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The bungling Bush presidency is falling apart
Newsday ^ | March 3, 2006 | James Klurfeld

Posted on 03/03/2006 3:26:40 AM PST by Cannoneer No. 4

An old acquaintance in Washington - a former member of Republican administrations whose foreign policy views are decidedly hard-line - recently had this to say to a friend about the Bush administration: This might be the most inept administration in American history.

But it should come as no surprise that President George W. Bush has fallen to an approval rating of 34 percent in a recent national poll. Just look at the events in this winter of his discontent:

Members of his own party have turned against him on the issues of whether a company owned by the United Arab Emirates should control six major ports in the United States.

As more and more information leaks out about the unauthorized and very likely illegal eavesdropping by the National Security Administration, there is more talk - only whispered at the moment - that there ought to be an impeachment inquiry into Bush's behavior.

But I fear we are now seeing the other side of the coin with Bush. His lack of historical perspective, his crusading religiousness, his Texas-style shoot-first-ask-questions-later approach to complex problems - that is, all the shortcomings that were obvious from the beginning of his presidency - seem to be catching up with him now. It's one thing to be a decisive leader. It is quite another to be consistently making the wrong decisions.

This is a presidency coming unraveled before our eyes. It is not a pretty sight, and it is not good for the country. What a difference a year makes. After his re-election, Bush said that he would use his political capital.

Soon he won't have any left. Then what?

(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: ports
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To: Paladin2

Agreed, but I also blame the Bush administration for not staying in front of the American people and explaining things on a more constant basis. Also, for not taking the democrats on more directly.


21 posted on 03/03/2006 3:56:47 AM PST by Williams
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To: Cannoneer No. 4
I will agree with Klurfeld in a couple of items. I have never been in the Bush court regarding so much of his domestic agenda. These people have also been pretty inept in presenting their agenda. That, of course, is presenting, not properly developing.

Otherwise, the administration has been quite ept. This isn't a do-nothing group as was the Carter outfit. Nor do they get absorbed by the micro-picture as did the clinton folk. I wonder if Klurfeld remembers when clinton moistened his finger, stuck it in the air and said the biggest problem facing us was (drum roll) telemarketers.

As with the reasoning of most liberals, there is a mighty amount of wishful thinking in all of this. Much is founded on bogus info. I could not care less about the lead up to Katrina. The news that Monday morning was that New Orleans had dodged another bullet. Only later did the levees give way. I suppose Bush could then have gone in with a bailing bucket, but that would not have helped much.

As for what did take place, you had the Coast Guard and the Navy flying over New Orleans in hours evacuating people. Within 96 hours there was more assistance being brought to bear than there were logistics to get it applied.

How many times in the history of the world, if Klurfeld would be so kind, can he point to a catastrophe of biblical proportions with that kind of help surrounding the event coming in 96 hours?

I guess Newsday is doing its job by making all things bad, whether so or not, and making all things the fault of the inept and collapsing administration.

22 posted on 03/03/2006 3:57:02 AM PST by stevem
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To: 7thson

I have been a Brown supporter, and continue to believe he was mistreated by old media. Having said that, Brown said he went around Chertoff on purpose. Can't do that and stay in a position of power.


23 posted on 03/03/2006 3:57:09 AM PST by Morgan in Denver
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To: dawn53

I understood that...:)


24 posted on 03/03/2006 3:58:10 AM PST by rlmorel ("Innocence seldom utters outraged shrieks. Guilt does." Whittaker Chambers)
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To: Cannoneer No. 4
A yawn from a liberal from the MSM...

Bush has done good in a lot of areas and not so good in others is the real perspective. If he could bone up and get government spending under control and secure our borders with Mexico he would shore up support from his base of conservatives and he would be in much better shape.

25 posted on 03/03/2006 3:58:52 AM PST by democrats_nightmare
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To: bvw

If, by any chance, the author actually HAS a source... it's either Bob Novack or George Will.


26 posted on 03/03/2006 4:00:32 AM PST by johnny7 (“Iuventus stultorum magister”)
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To: 7thson
This administration seems to want and let the alternate/new media - talk radio, the internet - defend him while at the same time continually sucking up to the old media.

An excellent observation that deserves repeating.

27 posted on 03/03/2006 4:00:34 AM PST by IndyTiger
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To: dawn53; kstewskis; Victoria Delsoul; Kelly_2000
Great point on Alito and Roberts.

I remember the Iran Contra hearings, when the same banter was touted about Reagan's Administration being inept.

History shows now Reagan brought an end to the Cold War, spurred economic growth during peace time that was unparalled, and created millions of new jobs for this country. This from an Administration that was viewed as floundering.

28 posted on 03/03/2006 4:02:32 AM PST by Northern Yankee (Freedom Needs A Soldier)
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To: leadpenny

While Scott McClellan may or may not be a nice guy, he is certainly not a good press secretary.

All the libs are crying for Donald Rumsfeld's head. I say we ask Rumsfeld to step down, and hire him on as Press Secretary.

We could sell tickets, the proceeds of which could decrease the national debt, and humiliate the press all at the same time.


