I would hope Republicans don't rest on their laurels.
Kerry, the senator with the most leftist voting record in the senate and no well articulated or defined alternative plans to speak of, got within 3 points of winning. Bush's popularity numbers should give anyone pause. Sadly, the prospects of Democrats winning the next presidency and making significant inroads in congress are actually quite good. The worst thing we could is underestimate the challenge ahead.
That's an interesting statement, what brings you to that conclusion?
While I agree that Republicans should never rest on their laurels, isn't it a bit premature to predict future election prospects?
Yes, the Democrats don't know WHAT they are supporting, a big problem for the 06 congressional and Senatorial elections.
But, we Republicans don't know WHO we are supporting, a big problem for the 08 Presidential election.
In our world of TV charisma, WHO trumps WHAT at lot of the time. We've got to get our act together also, and groom a candidate.
Taking the other guy seriously in public is usually a good idea for tactical reasons.
In this case, it's a good idea for strategic reasons as well, for this reason.
The left is completely out of its mind at this point. That's the good news. The really good news is that they don't know they've gone 'round the bend.
By acting all concerned, all scared, by the problems of DeLay and Frist and Katrina, and Halliburton and Plame and all the other silly pseudo-scandals the Left/MSM has manufactured, we feed their egos. They think they're getting to us. If we make them think they actually are getting to us, they'll draw the conclusion (being the goofs they are) that their tactics are working, and they'll pour it on double! This will further alienate the center-of-mass of voting Americans, for whom the antics and folly of the left/MSM has never been more obvious.
(steely)
President Bush seems mushy. He allows the opposition to frame the discussions on every topic. He's been put on the defensive on every topic. He needs to get energized and engaged.
Also, the administration needs some real communicators to push back against the adversarial media on every issue.
"Sadly,the prospects of Democrats winning the next presidency and making significant inroads in congress are quite good."
Through voter fraud. -!
We read a lot about Bush's poll numbers but I wouldn't put too much stock in them. I believe that, if the election were held tomorrow, Bush would win by exactly the same margin. People have pretty much dug in their heels in this country. Only in the Dems dreams are Bush voters actually wishing that they had voted for Kerry. That said, I agree with you and think it is about time that the Republicans start fighting back. Playing nice is giving the Dems what they want.