your boss" is usually one of the first people you call. I called mine first thing this morning, when I realized I was not well enough to go to work. This Cheney matter is a bit more serious.
As a major image molder for the entire GOP juggernaut, this is making those running for re-election VERY scared.
posted by Gotham 7:48 PM
Putting Numbers In Context
More poll numbers.0 comments
These from Republican-friendly Rassmussen Reports:
The Rasmussen Consumer Index inched up almost one point on Tuesday to 116.9. The Index, which measures the economic confidence of American consumers on a daily basis, is within half a point of its 2006 high.
Wow, sounds good.
OK, a little context. The benchmark number is 100, set as of a month after September 11, 2001. Their own chart shows that, instead of reflecting Rasmussen's very encouraging statement in the paragraph above, the consumer confidence of Americans has been on an emotional roller coaster this last year. It's been bouncing up and down between 110 (3 months ago) and 117 (a month ago, and a year ago).
So, in Wall Street parlance, the public's emotions have been trading up and down within an established range. But, we're still down from where we were a year ago. And showing a great deal of volatility.
Remember, three months ago (the end of November), Americans saw themselves only 10 pts. better off than in the horrible days after 9/11. Now, THAT'S faith for you. Plus, this wonderful 2006 high of 117 that Rasmussen is touting is still FOUR FULL POINTS BELOW the highs of any of our last four, economically horriffic years. And a full TEN POINTS BELOW the best of the last five years, 2004's 127.
So there's no foundation for any celebration here. Remember, only 29% of Americans say the economy is getting better; a full 54% say it's getting worse.
Also, the Investor Index is basically unchanged from yesterday. That's up from the lows of a few months ago, but well down from the highs set in 2004.
Again, these indicators clearly show a flat economy going sideways, fast.
Forty-eight percent (48%) of American adults approve of the way George W. Bush is performing his role as President.
48% approve; 51% disapprove. Sounds close. But again, please, some context.
The heaviest number here is buried in the 4-pt scale spread of the results. The strongest number is the bottom point: Strongly Disapprove. Equal numbers for Strongly or Somewhat Approve (24% ea.). So Bush's support is fairly tepid. And swayable.
But a full 36% Strongly Disapprove of the Bush's performance. Not many (15%) are wishy-washy about his doing a poor job.
Americans either kinda, sorta think Bush is doing an OK job, or they think he's doing a rotten job. There's not much in-between.
posted by Gotham 4:51 PM
"Paranoia Strikes Deep...
...Into your house it will creep."0 comments
(Apologies to Stephan Stills, For What Its Worth)
New Rassmussen Reports numbers:
16% Think They've Been Wiretapped
Along with 18% of all Americans who aren't sure.
That's 34% of Americans who believe there is at least an outside chance that their own government may have spied on them. This should have been an embarrassing-to-even-ask, lame, "slam-dunk" question.
Instead, it shows further deterioration in the credibility of this administration, and in its moral ability to lead.
34% of all Americans can conceive of the possibility of their government doing things a totalitarian regime does.
Those numbers include 12% of Conservatives—so you can see this has totally gotten out of hand for the White House.
America just simpy doesn't trust George W. Bush anymore.
Period.
So, the next time you call down to the local grocery to have them deliver something, or you give your spouse a quick call to say, "Hi!", remember to give a special shoutout to those hardworking guys and gals down at the NSA who are just trying to make a buck, writing down everything you say, then passing it on to that Vice President—y'know, the one who carries that gun...shoots seniors...
posted by Gotham 3:42 PM
Lobbying from the Killing Fields...
Looks like lobbying reform is going to have to extend past barring lobbyists from the House floor and gym, all the way to ranches, and the Quail Killing Fields.0 comments
So, Who Knew?? that Halliburton-heiress / hostess / fledgling Press Secretary Katherine Armstrong was not only a Bush/Cheney '04 "Pioneer" (for pulling in over $100,000), just like our friend, confessed felon Jack Abramoff, but is EVEN A REGISTERED LOBBYIST just like our friend, Jack Abramoff?
posted by Gotham 2:58 PM
The GOP's Chappaquiddick?
