[tpmintx]

George W did a lot to damage the Republican brand.

The 9/11 attack and the war on terror dominated the Bush presidency but can anyone remember what he campaigned on in 2000? I wonder what his administration would have been like it there had been no September 11?

Bingo!

The Bush presidency was floundering badly until he climbed on top of that crushed fire truck in NYC. He had no mandate, and no real idea what he wanted to do. Then he became the 9/11 president, which flew for a few years. He tried to ride that horse into Iraq, which may have been worth doing, but it really damaged the Republican brand.

[okie01]

The Bush presidency was floundering badly until he climbed on top of that crushed fire truck in NYC. He had no mandate, and no real idea what he wanted to do.

I guess you don't recall the Bush tax cuts. Remember them? They're the ones that turned around the stagnant economy Bush inerited from Clinton.

They were passed in June, 2001 -- a bare five months after Bush was inaugurated. A pretty hefty accomplishment...