To seize back the agenda, Bush grabs the bullhorn

CSM ^ | December 08, 2005

[jmc1969]

WASHINGTON – Republicans have greeted the flurry of presidential speechmaking on Iraq and the economy - complete with slogans and campaign-style rhetoric - with a loud "it's about time."

At a congressional retreat last week, after President Bush had delivered the first of four major speeches laying out his plan for Iraq, the message to White House officials was clear: Do more to sell your successes. The next day, Mr. Bush made an unscheduled visit to the Rose Garden to highlight the latest economic news, including job gains, falling gasoline prices, and strong overall growth.

But for a president eager to rebound from low job-approval ratings and rebuild his reserves of political capital, the potential for serious gains from a bully-pulpit blitz remains uncertain. Ultimately, analysts say, the approach is necessary, but not necessarily sufficient: Facts on the ground must reinforce the words from the podium.

"Initially, I thought the speeches might even work for him," says John Zogby, an independent pollster. "One, it could possibly get back elements of the Republican base, and two, that the Democrats were in disarray.... But under the best circumstances, I didn't see the president getting back to 50 percent [job approval], and now the Democrats are starting to galvanize around the same themes regarding Iraq, if not immediate withdrawal, then staged withdrawal, enough so that they are where the national consensus is."

But, he adds, the president can't stop working the bully pulpit on Iraq, because otherwise he could get buried by the issue. Ditto with the economy, as top administration officials fanned out this week to point out positive developments to a public that has fixated on the negative, such as looming high winter heating bills and insecurity about jobs.

[jmc1969]

If the Iraqi elections go well and the president goes to Iraq sometime in the days after the elections to force the media to make the Iraq elections a week long story the president will be back over 50% and Zogby will look like a moron once again.

[dinok]

Took him long enough.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Looking a lot like summer of 2001; Bush gives speech; market drops.

[bnelson44]

Iraqi elections will be a mixed bag. Don't expect a big jump because of them.

[jmc1969]

Its the image that matters, if the Sunnis vote, and Rove spins this thing as well or better then he was able to do with the January election it will be quite helpful.

[bnelson44]

Some of the Sunnis will vote, some will not. Hopefully more than in Oct, which was a lot more than in Jan.

[FlipWilson]

Quoting Zomby pretty much ends the credibility of any article. This guy shot his wad in the 2004 election. As for the dems galvanizing, galvanizing around what?!!? "Withdraw Now!!! and "We Can't Win!!!" Give me a break.

[jmc1969]

Sunni turnout in October was around 40% this time around it should be closer to 60%.

Alot of Sunni tribal leaders chose not to mobilize their followers to vote in the October election because they decided that trying to beat the Constitution was a lost cause.

[jmc1969]

You don't give credibility to Abu Musab al-Zomby?

[HHKrepublican_2]

He needs to address aa JSoC to get media attention and call out those demonrats to their faces.

[Yo-Yo]

The Bullhorn...

[birbear]

Iraqi elections will be a mixed bag. Don't expect a big jump because of them.

Exactly. After the last set of Iraqi elections, a full 25% of Americans surveyed said, "What Iraqi elections?"

Iraq, while the right thing to do, will not be a good campaign issue for the 2006 for Repubs. The way to win the war will probably take a few more years (of getting the Iraqi's up to snuff to take care of themselves, and they'll still have to deal with insurgents/terrorists for a while.) The alternative is much worse -- pulling out prematurely.

The public likes wars where the army can do what it's supposed to: kill people and break things. The public likes wars that are easy to define: "take out Saddam." "Destroy the Soviet empire." "Unconditional surrender of Japan." This Iraqi war is too complex for the average citizen to deal with.

Rallying behind the bully pulpit won't change that that quickly.

2006 is going to be won on the economy. If gas prices are where they are now, if the GDP is still cookin' along, and if people are optimistic about the Christmas 2006 season, the incumbents should win.

[SaxxonWoods]

Zogby says Dems are galvanizing around the withdrawal issue. Actaully they have stumbled over there after the "Bush lied" canard they got from the far-left base didn't get them any traction.

Bush has another opportunity coming up after the December 15 election, when Iraqis will give Dems the middle finger, in purple!

[bnelson44]

I think everyone will be interested in this:

Iraq the Model goes deep inside the Iraqi election

http://www.osm.org/site/story/2005127omarelectionoroundup?currow=1

[swheats]

Now if only he would give his messages during primetime evenings. For those of us like myself, who work, we can't tune in to hear it for ourselves. Which leaves many to wade through the minutia of commentators with agendas of their own.

[OldFriend]

Not slogans and rhetoric.....TRUTH

[swheats]

"Iraqi elections will be a mixed bag. Don't expect a big jump because of them."

Why not? and to not expect a good outcome is be a democrat.

[bnelson44]

good outcome = Republican
bad outcome = Democrat

Is silly and does not allow one to open one's eyes to objective reasoning.

By the way, a good analysis of what may happen during the election is here:

http://www.osm.org/site/story/2005127omarelectionoroundup?currow=1

[RetiredArmy]

Some of the Sunnis will vote, some will not

Sounds a lot like the United States.

[bnelson44]

yep