Hard Core Republicans Are Fleeing President

The Washington Post ^ | May 11, 2006 | JIm VandeHei and Peter Baker

[Dems_R_Losers]

Disaffection over spending and immigration have caused conservatives to take flight from President Bush and the Republican Congress at a rapid pace in recent weeks, sending Bush's approval ratings to record lows and presenting a new threat to the GOP's 12-year reign on Capitol Hill, according to White House officials, lawmakers and new polling data.

Bush and Congress have suffered a decline in support from almost every part of the conservative coalition over the past year, a trend that has accelerated with alarming implications for Bush's governing strategy.

The Gallup polling organization recorded a 13-percentage-point drop in Republican support for Bush in the past couple weeks. These usually reliable voters are telling pollsters and lawmakers they are fed up with what they see as out-of-control spending by Washington and an abandonment of core conservative principles more generally.

There are also significant pockets of conservatives turning on Bush and Congress over the their failure to tighten immigration laws, restrict gay marriage and to put an end to the Iraq war and the rash of political scandals, according to lawmakers and pollsters.

Bush won two presidential elections by pursuing a political and governing model that was predicated on winning and sustaining the loyal backing of social, economic and foreign policy conservatives. The strategy was based on the belief that conservatives, who are often more politically active than the general public, could be inspired to vote in larger numbers and would serve as a reliable foundation for his presidency. The theory, as explained by Bush strategists, is that the president would enjoy a floor below which his support would never fall.

It is now apparent that this floor has weakened dramatically and collapsed in places.

[philman_36]

Sounds like the Jury didn't buy it.
What is "it"?
Did he have a jury or did he just go before a judge?

[A CA Guy]

I find these stories of hardcore Republicans leaving Bush very disturbing. I think that would be a loss indeed for the party.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Imagine, EV "said" he turned down ROVE'S offer!

Before he cried "uncle".

[EternalVigilance]

You're bringing out what is commonly known as a "red herring".

That's all you have, because you can't explain why your friends here are making commone cause with Morris Dees and the SPLC.

[EternalVigilance]

Wow. You're right!

[RegulatorCountry]

That's funny, there was a virtual love-fest for the Minutemen on another thread, you know, the suposedly "hysterical" one filled with "dead enders," not six hours ago, by many of the same people who are now bashing them. What prompted such a rapid change of heart, lol?

[maine-iac7]

Whoa! That is powerful! Where the heck was I lase Oct that I missed that thread!

Thanks!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-gop/1499184/posts

[onyx]

Yep, that's an "academic discussion" alright. /sarc.

Lord have mercy. EV is nailed again for posting untruthfully.

[RasterMaster]

Didn't have to hold my nose to vote...Bush, Tom Cole & Tom Coburn. Can your state do any better? Turn off CNN & stop eating up the "culture of corruption" pap.

[Howlin]

A yes or no will do.

Are you holding a billy stick and a flashlight while you were posting that?

I don't approve on CHILD MOLESTERS, wherever the information comes from.

Do you approve of child molesters?

A yes or no will do.

[Junior_G]

That's funny, there was a virtual love-fest for the Minutemen on another thread, you know, the suposedly "hysterical" one filled with "dead enders," not six hours ago, by many of the same people who are now bashing them. What prompted such a rapid change of heart, lol?

The persuasive charms of Morris Dees and the Southern Poverty Law Center, apparently.

[Howlin]

Ok thread hijack post #821 , LOL :-)

LOL!

[BigSkyFreeper]

There are lots of people like me, who have worked diligently in the Republican trenches for the last decade, who can hardly post here anymore without being viciously attacked.

Your work has been counterproductive in the trenches.

[tobyhill]

Why use the resources when we're "stretched so thin" and besides the Minutemen have volunteered to do it for free? The border has been this open for at least ???# of years so why now is it such a clear and present danger to our country considering none of the 911 hijackers even entered through Mexico where most the emphasis has been?

[EternalVigilance]

I don't approve on CHILD MOLESTERS, wherever the information comes from.

Well, in this case, I guess you're as disgusting as Morris Dees.

[durasell]

I just popped in before work to see how the debate was shaping up. Same old, same old...

[Howlin]

ROFLMAO.............leave it to you!

[Howlin]

You're bringing out what is commonly known as a "red herring".

Actually, what I am doing is proving that you lied when you said it was an academic discussion.

The "red herring" will be your next response.

[EternalVigilance]

I've had all of these Carville wannabes I can stomach for one evening. Take care.

[A CA Guy]

leave it to you!

Pretty please do! She looks like a Catholic school girl to me. :)