Posted on 11/04/2005 1:55:54 PM PST by jmc1969
By being a terrible communicator--I'm not talking about his style, I'm talking about his unwillingness to even try to communicate--Bush has made his own bed and it's lousy. Only he can straighten it out.
"Wish we knew the answer. 24 hour news, internet and boring days make everyone want to pile on Bush. "
The bully pulpit works when there is a serious national issue. Otherwise it just becomes a shouting match and the smear tactics and preponderance of the media will prevail. Bush can't fight 24/7 news nonsense, and I like his tactic of ignoring them as much as possible.
In fact I'd like for the republican talking heads and congressmen (other than for personal defense like Delay) to try an experiment. Refuse to go on any news show -even Fox - I'm tired of the media talk circles with just one token conservative in the bunch, and their saying they're being fair.
Make the media talk just to themselves and watch them implode even faster. They will sound ridiculous without any counterpoints from our side.They might even be forced to make some of our points for us. If Bush is going to turn the other cheek, let's all do it. I'm not afraid of the media. I don't know of any president they have ever elected.
My major disappointment has been with Bush not using his veto pen especially against CFR. Other than that I love the guy. Our country needed a guy just like him in these times.
It must be a bitter experience not being able to read. I was very careful in my use of words. You are not. Plame did serve as an undercover agent. She was employed by a cover firm for the CIA. I did not say she was "covert" and I did not say she was serving as a spy overseas. Words have meanings. And by the way, Fitzgerald specifically mentioned that he did not reach any conclusion as to whether she was covert or covered by the statute in question. Not coming to a conclusion and not charging someone under a statute does not equate to concluding tht she was not covert. Fitzgerald could have concluded that she was a covert agent covered by the statute and still not indicted anyone for any number of reasons. Personally I dont think she was covert and I dont think she was covered by the statute...but that is not what I said. I said Rove outed (identified) an undercover agent of the CIA.
By being a terrible communicator--I'm not talking about his style, I'm talking about his unwillingness to even try to communicate--BushThat's true. It has nothing to do with his abilities. He is forthright and honorable, and those qualities come through when he takes command of the debate, as he did after 9/11. But he has surrounded himself with advisors who believe the best way to win is to give the RATS 70% of what they want and then make wishy-washy statements about why the other 30% is important. Maybe his father has too much influence over him. I don't know. But I blame Rove. I always have. I've never believed that Rove was the "genius" he's always been declared to be. Look at the 2004 election. Yes Bush won, and won big, but even so I believe it was much closer than it could have been and was much more of a melodramatic campaign than it should have been. Bush should have put that Pepe le'Pue away as easily as Nixon put McGovern away. Instead it was a hard fought run with Pepe getting in some good licks on our president and the "genius" Rove nearly running the campaign aground several times.
That's why I say, as much as the Plame non-story is a pack of leftist-media lies, if it actually did end up unseating Rove, I'd be glad about it.
Kristol is right on this one. Anyone who will not defend himself deserves no defense from others.
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