There is an excellent article on the Cheney Shooting Incident by Paul Begala on Josh Marshall's TPMCafe site. Well worth reading. It also has a slew of excellent, informed comments to it, as well.0 comments
I started to leave a simple comment of my own to it, but, of course, got carried away. I reprint the comment below.
Despite CNN's Lou Dobbs' complaint last night that the Cheney Shooting Incident was dwarfing other issues in the news (i.e., immigration), here is why the coverage is all on point:
1) The basic facts alone: The Vice President of the United States (someone the American people must depend upon for cool headedness and steely resolve under pressure), while carrying a fully loaded and cocked weapon, was startled by something around him; panicked; responded reactively; swung his shotgun around at a level, non-raised angle, and reflexively and heedlessly pulled the trigger. Thereby shooting in the face, a friend and campaign contributor who was close enough to the VP for Dick Cheney to read the serial numbers on the man's checks.
This weekend's event, and its resulting cover-up, strikes a chord with many Americans since it seems to mimic much of the overall blustering, careless, bully image Americans have of Vice President Richard Cheney, and the generally privileged lawlessness which—many people have felt—seems to follow him. The VP's public opinion ratings have consistently been in the 20s for most of his tenure. The White House can only see them plummet from here.
2) The shooting affair goes right to the fears of the American people about Dick Cheney's possible unfitness for office.
The core question being asked sub-rosa in all of this coverage is the one Scott McClellan ducked the fastest during Monday's press briefing:
Whether simply by temperament, or—as was mentioned in earlier posts on this thread—by his physical ailments, or the impairments from his many surgeries or the effects from the many drugs his condition requires, is Dick Cheney simply not up to the task of carrying out the burdens of his high office? And should he be asked, or forced, to resign?
Is the Second Most Powerful Man in the World capable of being responsible in all situations? Of thinking clearly in a crisis? Of being morally and ethically strong? Can Americans trust him to lead?
Or is the average American now afraid to be left alone in the woods with the Vice President of the United States?
3) This affair is an extremely important moment in the political fortunes of GOP-held Washington, DC.
George W. Bush may be the Chairman of this government, but Cheney clearly is its CEO and acknowledged leader. He is their rock. If he is hobbled, physically or politically, a major section of the foundation of the GOP movement crumbles. The carefully crafted image of the White House as a testosterone-rich haven of the strong, John Wayne American (always correct; always good) sits on a precipice.
Simply put, Corpus Christi is a PR and political disaster for this White House. Their strong man "behind the curtain," is being shown to be a dangerous, reckless simpleton, with callous disregard for others around him. Hardly the strong, unwavering leader spoken about on Sunday Beltway Talking Head Shows. This White House cannot bear to lose its father figure.
Doubts among the American people have grown steadily as the country's seen the administration's overall competence level crumble. But they've always held onto personal trust for the WH's leadership.
This episode strikes to the very heart of that confidence. Hunters especially -- a sizeable segment of the GOP base -- have turned on Chaney fully. They clearly see exactly how reckless the VP was this weekend. Theirs may be the angriest of all the voices currently heard on this issue. GOPers up for re-election cannot be happy at that.
But with combining the incompetence of Katrina, the failure to capture bin Laden, the failure to secure the most vulnerable targets across this country, the spying on the communications of the Average Joe, the lack of concern to provide proper, decent jobs for the American worker, the looting of the U.S. Treasury and the total breakdown of the U.S.'s military capabilities, the cumulative effect is becoming more than the excellent White House PR machinery can withstand.
THEN, add onto that the whole unseemly 24-hr. delay / make the sheriff's deputies go away / have the Halliburton-heiress hostess become a makeshift press secretary / full-CYA boondoggle, and you're looking at the Chaney Shooting Incident becoming the GOP's own version of CHAPPAQUIDDICK.
posted by Gotham 1:46 PM
