You'd be surprised at exactly WHO is energizing the base- its liberals and their attacks. Rush took calls from pissed off folks who were wavering in their support for Bush, but the latest round of Dem attacks on Bush, accompanied by a willing media, only served to stir the hornets nest of support FOR BUSH.
In speaking with people here at work, they are fed up with the Democrats and their attacks and know that our country will still be a whole lot better off with Bush than with the idiot, stand-for-nothing-against-everything liberals.
Precisely my experience too rintense. I speak with people frequently about their perceptions, opinions etc. 8 out of 10 people that I talk to, even if they don't agree with the President's stand on every single issue, are adult enough to recognize that Bush being re-elected is paramount for the good of America. They recognize that there will be time to voice their views about individual issues after the President if re-elected. And the election of John Kerry is OUT OF THE QUESTION!!
The only ones who start spouting the rhetoric similar to what we see here....are liberals with a capital "L". I've decided that these folks either come to FR to get their talking points from some of the posters such as are on this thread, OR those posters are liberal plants. Or DUmmies.
That's why I believe these complainers aren't really worth bothering with. They comprise a very small percentage of reality in the "core" of conservatives in the US.
Prairie