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Bush blocks his own way while giving Kerry a free pass [Sad but true]
Chicago Sun-Times ^ | February 12, 2004 | BY ROBERT NOVAK

Posted on 02/12/2004 4:18:12 AM PST by johnny7

All week long in the capital, worried Republicans buzzed about George W. Bush's Sunday interview on NBC's ''Meet the Press.'' Supporters of the president were surprised that he would ask to be questioned by Tim Russert. What flabbergasted them was the absence of any plan to use this event to stop being the target as the 2004 campaign began.

This failure was Strike Two for President Bush. Strike One was his humdrum State of the Union address. Fortunately for the president, this is not baseball, where three strikes are out. During more than eight months before Election Day, Bush will have many opportunities for recuperation. For now, however, the president is in political retreat, with Democrats unimpeded in challenging his competency and credibility.

The ''Meet the Press'' performance raised disturbing questions for Republicans. How could Bush be put out to confront the most feared questioner in Washington without a careful scenario? How could he face Russert without precise answers on the decision to go to war in Iraq and on his National Guard service? The suspicion is that his 2004 campaign organization, a fund-raising juggernaut, is otherwise inadequate. The Bush White House is cloistered, where even Bush aides seem restrained from debating strategy even behind closed doors. The belief in Republican circles is that Bush, tired of battering by Democrats and alarmed by his descent in the polls, asked for an hour on television. This questions how it could be possible for a president who claims to neither read newspapers nor watch television. In any event, no aide dissuaded Bush from embarking on this course or devised a plan to make the most of it.

Democratic operatives, including Sen. John Kerry's advisers, groused that Russert permitted Bush to escape -- reflecting presidential blood lust by Democrats in the sight of Bush's wounds. Actually, no president ever before had been subjected to such tough questioning in the Oval Office. The private Republican complaint is not with Russert but with Bush. It was thought the president would have sat down with carefully structured language to defend himself or even produce news. Yet, the newsiest tidbit contained in excerpts of the taped interview distributed last Saturday was the unsurprising declaration he would not fire CIA Director George Tenet.

While gay marriage embarrasses Democrats because of their homosexual constituency, Bush did not try to capitalize on this Sunday. He was informed in advance that Russert had no plans to bring it up but that the president, of course, could raise this important social issue. He did not. Most disturbing to the president's supporters was his reaction to whether young Lt. Bush skipped Alabama National Guard duty in 1972. This chestnut from the 2000 campaign dropped when leftist agitator Michael Moore called Bush a military ''deserter'' and Democratic National Chairman Terry McAuliffe labeled him AWOL. Kerry linked Bush's National Guard service with ''going to Canada, going to jail, being a conscientious objector'' as forms of draft avoidance he would not criticize. ''The political season's here,'' Bush told Russert, launching a tepid defense of his service record. The president did not lash back by exposing Kerry's unsavory record in the antiwar movement's extreme wing following his heroic service in Vietnam. That reluctance might have been prudent, but it maintained the protective shell around Bush's probable challenger. The president would not deign to even touch the senator. Nearly a year ago in March, Vogue magazine reported Kerry as denigrating Bush's ''lack of knowledge,'' adding: ''He was two years behind me at Yale, and I knew him, and he's still the same guy.'' I reported the president telling aides he did not know Kerry at Yale. On Sunday, Russert cited the Vogue quotations and asked: ''Did you know him at Yale?'' ''No,'' Bush replied. ''How do you respond to that?'' Russert persisted. The president answered with one word: ''Politics.''

That's not nearly an adequate retort to John Kerry. Republican heavy thinkers regard him as second only to Howard Dean as a vulnerable nominee. But Kerry, merciless in slashing at the president, remains untouched. It seems difficult for an incumbent president to lose amid economic recovery, but George W. Bush is showing it might be possible.

   


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: novak
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To: johnny7
Bush has several advantages compared to his father.

1. His opponent is Kerry and Kerry isn't a tenth as slick as Clinton.

2. W cut taxes, his father raised them, creating a lot of anger in his base.

3. The economy is doing significantly better than it was in '92.

4. There will be no sucking sound from a third party candidate (Perot).

5. The dems will likely have to deal with their own third party problems with Nader,Dean or possibly both.

61 posted on 02/12/2004 7:23:12 AM PST by Brett66
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To: GraniteStateConservative
It really doesn't matter what Novak, Noonan, Buckley, Will, Kristol, Ingraham or anybody else thinks - I don't rely on them to do my thinking for me.

I'm completely capable of independent thought, and I do my own thinking.

And, I think Dubya didn't do a very good job on the SOTU nor MTP.

Regarding WMD and AirNG, he needs to say:

1) Iraq had WMD, they used chemical weapons on the Iranians and on their own Shiia' population.

2) We have other, well-documented evidence, even before 1991, Hussein was also pursuing biological and nuclear weapons programs aggressively.

