Replies

Now Social Security is over

No, Billy K, it is still a ticking time bomb in the coming intertgenerational war that needs to be dealt with. President Bush had the guts to take on a "third rail" topic and at least open it for discussion.

The only way, IMHO, to resolve SocSec is to pass a bill first ensuring that everyone over 55 is protected (if they want to stay in) in present system and that will shut them up while the rest of us figure out how to fix the medium to longer term crisis.

The Republican leadership except for DeLay seems weak. Why was Sandy Burglar let off the hook so easily? Why was the Rockefeller memo not exposed to the degree it should've been? Why the "my feelings are hurt" defense to the Reid/ Dick Turban temper tantrum? Why not point out that Hillary, Kerry, Lieberman... were AT LEAST as hawkish as GWB on Iraq. There is no reason to be afraid of the Dems and their angry, abortionist, judicial activist, race baiting, socialist, Gay Left base. The fact that Howard Dean and S.F. Democrat Nancy Pelosi can put the majority party on the defensive is embarrassing.

I think it was in Bush's first year as president that I came to the conclusion that he is the "Anti-Clinton" -- that is to say that GW Bush is everything that Bill Clinton isn't, and wasn't: honest, moral, sincere, humble, serious, focused, substantive, determined, and relevent. But there is one characteristic of Clinton's presidency where he excelled over GW Bush, and that's in waging the PR battle. The one thing that characterized Clinton's presidency is that it was an eight-year, 24-hour/7-day a week political campaign. Clinton was always on the stump. He had his "War Room," and his daily message. He put great effort into getting his message out each day, even when for eight solid years, that message was vacuous drivel. While this was Clinton's one "strength," in truth I think it was another weakness, in that a president is elected to lead, not self-promote. As with everything about him, Clinton obsessed about getting out his message. But say what we will about Clinton, most would have to admit that guy knew how to campaign -- which is why his entire term in office was nothing but a perpetual campaign. He was good. Which is why Clinton is viewed by some as being a good president, even though he accomplished absolutely nothing during his presidency.

While Clinton obviously went over-board with the self-promotion, I think the Bush White House could at least learn some lessons from him: develop a talking point, and hammer it home until is begins to resonate with the people. And it isn't valid to simply throw up our hands and say, "Well, the media is against him." The media was against Reagan, too, but Reagan had the ability to talk over the heads of the news media, directly to the people. Bush has shown flashes of brilliance and eloquence when he speaks directly to the American people. He's not as much of a doofus in the ability to express himself that some of his supporters seem to believe. He has the skills, vision, and leadership qualities to win support for his policies. But it isn't happening. It's not an impossible objective, but someone in the White House needs to figure out a way to sharpen their overall PR ability, or Bush's presidency will end up like Truman's -- faintly supported at the end of its term in office, only to regain stature and respect a generation later.

I know it drives a lot of supporters crazy, but the President doesn't conern himself with the judgement of men.

I am convinced that HE is convinced that God called upon him to lead the WOT, and if the idiots out there in the Blogosphere, and the few thousand watching MSNBC don't get it, he's got bigger fish to fry.

The President repeated over and over after 9-11 that the WOT would last for many years. He knew patience would wear thin, and the war would drag him down.

I will say that those around him in his administration could do a better job of carrying the water, especially Scott McClellan who is no help whatever.

President Bush with a few exceptions has not done a particularly good job of getting his message out. He will never get a fair break in the so-called MSM and the dems will never, ever give him credit for anything but will only attack. His supporters in talk radio and on the net have been by far the most vocal and effective in defending his positions and in getting in some licks against his enemies but their reach is still small compared to the leftist media. Bush needs to get out and go over the heads of the enemy media and speak directly to the people. Why he does this so infrequently is a mystery to me. At least half the battle is getting the message out. When he does do this he isn't half bad and sometimes is even semi-inspiring. He needs to hammer away on the war, the economy and the court nomination and not let up.

One thing the leftists do is never let up. They are nothing if not persistent. Kind of like rust - they never stop eating away at their enemies.

Much like the game of football, it is won with the men upfront otherwise known as the offensive and defensive lines. If your team is blessed with speed and physical play on either side, you are going to win alot of games.

With Team Bush, "his Line", aka communications staff, is awful. McCleanen, the Press Secreatary, has always been awful and refuses to call a spade, a spade when the press gives him crap. And I have never been impressed with any of the others that come out and speak for the President. i despise the Clintons and the Rats like most here, but at least they have people that come out with force and defend their people. True, it's mostly lies, but at least they know how to do it. We don't have to lie as we have the truth and with just a little bit of flare, would be enough to stop the bleeding

Someone needs to leave a memo on the President's desk that telss him the "new tone" in DC was never there and will never be there. Their is no use in the using that playbook and it is time to shak up the staff and put people in their that will fight for him. It's sickening to see the pounding he is taking because no one from his staff or Congress for that matter (other than Peter King from NY) will come out and go on offense.