[SunnyD1182]

I agree. This is probably the worst administration ever when it comes to communication. That, in itself, must be worth at least 15 percentage points.

Not only is Bush a bad communicator, but so is everyone else around him. With the exception of Tony Snow, who just showed up. They need to get him out there ASAP- and they need to give him a lot of leeway to do things his own way, because clearly the "Bush method of communication" has been a total failure.

[pollyannaish]

Just to defend the man...he isn't a bad communicator one on one. In fact, he is one of the best I have ever seen work a crowd.

You are correct that he is not a world class speaker (although he's had his moments) and he really struggles under the pressure of press conferences. He also shares VP Cheney's fundamental distrust and irritation with the press, which doesn't serve him well in using his press office as effectively as possible.

But, to say the President is a bad communicator is just wrong. In another era, he would be considered brilliant (he is) because of his ability to connect with people face to face.

I think of it more as a mismatch between method and medium, so to speak.

[T.L.Sink]

Bush has alienated every segment of the electorate. By failing to be a true conservative, he's alienated his base by failing to secure our borders, by establishing the biggest trillion dollar entitlement since LBJ, and by being a pork-loving reckless spender. When he uses the word "veto" everyone has a huge bi-partisan laugh. Over the years he's waffled on many issues important to conservatives, affirmative action to cite just one. His policy of reducing taxes while at the same time exponentially increasing (non-defense) spending and doing nothing about waste, fraud, corruption and a bigger more intrusive government than ever before has alienated independents and libertarians. It's not just that the administration has been poor in getting its message out --it's that two-thirds of the electorate don't like what the message is.

[finnman69]

Terrible communcications. Bush has the pulpit but uses it very ineffectively.