[Robert A Cook PE]

A new "press office" isn't needed in the White House:

It's a new national press corpse in the news orifices outside the White House that's the source of biased, misleading, blatantly false, and redundant repeats of past false charges.

[livius]

I agree whole-heartedly with this. I think the current team has not done very well in getting the Prez' message out, or in responding rapidly and forcefully enough to events. If anything, the press is going to be even more hostile in the second term.

Candidates, anyone?

[wayoverontheright]

Oh please, just give us ONE mouthpiece who, when hearing the words "tax cut for the rich", retorts with....."you sir (madam), are referring to our nation's employers, entrepreneurs and investors".

Just one.

[uncbob]

"This media team has no vision, no guts, and no instincts," complains one Bush insider. "This election should have been a blowout of Reaganesque proportions. Instead, it was a nail biter. There's only one place to point the finger: at the press staff."

I agree as an incumbent with a good economy and fighting a war on terrorism Bush should have been at 54-55% minimum

If it wasn't for the Swifthies he probably would have lost

[counterpunch]

I couldn't agree with Deroy Murdock more.
This has been the most incompetent press office in modern history. At times they were so bad I felt ashamed to be a Bush supporter.

Murdock's PR suggestions were pitch perfect, and I would like to add one of my own.
When Cuban refugees showed up off the coast of Florida in a boat fashioned from a 51 Chevy in July of 2003, President Bush should have immediately granted them amnesty and brought them and their Chevy to the White house for a rose garden press conference. He could have used the opportunity to denounce Castro and speak more broadly about his belief that all people desire to live in freedom.

[mtntop3]

Affirmative on this NRO article. Bush's initial Press Secretary (?) was first-class; but after his departure, things weren't the same. McClellan is a good man, but he lacked the assertiveness needed to respond to the media's daily attacks.

[paudio]

I agree 100%, and I think I've written this too in FR. There are too many instances when the press officers didn't do anything or simply wait too long. It's okay to require some loyalty as long as he's doing good job.