Posted on 08/10/2004 5:43:28 AM PDT by madprof98
Annandale, Va. --- President Bush on Monday kicked off a week of coast-to-coast campaigning more like a barnstorming tour in the closing weeks of an election than an agenda for the dog days of summer.
To University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato, it looks like the schedule of an incumbent navigating difficult times.
''The Bush campaign knows it is in deep trouble,'' Sabato said, noting that Harry Truman was the only president since the advent of modern polling to win re-election after running behind his opponent during the summer. Most current polls show Democratic challenger John Kerry with a slight lead.
Bush strategists wave off any talk of a desperate incumbent.
''A lot of this was just availability on his schedule,'' said campaign manager Ken Mehlman.
Bush's published schedule for the week included only one nonpolitical event, Monday's meeting with Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka.
By Saturday, Bush will have stumped in nine states that offer 140 electoral votes. In 2000, he carried four --- Virginia, Florida, Arizona and Nevada --- and lost five --- New Mexico, California, Oregon, Washington and Iowa.
The hectic schedule comes as two key dates approach. The Summer Olympics, which open Friday and end a day before the Republican National Convention begins Aug. 30, will draw some attention away from the presidential race.
The other deadline occurs at the convention, when Bush accepts the nomination and receives public financing for his general election campaign, meaning he can no longer spend other money he has raised. As of last month, the campaign had about $64 million in the bank.
First lady Laura Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney are also crisscrossing the country, making campaign stops this week.
Bush's stump message will continue to focus on domestic security and the economy. The latter issue has become nettlesome for Bush because of new employment figures that show a slowdown in job growth.
During an event Monday at Northern Virginia Community College, Bush said America is becoming an "ownership society," where more Americans than ever own their homes and, under his continued adminstration, would also be given more ownership interest in their health care and retirement coverage.
Bush's message drew criticism from the Kerry camp.
''How can George Bush talk about encouraging ownership when under his administration it has become a hardship to help families get good-paying jobs or pay for the skyrocketing costs of health care and college?'' said Kerry spokesman Phil Singer.
At stops in Florida, New Mexico and Arizona, Bush will campaign with Arizona Sen. John McCain, who, though backing Bush, last week was critical of pro-Bush television ads in which some Vietnam veterans attacked Kerry's war record.
The ads were not produced by the Bush campaign, but McCain asked Bush to encourage the group running the ads to pull them.
This country is fine. It's August.
What is this guy talking about? Republicans haven't even had their convention yet. If the president is campaigning he's in trouble? ok, whatever. He says Bush has been trailing all summer ala Truman, I don't think all polls have shown the president trailing all summer have they?
Atlanta - a pustule of northern liberal putrescence on the fair face of Georgia.
The only good news in this article is the source-- The Atlanta Urinal-Constipation.
Yes, I must agree with you....we are a country in peril. I must say though, I have been frustrated with Bush the last several days. His policies on Mexican immigrant status, and having our elections monitored by foreigners, angers me beyond words!!! I am going to vote for him, of course. But I am sure this is not going to help his poll numbers!!!! I wrote him and told him so!!!!!
This year isn't like any other. When did Harry Truman have his convention? Was Harry Truman the object of the most vile and protracted smear campaign by the left in cahoots with the press?? Between the GOP convention, 9-11, the debates, and GOD, I believe Bush will win this election. Elections happen too infrequently for pundits to make absolute judgments based on general models anyway.
I think it comes down to how comfortable people feel about how the candidates articulate their positions.
Bush is a stumblebum speaker, well below average in ability.
Kerry is a smooth-talker.
Americans generally choose the candidate who can best explain his message.
Carter was similar to Bush in speaking ability.
Kerry is more like Clinton.
Bush delivers a great speech but his unpolished daily mumbling turns people off.
If he had Reagan's finesse, Bush would be in line for a landslide victory.
This election is a big test for the old media. They've been dragging Kerry to the election like they're trying to get a drunk prom date to the front door. They've always been biased, but this time they aren't even bothering to pretend to be covering the news. When Kerry goes down, you're going to hear wailing and gnashing of teeth like you've never heard before.
Contrary to the headline the Atlanta Journal Constitution printed, this story is actually about how Bush is in big trouble and what Kerry and his supporters think about it.
So will Kerry get 43% of the vote or 49%? and don't ever compare Carter to Bush ;-)
I agree - to a point. I agree that hand-wringing is ineffective, but I do think we all need to stop the "Bush will win it in a landslide" talk...that leads to complacency which leads to defeat. We are going to have to work our rears off because the democrat base is energized and they HATE GWB.
Getting out the vote will be important for our side because the libs will show up for this one.
We're not seeing many ads or statements here in OH-IO that address these two vital issues.
I'm most interested to find out how soon the foreign invaders will be repelled and when the government will remove the restrictions they have placed on capitalism.
I'll look forward to his next visit to OH-IO
Have you ever seen the POTUS give a live speech?
He connects more with the people than Kerry could even dream about. The reason Kerry was inside in IA giving a 'summit' on economics last week and GW Bush was outside speaking in front of 13,000 is not because Kerry presents well to the people.
Kerry will not be a serious contender in about 1 more month. The pollsters will not be able to hide that Bush will pull way ahead of Kerry.
I hope you are right!!
Kerry is in no way like Clinton. Clinton succeeded due to his speaking ability and personal skills. Kerry has very little of this, which is why he polls better when he is not seen. Kerry is being propped up by a cooperative media campaign against the President. He could not stand on his own.
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