The Bush Bounce (Fred Barnes)

The Weekly Standard ^ | 7-17-06 | Fred Barnes

[Darkwolf377]

It seems that these dips in popularity come and go in four-to-six-month trends. I think Bush is drifting upward, and even if he doesn't hit 50% approval, he's already moving in the right direction--up instead of down.

I used to be very pessimistic about November, mostly because of the "send a message" crowd; looks like THEY are the ones who finally got the message.

[nutmeg]

FoxFan ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my FoxFan list. *Warning: This can be a high-volume ping list at times.

[Jay Howard Smith]

A major Democratic blunder was the elevation of Representative John Murtha of Pennsylvania to the status of chief party spokesman on Iraq.

I'd love to see Irey defeat Murtha in Nov....Also increase our majority...Will have to send John a condolence/thankyou card, along with one to B.Keller. :>)

[CWOJackson]

"...mostly because of the "send a message" crowd..."

They sent a message in Utah...and the voting base answered.

[xzins]

Winning passage of an immigration reform bill, for example, would be a legislative vic tory of the magnitude Bush hasn't achieved since the Medicare prescription drug benefit was passed in December 2003

Even bringing this up is a sure-fire prescription for disaster.

[youthgonewild]

What's Barnes talking about? Today, Bush is at 38% in Rasmussen. Up from 37% I guess but nothing to call home about.

[smoothsailing]

Coop runs an Irey/Murtha ping list.He keeps us all up to date! :)

[Darkwolf377]

Yeah--that didn't quite turn out how they expected. And of course, that one defeat means "America loses"--drama queens.

[stephenjohnbanker]

" The excesses of the press and Supreme Court are bringing Bush and rebellious conservatives closer together"

In your dreams, you pro illegal immigration "beltway in- bred" fop!

[KantianBurke]

"On Meet the Press last month, he cited the humiliating American retreats from Lebanon in 1983 and Somalia in 1993"

While I agree that leaving Somalia with our tails between our legs was a mistake (thanks rapist in chief Bubba) what was the alternative? Nation build? Yeah thats been a real story of succss in those 3rd world pits. Reprisals? Against who? And in what form? We couldn't even catch warlord Mohammed Fara Idid so now take out villages full of unarmed innocent civilians?

[jazusamo]

Murtha has been the gift that keeps giving lately. Diana Irey will retire him.

Thanks for your service Jay.

[SoCar]

Even when I like most of what he has to say, Fred Barnes is now on my "McCain, Kristol, Hagel, Graham, despised list." He is so clueless on the ridiculous Senate immigration bill that I can no longer take him seriously. And this from a person who did not care much about immigration until I listened to the hidden gems in that bill as articulated by the great Sen Sessions.

Barnes is now a pompous, win bag, irrelevancy, in my book. Along with all of the "Weekly Standard" (barf).

[smoothsailing]

I really don't care much for polls, but this may be what Fred Barnes is referring to:

From Rasmussen Reports:

Rasmussen Reports data for the full month of June shows that 41% of Americans approve of the way that George W. Bush is performing his role as President. That's up a point from May, but seven points below year ago levels.

I hope that's helpful.

[LibertarianInExile]

Lately, Barnes acts like he is trying to be the Eleanor Clift of the RNC. I think Bush has done well in the last few weeks (mostly by Rats and the SCOTUS making him look good), but calling the rise 'the Bolten effect' is silly.

[NutCrackerBoy]

Bounce Bump.

[smoothsailing]

Oh, the inhumamity, and that was to be the 'proof' of a turning tide.

[youthgonewild]

Yes, thank you. Look how his polls have gone down though in the past few days. Is it Kim Jong Il firing the missiles? I'll keep monitoring for a few days, they on occasion have statistical blips but are generally reliable.

[smoothsailing]

I'm sticking with my original prediction, R's +6 House, R's +2 Senate.:-)

[CWOJackson]

It was...they just didn't know which way the tide was going to go.