Comments on: Kick Him When He’s Down: More on E. J.

By: peter

peter — Wed, 14 Sep 2005 02:39:50 +0000

Well, I don’t think Bush’s survival is in question — the question is how much popular support he retains and (consequently) how much leverage he has to enact his agenda. A chart of Bush’s approval ratings looks like the NASDAQ did a few years ago — although the NASDAQ did manage to bounce back (sort of). Maybe Bush will be the new Comeback Kid, who knows. Somehow, I doubt it. However, as a professor of mine in college used to say: in the fullness of time, the Truth will be revealed to us all.

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 14 Sep 2005 01:58:04 +0000

Well, I think Hugh’s point is that this supposed lame duck has his Supreme Court nominee sailing through confirmation hearings, with another Supreme Court nominee on the way, the vote on the Iraqi constitution just around the corner, and the trial of Saddam coming up. Playing Katrina for political points is not only of dubious morality, but it’s a very transitory thing to hang your hat on.

Here’s the way I see it; no WMDs – Bush survives. PlameGate – Bush survives. A very bad spell in Iraq – Bush survives. Cindy Sheehan – Bush survives. The dreaded New Orleans hurricane – Bush survives. When you look at what this president has faced (some his fault, some the fault of others, some no one’s fault) it’s no wonder his approval ratings are low. Yet through it all, he not only lives to fight another day, he has a habit of sneaking around when you least expect it and pulling a victory out of nowhere.

Now, that’s not to say his luck (such as it is – many of those things are hardly ‘lucky’) won’t run out…but there is a precedent for saying “This too shall pass”.

By: peter

peter — Wed, 14 Sep 2005 01:11:34 +0000

Re Hewitt’s piece: Bush’s approval ratings are now in the 30′s, which is at or below the approval ratings for Nixon and Carter at their nadir. Can someone explain why it is delusional to think that this does not signal “deep political trouble”?