[dk/coro]

Bullseye !! Your comment was right on, IMO.

The President started reacting to the partisan attacks far too late; and essentially lost 10 months in the process, due largely to the ineptness of the White House in responding in aggressive no-holds-barred hardball.

If Rove were as smart as he has been touted to be, this acute failure would have been corrected forthwith. Hughes was basically out of the loop, but she should have blown whistles long distance from Austin.

This problem was clearly apparent far earlier than was acted upon. I fault Card and Rove -- in spades. And, for that matter, "W", himself. He can be a stubborn guy...and far too easy on the lethal opposition...including the RINO's.

In closing, I suggest that 2006 will be one truly ugly year in Washington.

[aquila48]

We're in violent agreement :).

It's incredible that with both houses of congress and the presidency, we're having to play defense!! We ought to be kicking the dems asses (a bit of redunduncy there) all over town!

Granted they have the MSM on their side, and that is what the RINOs fear more than anything else.

This is their last stronghold, and though people like Rush tend to dismiss it, it is still formidable.

To fight this the pubbies need to set up their alternate outlets in all the cities. Every city should have a NY Post and Washington Times. I would be the first to invest in such a venture because I know it would be succseful. I wish I had such a paper in San Jose. I dropped my subscription to the Merc a few years ago when I could no longer stomach it.

I know such a venture would be successful even here in soviet-land because I've seen KSFO, a conservative talk station (where Savage got his start) go from nothing to number one!