Fred Barnes: The Luck of the President (Bush's lead is more than a convention bounce)

The Weekly Standard ^ | September 10, 2004 | Fred Barnes

[nathanbedford]

Barnes, no doubt through oversight, forgot to mention President Bush's greatest stroke of luck, the emergence of John O'Neill and a group of Swift Boat Veterans from whom Bush can mark his come back.

[MEG33]

Kerry's campaign will have to come up with a miracle to win this...I believe it is still too close to go complacent, though...
Beware the big city dem machines getting out the vote on election day and then there's fraud.

[HiJinx]

But within hours, thanks to bloggers and not to any effort by Bush or his passive White House staff,

Hey, Fred...you don't need to fight the opposition from the Command Post when you have an army of supporters behind enemy lines!

[nuffsenuff]

I must be suffering from a case of craniumus embeddum myanus because I had no idea about the Kitty Kelly book being debunked...

Who said that "coke in Camp David" claim was a lie and when did it happen?

[Christian4Bush]

bttt

[PetroniusMaximus]

***But if Bush's luck holds, it won't.***

I believe a lot of Bush'e "luck" may come from the fact that he begins each day by praying and reading his Bible.

God is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Take it for what it's worth.

[MEG33]

Neil Bush's exwife is supposed to be the source and she now denies she ever saw Bush do coke at Camp David..

[AmericaUnited]

Although I personally would like Bush and Team to fire furious volleys back more often, I truly believe that he feels God will vindicate him, i'e' give him justice, and so does not feel a strong need to do this.

Seeing how time after time this seems to work out, GW might be right after all.

[MinuteGal]

It's not "luck" at all. It's truth coming out and various good strategeries on the part of the Bush campaign advisors.....much as Barnes seeks to put them down.

In this instance, luck you, Fred.

Leni

[jacko63]

One of the ex-sisters in law I believe.
She was quoted as making the statement but repudiated it
shortly after the book was released.

[AmericaUnited]

Correct a mun do... See #9

[Mike Fieschko]

Who said that "coke in Camp David" claim was a lie and when did it happen?

The Washington Post (among others, I think).

Sharon Bush Denies Kitty Kelley Account

From the article: But Sharon Bush, who is divorced from the president's brother Neil, said in a statement: "I categorically deny that I ever told Kitty Kelley that George W. Bush used cocaine at Camp David or that I ever saw him use cocaine at Camp David. When Kitty Kelley raised drug use at Camp David, I responded by saying something along the lines of, 'Who would say such a thing?'

[Barnstormer]

Watch Fred Barnes on Fox when he's in the panel discussion. Everytime the Swiftvets comes up, he takes their side -- but, he's very careful not to rant and look like a partisan idiot. He puts Swiftvets points on the table and lets the NPR panel folks look like idiots as they shill impossible and improbable thoeries, then start dissembling language.

Give Fred credit, I believe he is playing it masterfully. The Swiftvets have sunk Kerry's dingy, and he doesn't pound the table --- but, nor does he let it completely go away.

[snooker]

No doubt the Swifties putting a few holes below the water line helped greatly.

But I think Barnes was talking about luck. The Swifties have good aim. Slight difference :}

[Casloy]

Barnes is right on everything except the passive White House issue. Not responding to the forged documents and Kitty Kelly was not being passive. It was realizing that responding to it gave it a life it didn't deserve. Responding to Kitty Kelly gives her a legitimacy no one gives her.

[snooker]

"Neil Bush's exwife is supposed to be the source and she now denies she ever saw Bush do coke at Camp David.

Dittos.

[jdluntjr]

Amen, just what I was going to say. I believe that God has plans for this Nation and God will choose a believer over an unbeliever every time. I believe Bush did what he needed to do, stay on task, stay with message. Great thanks to the great folks at Free Republic and others that found the deceptions and got the word out.
Thank you God.

[Moomah]

Well said. It's worth everything to me.

[nuffsenuff]

Nice!

Thanks all.