29 posted on 03/03/2006 4:03:27 AM PST by rlmorel ("Innocence seldom utters outraged shrieks. Guilt does." Whittaker Chambers)
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To: Paladin2
my hometown newspaper newsdismay feels obligated that they have to compete with the ny slimes to see who could reach the bottom of the barrel first. an old lefty anti-american like kurfeld still can't get over the fact that only clinton in the last one hundred plus years has been impeached, not even nixon.
30 posted on 03/03/2006 4:03:46 AM PST by JohnLongIsland
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To: Cannoneer No. 4

NO.....the ferrets in the 'Antique Media' are doing the kind of hatchet job on Bush that they accused the great Tailgunner Joe McCarthy of.

What a bunch of do*chebags..........

Newsday is my hometown fish wrapper/parrot dropping catcher. And they are loosing readers at an alarming rate. I take great pleasure....(shadenfruede if you will) when I pass their facility each morning on the way to work, knowing that they are laying off people left and left.

They have sales people in the supermarket offering free this and that with each subscription to this turd. when I am accosted by the sales folk...I let them know in no uncertain terms what I think of the rag they work for...(but I first I make sure that I verbaly absolve these individuals of any crimes...as these poor folk need to work like everyone else. )


31 posted on 03/03/2006 4:06:11 AM PST by Vaquero (time again for the Crusades.)
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To: dawn53
I only have two words to add to this commentary of Bush's failures: Alito and Roberts

The USSC is the only stellar point in an otherwise dismal record. This is a shame, because I can't help myself in liking Bush. I just wish he governed in something close to a fiscally responsible manner.

32 posted on 03/03/2006 4:09:18 AM PST by When_Penguins_Attack (Smashing Windows, Breaking down Gates. Proud Mepis User!!!!)
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To: 7thson
They have been in the Washington scene for decades. They know what the press is like. Yet, they seemingly allow themselves to get bitch-slapped by the likes of David Gregory on what seems a daily basis. . . . Tony Snow himself has stated he is mystified as to why thiw White House allows itself to be defined by their enemies.

Believe there are more than a few of us who are and have been equally mystified for a very long time.

As you so excellently describe them, the people working in this administration have the resources, the experience and the talent to define themselves, so where is their booming voice?  It's like they don't know how to put on their war face.

33 posted on 03/03/2006 4:09:35 AM PST by Racehorse (Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.)
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To: When_Penguins_Attack

"An old acquaintance in Washington - a former member of Republican administrations whose foreign policy views are decidedly hard-line - recently had this to say to a friend about the Bush administration: This might be the most inept administration in American history."

SCOWCROFT OF GERGEN?


34 posted on 03/03/2006 4:13:30 AM PST by moose2004 (You Can Run But You Can't Hide!)
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To: IndyTiger

Thank you. Another point I want to bring out. I used to work as a contractor over at DHS, handling the Management Directives. The one department over there that was continuously late with reviewing and commenting on the MDs was FEMA. And what also comes across big time over there is that all the agencies thrown together still see themselves as separate entitites, not as DHS. There is no core identity with DHS but the loyalties remain with FEMA, USSS, Coast Guard, etc. - whatever agency you were a part of before being thrown into DHS. If DHS is to survive, IMO, what it needs as a head is a former military office - someone who will kick arse and take names.


35 posted on 03/03/2006 4:15:07 AM PST by 7thson (I've got a seat at the big conference table! I'm gonna paint my logo on it!)
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To: rlmorel
I may be a very young whippersnapper...but I have never known a SecDEF like Donald Rumsfeld.

We can't spare him from being where he is right now.

What if the powderkeg that is IRAN goes off in the next few years? Who would you like to see in charge of dealing with such a conflict.

36 posted on 03/03/2006 4:16:30 AM PST by ExcursionGuy84 ("Jesus, Your Love takes my breath away.")
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To: rlmorel
Members of his own party have turned against him on the issues of whether a company owned by the United Arab Emirates should control six major ports in the United States.

This is another line that gives the piece away as crap.

37 posted on 03/03/2006 4:19:24 AM PST by 7thson (I've got a seat at the big conference table! I'm gonna paint my logo on it!)
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To: Cannoneer No. 4
Bush does not admit his mistakes.
Bush does not listen to the media.

If someone said each and every thing you ever did was wrong, would you listen to them?

38 posted on 03/03/2006 4:23:09 AM PST by Jeff Gordon (Is tractus pro pensio.)
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To: 7thson
Excellent post. I posted somewhat the same observations on another thread and was roundly criticized for saying the administration's PR isn't. By standing on principals the press and the democrats are eating his lunch. The new media can not do the lifting for the administration, somewhere they have to come out from under the covers.
39 posted on 03/03/2006 4:25:51 AM PST by engrpat
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To: Cannoneer No. 4

This maggot infected pos posing as an editor hates GW, Christians, a strong America and loves to push the Gay Agenda. Below is the search on this clown and his pro gay edisnorals posing as editorials.

http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?fr=ybr_sbc&p=James%20Klurfeld%20+%20Gay

Just is another drive by shooting by a maggot infected mediot.


40 posted on 03/03/2006 4:28:11 AM PST by Grampa Dave (Visit Free Republic to enjoy shameless Schadenfreude as the lies of liberals are exposed!)
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