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Bush camp itching to draw blood (Bring it on!!)
The Straits Times ^ | 2/21/04

Posted on 02/20/2004 5:29:22 PM PST by mylife

Bush camp itching to draw blood

Democratic candidates are gaining ground in opinion polls, and many Republicans can't wait to fight back

WASHINGTON - The presidential primary season has been good for Democrats, and President George W. Bush's anxious allies now fear his standing with the electorate has been undercut. And they want to start fighting back.

'The mood is not restless, but restive. Everybody's eager to get in the game,' said Mr Tom Rath, a Republican Party leader in New Hampshire who advises the White House.

A survey released on Thursday found that the public's impression of the Democratic field had improved as the candidates battled for their party's nomination.

Now, 45 per cent view the field positively compared to 31 per cent a month earlier.

Mr Bush's overall favourability rating is still positive at 53 per cent, but it compares with 72 per cent last April, shortly after the fall of Baghdad, and is the low point of his presidency.

Likewise, his job-approval rating has dropped to 48 per cent, the first time that it has fallen below 50 per cent, according to the poll by the Pew Research Centre for the People and the Press.

Public impressions of the leading Democratic candidates are generally positive.

Two-thirds of those who are familiar with front runner John Kerry have a favourable view of him. Mr John Edwards, Mr Kerry's closest challenger, has a 63-per-cent favourability rating among the smaller group of people who are familiar with him.

Expectations of the outcome of the general election this autumn are also changing - 51 per cent now think Mr Bush will win, compared with 61 per cent a month ago.

Among Democrats, 25 per cent now think Mr Bush will win, compared with 38 per cent in January.

A new USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll showed Mr Bush trailing both Mr Kerry and Mr Edwards by double digits. Some 55 per cent would support Mr Kerry to 43 per cent for Mr Bush, and 54 per cent would support Mr Edwards to 44 per cent for Mr Bush.

Mindful of his slump, the President has increased his travel to battleground states and his surrogates are pushing back against Democratic criticism.

But the re-election campaign has refused to draw from its enormous bank accounts to air TV ads until after the Democratic race is settled.

Republican leaders across the country said they were equal parts confident and concerned about Mr Bush's political prospects, united in their belief that the President has time to recover from the pounding administered by Democratic candidates.

But some are more anxious than others about the hold-your-fire strategy adopted by Mr Bush and his political advisers.

'They've lost their intensity, their message, their focus,' said consultant Dave Carney.

It is impossible to accurately gauge the level of unease because the White House works hard to suppress dissent.

Some Republicans said they were not sure that Bush allies in Washington were doing enough to defend him.

'I think we could all do a better job,' said Governor Bill Owens of Colorado. 'But I think the President's re-election team has wanted the President to be president, and not get in the middle of the Democratic Party's process.'

Meanwhile, the White House on Thursday struggled anew to contain the fallout over an overly optimistic forecast that 2.6 million jobs would be created this year.

The chairman of Mr Bush's re-election campaign, Marc Racicot, continued a general Bush administration retreat by saying the forecast was only a 'stated goal'.

Republicans complained that the flap was taking attention away from the positive news that the economy is now creating jobs, and said the Bush team was allowing Democrats to have a field day.

'This is a fiasco,' said a Republican with close ties to the White House. 'It's putting a damper on what is otherwise very optimistic and positive news.'


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: gwb2004; kakkatekoi
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1 posted on 02/20/2004 5:29:23 PM PST by mylife
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To: mylife
No "fire, ready, aim." Let those Dems waste their money until the day after SuperTuesday.
2 posted on 02/20/2004 5:36:31 PM PST by anniegetyourgun
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To: mylife
The more blood they draw the more appreciative I will become and the more money I'll donate. It has been my goal for years now to live and see the Democrook Party totally destroyed. Come on ------ George!!!! Blow em away!!!
3 posted on 02/20/2004 5:36:42 PM PST by Joee
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To: mylife
Once GWB's campaign gets underway, the RATS will no sooner voice their condemnation of their first TV ad when 6 more are hitting the Networks....... "Shock & Awe"
4 posted on 02/20/2004 5:38:40 PM PST by MJY1288 (There's no leaders on the path of least resistance, ask John Kerry, he's been paving it for 32 yrs.)
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To: Joee
I love that attitude!
5 posted on 02/20/2004 5:39:15 PM PST by PhiKapMom (AOII Mom -- Support Bush-Cheney '04 -- Losing is not an Option!)
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To: mylife
I know the RNC has got the Goods, but will they kick A$$ and take names, I want to see that, Now More Than Ever....
6 posted on 02/20/2004 5:40:09 PM PST by cmsgop ( HAS ANYONE SEEN Spalding Grey ??)
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To: anniegetyourgun
It is amazing though how dumbocrats got this far and actually improved their image. They really want to win because they refused to hurt each other and that is not good by any stretch of imagination for us. I believe Dubya and company must go hard and must go negative!
7 posted on 02/20/2004 5:57:52 PM PST by The_Republican
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To: mylife