3) After expulsion from Kuwait, a condition of surrender required Iraq to reveal the details of Iraq's WMD programs, and to dismantle and destroy all remnants of those programs.

4) Iraq refused to comply with the conditions of surrender,

5)There were 17 UN resolutions over a period of 12 years urging Iraq to disclose the details of its WMD programs, still they did not do so.

6) In 1998 the U.S. Congress passed an act calling for regime change in Iraq.

7) Believing Iraq to represent a clear danger to U.S. security, recognizing Iraqi failure to comply with conditions of surrender, 17 UN resolutions (especially 1441), and obeying the 1998 mandate of the US Congress, we demanded Hussein step down and seek exile.

8) After Iraq rejected all international efforts to seek a diplomatic solution, the U.S. and 56 (or whatever number)of it's allies formed a coalition to act militarily to protect the safety of our citizens.

(9) A secondary benefit of our action has been to bring a new measure of safety and freedom to the Iraqi people themselves.

10) We did not have perfect intelligence about Iraq.

11) Iraq had a sophisticated and close knit leadership that practiced a high level of operational security and engaged in deceptive practices designed to mislead world opinion. Collecting intelligence in Iraq is not a matter of reading open source material

12) Our own coalition intelligence capabilities were diminished for several reasons:

(a) Budget cuts;

(b) Over reliance on Imagery and SIGINT and too little HUMINT;

(c) Organizational deficiencies within our own intelligence architecture.

13) I will not discuss publicly the details of our intelligence apparatus or how we are restructuring them to be more effective. In WWII, we did not post headlines on the front page of the NYT proclaiming "Enigma Captured - German Code Broken."

14) The search for WMD in Iraq is not finished, I ask America to be patient - there is much still to be done.

15) We did the right thing going to Iraq, we have many successes there. Our forces are conducting themselves brilliantly. God bless America.

16) Some folks are politicizing the character of my military service during the Vietnam conflict. As you know, I served in the Texas Air National Guard. I completed my service obligation satisfactorily as did many other Americans during this divisive era. I will not discuss the matter further. Instead I choose now to focus on America's future.

17) Thank you for your continued support.

End of story - stop the debate.

62 posted on 02/12/2004 7:23:32 AM PST by skip2myloo
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To: MEG33
I believe the panic is premature.

Who said anything about panic?

We're talking about simple caution and prudence.

You want to reap a harvest of votes in November?

It's time to find the good soil, and get planting.


63 posted on 02/12/2004 7:28:07 AM PST by Sabertooth (Sharpen your Long Knives lately?)
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To: MEG33
perhaps prematue ...but then lets take a look back...96 was a disaster..likewise 92 and 98...the most common point in the disaster yrs was lack of leadership and not fighting back by our elected officials..senate, house , guvs . now we are faced with a good pres but not well spoken and a luke warm supporter base...plus cowardly house and senate leaders...lets face it ...the RATS are still in charge...gwb has let down so many of us with his social domestic programs...and everyday we see teams of RATS saying the moist outrages things and not one republican is taking them on...we may find ourselves in the 96 race all over again...comments welcome
64 posted on 02/12/2004 7:30:29 AM PST by rrrod
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To: MissAmericanPie
You may not like Bush,you may disagree with his policies,you may say he doesn't address what concerns you most,you may say he has to change direction to get your vote,but calling Bush pompous is absurd.
65 posted on 02/12/2004 7:33:40 AM PST by MEG33 (BUSH/CHENEY '04...for the sake of our nation)
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To: johnny7
Bush is not on the defensive, and showed that. Folks who always pull the lever for the (non-)Democratic Party will see whatever they want, and shoot their ignorant mouths off as they always do. All conservatives have to do is show up on Election Day and the single party state advocating, party above all enemy will lose.
The Tonight Show
guest Dennis Miller
You know something, this is — this stuff has got to stop, somebody's got to say something good in this community about this man. I'm starting a new web sit, pro-Bush, called www dot w. And you know something, if you're watching tonight, President Bush, and I'm not sure you are because I got a feeling you watch the national network reruns of "BJ and The Bear," but if you're watching, I want to just say, I think you're doing a hell of a job and I'm proud that you're my president. I want to thank you and wish you Godspeed because you got a tough deal of the cards. I think there are a lot more people out here on your side than you would think.

66 posted on 02/12/2004 7:37:17 AM PST by SunkenCiv
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To: johnny7
For now, however, the president is in political retreat,

And I don't understand it. If he is still under the presumption that he can win the votes of independents and/or democrats by being 'Mr. Nice Guy', he's very wrong. Nice guys finish last.

I want a president that has the guts to stand up to the Democrats and their lies... Quit pandering, hoping for more votes. Instead it is going to cost him Republican votes...

67 posted on 02/12/2004 7:37:58 AM PST by CommandoFrank (If GW is the terrorist's worst nightmare, Kerry is their wet dream...)
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To: CommandoFrank
First...think Arnold! Look at what happened here in California. Campaign confident, stick to issues, be positive at all times and leave the trash politics behind.....!

Second, stop bobbing and weaving...be more direct. MTP was a chance to put out some fears for the Dems.

Third, address your core...recently GWB has made some moves that have alienated his loyal voters. Make it known that he has only begun to address these issues and listening to the people will help him better to set it stone.

And last...I wonder how many of you in here whom have ranted I will sit out this vote due to things like immigration...Are some of you being reflected in the polls now. i think so. After reading some harsh threads in here over the last month I have seen a few points shaved from the Bush popularity rating...

I urge you to think and speak out. but be careful with that vote or non vote.....A Kerry-Clinton ticket could be coming our way...

God Save Us
68 posted on 02/12/2004 8:12:09 AM PST by Republic Rocker
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To: Sabertooth
Are you my ex-wife???? :~)
69 posted on 02/12/2004 9:45:29 AM PST by MindBender26 (For more news, first, fast and factual.... Stay tuned to your local FReeper station !!!)
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To: veronica
That is not my solution, my solution is to destroy socialism where ever you find it.
70 posted on 02/12/2004 1:36:34 PM PST by MissAmericanPie
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To: MEG33
Sorry, not buying that simplistic argument. I would never vote for Kerry, but that putz has far less chance of getting an amnesty past congress than Bush. Bush called congressmen at all hours, threatened careers, (nice of him), and arm twisted to get his Drug Plan passed.
71 posted on 02/12/2004 1:44:48 PM PST by MissAmericanPie
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To: Consort
Idiot argument. Bush is the most dangerous. The problem with history is, the people living it at the time do not see when they are at a major crossroads. They do not see that a jog left, and event right, will set the course for centuries.

I have no problem seeing what the history books will record about this election, this administration, and these times. Well that does depend on who is writing them, I intend to do my best to see the author is conservative.

72 posted on 02/12/2004 1:52:02 PM PST by MissAmericanPie
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To: MEG33
Ok, let's change pompus to very focused, globalist, extremist.
73 posted on 02/12/2004 1:56:31 PM PST by MissAmericanPie
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To: petercooper
Without that, Bush 41 would have won.


Interesting.... Do you have anything to indicate how those almost 20 Perot voters would have voted had they not voted for Perot? Or for that matter how many would have even bothered to come to the polls and vote if they were they disenchanted with the other options?
74 posted on 02/12/2004 2:03:45 PM PST by deport (BUSH - CHENEY 2004 ..... 264 days until Tuesday 2 November...'True Conservatives' whatcha gonna do?)
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To: deport
Nope - just a common sense assumption.
75 posted on 02/12/2004 3:06:09 PM PST by petercooper ("daisy-cutters trump a wiretap anytime" - Nicole Gelinas, 02-10-04)
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To: MissAmericanPie
Idiot argument.

I tailor my argument to the person I'm arguing with.

76 posted on 02/12/2004 3:23:29 PM PST by Consort
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To: petercooper
Thanks.... I thought you may have seen a study indicating that conclusion..... Every study I've seen looking at it on a state by state basis still concludes that Clinton would have won but the Electoral College vote would have been closer. Again thanks for your response

Here's one study that has looked at it:

http://www.fairvote.org/plurality/perot.htm
77 posted on 02/12/2004 3:41:45 PM PST by deport (BUSH - CHENEY 2004 ..... 264 days until Tuesday 2 November...'True Conservatives' whatcha gonna do?)
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To: Consort
Tailor in how apprecitive your kids will be to find themselves without constitutional protections because you didn't ask the question, who has a better chance of getting the FTAA treaty and amnesty through a republican congress. Bush or Merry Kerry? If either of them can we are toast, and both of them are burning up to be the one to get the job done.
78 posted on 02/12/2004 3:46:14 PM PST by MissAmericanPie
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To: veronica
There is nothing "ivory tower" about Bush

Bull, there isn't. Not only his economics guy but Bush himself support losss of jobs as a good thing. I'm not going to argue for/against the point. Just that it is Ivory tower thinking that you should say that at this time with millions out of work. It scare the s**t out of people that - if he doesn't care about job creation on the front end of an election, you can be the ranch he won't spend two minute in the next four years on it.

When you surround yourself with Ivy league pinheads who see someone's job loss in Nowhereville, Ohio as no big deal, your in an Ivory tower with no windows.

But its their falut, right? They can leave the stell mill and go to Cornell and get a Phd in economics and be like the rest of the Bush bots.

79 posted on 02/12/2004 3:55:04 PM PST by Swanks
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To: deport
that's a nice site - thanks
80 posted on 02/12/2004 4:02:37 PM PST by petercooper ("daisy-cutters trump a wiretap anytime" - Nicole Gelinas, 02-10-04)
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