President George W. Bush's anxious allies now fear his standing with the electorate has been undercut. And they want to start fighting back.

So fight back already.

Republicans complained that the flap was taking attention away from the positive news that the economy is now creating jobs, and said the Bush team was allowing Democrats to have a field day.

And Congress Critters, grassroots etc. have their tongues ripped out or something?

Sorry, I don't buy the everything is up to President or any one personage bull. We as a whole support what we believe in and our President or we don't. Sitting back in armchairs waiting for the 'A' team is singularly dumb.

We support our Representatives, our Presidents, not the reverse where the political season is concerned.

The rule of electing someone is: We vote for them not they for us.

8 posted on 02/20/2004 5:59:45 PM PST by ancient_geezer (Equality, the French disease: Everyone is equal beneath the guillotine.)
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To: The_Republican
I am not at all amazed, given that the media is 24/7 on lib/dems. Even when they do interview an R, they only ask him/her to comment on the lib/dems. But thankfully, Bush/Cheney has the bucks to bypass all the Democrats in the media.
9 posted on 02/20/2004 6:01:58 PM PST by anniegetyourgun
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To: mylife
The (Singopore) Strait Times?...

I think the 'RATs are "whistling past" the graveyard...unfortunately, that where they get most of their voters. :/

10 posted on 02/20/2004 6:03:34 PM PST by skinkinthegrass (Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you :)
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To: mylife
It's still not even certain that Kerry will be the candidate. It would have been foolish to waste money on Dean, last month's shoe-in. It would be equally foolish to waste money at this point on Kerry, especially since Edward would probably be a stronger candidate, and hillary is still waiting in the wings. Let hillary spend money trashing Kerry.
11 posted on 02/20/2004 6:11:51 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: sauropod
I'll believe it when I see it
12 posted on 02/20/2004 6:12:37 PM PST by cyborg
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To: Cicero
GW has been wise to wait and conserve his enegy for the real fight
13 posted on 02/20/2004 6:15:18 PM PST by mylife
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To: skinkinthegrass
yes the straits times is in singapore
14 posted on 02/20/2004 6:15:49 PM PST by mylife
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To: mylife
I am beginning to have a scary thought. maybe rove & co don't have a good response. tearing Kerry down I don't think will work. I hope we aren't counting on that.
they will have to build up our Guy and they aren't doing it !! the Pres looks terrible on TV and we cant get control of the news flow. its getting late !! if we have something to roll, roll it !!
thats my view anyway.
15 posted on 02/20/2004 6:16:38 PM PST by beebuster2000
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To: mylife
'The mood is not restless, but restive. Everybody's eager to get in the game,'

Steady, Boys! Wait for it!

16 posted on 02/20/2004 6:21:42 PM PST by TADSLOS (Right Wing Infidel since 1954)
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To: TADSLOS
Well said TADSLOS!!
17 posted on 02/20/2004 6:22:53 PM PST by mylife
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To: mylife
Let's hold our fire until after "SuperTuesday"!!!
18 posted on 02/20/2004 6:23:42 PM PST by Right_in_Virginia
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To: anniegetyourgun
Old Hickory said we could take 'em by surprise
If we didn't fire our muskets til we looked 'em in the eyes
We held our fire til we seen their faces well.
then we opened up with squirrel guns and really gave 'em..well.
19 posted on 02/20/2004 6:24:36 PM PST by Jeff Chandler (Why the long face, John?)
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To: mylife
Timing and a well aimed shot is everything.
20 posted on 02/20/2004 6:26:07 PM PST by TADSLOS (Right Wing Infidel since 1954)
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