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Bush is seeking to turn 'thumping' into a 'great opportunity'
The Daily Telegraph ^ | November 11, 2006 | Toby Harnden

Posted on 11/11/2006 4:08:13 AM PST by MadIvan

On the morning after the mid-term elections, a humbled President George W Bush called it "a thumping".

But yesterday he described the disastrous result for the Republicans, when Congress turned from Republican red to Democrat blue, as a "great opportunity".

His aides were briefing that he now had the chance to build a domestic policy legacy and use his final two years in the White House to prove that politicians could get things done in Washington.

After a White House coffee meeting yesterday, Mr Bush chuckled as Senator Dick Durbin, part of the new Democratic leadership in the Senate, joked: "I do want to say thanks personally to the president and vice-president for their conciliatory gesture by wearing blue ties today.

"From our side, we think that is a symbolic indication."

Conservative Republicans and wary Democrats fear that Mr Bush might indeed try to steal the Democrats' clothes. "They talked about issues that people care about, and they won," he told the senators.

As a lame-duck president after years of poor relations with Democrats who were bitter about being frozen out of the decision-making process, turning opportunity into legislative reality will be one of the biggest challenges of Mr Bush's political career.

The message from the voters was that they rejected one-party rule in Washington and wanted to see whether divided government could lead to the kind of results Mr Bush was unable to achieve when Republicans were the kings of Capitol Hill.

Having been swept into power on the backs of their condemnation of a "do-nothing Congress", there will be pressure on Democrats to demonstrate that they can do business with Mr Bush. The president will want to leave office with achievements under his belt and use his power of veto sparingly.

"The Democrats should adopt a good government strategy rather than a take-no-prisoners strategy," said Senator Birch Bayh, a Democrat who served in the Senate for 18 years.

He believed that Republicans in Congress would adopt a new approach. "They've gotten the signal that people didn't like what was going on, that the well was poisoned. They're not going to be bomb throwers."

In 1996, President Bill Clinton and a Republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives introduced a welfare reform Bill that became a landmark piece of social legislation. Both parties claimed credit for it. Republican presidents have also signed legislation sent to them by Democratic houses of Congress.

To the dismay of conservative Republicans, Mr Bush has already indicated that he agrees with the Democratic proposal to raise the minimum wage. But the centrepiece of his last 24 months in office could be a comprehensive overhaul of America's immigration laws.

His desire for tough border security measures combined with opportunities for many of America's 12 million illegal immigrants to become citizens is shared by more Democrats than Republicans on Capitol Hill.

Gardner Peckham, a senior aide to Newt Gingrich, speaker of the House after the Republican takeover of Capitol Hill in 1994, said: "Democrats will have to be very careful not to appear like they're looking backwards and wanting retribution.

"They won't want to look like they're the source of the problem. But they're not going to want the president to look good on any of these issues. The prize is the White House in 2008. Control of Congress is great, but without the White House you can't control the agenda."

Immigration, he suggested, would be "an interesting test" of whether genuine cooperation was possible.


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; bush; capitulation; democrats; election; immigration
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To: Dane
Like it or not the minimum wage is popular with voters and gets huge margins when put to the voters.

That's because Republicans have been abysmal in defending their opposition to it. When Rat candidates talk about the minimum-wage and Republicans just sit there and let the lies go unanswered then it becomes a popular issue.

141 posted on 11/11/2006 10:56:01 AM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Why can't Republicans stand up to Democrats like they do to terrorists?)
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To: ohioWfan

"Sorry if I hurt your feelings, Enoch."

No problem.


142 posted on 11/11/2006 10:56:04 AM PST by EnochPowellWasRight
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To: ohioWfan
I call troll here. Anyone else agree?

Agree. Total giveaway, post #104:

I remembered when Bush first announced the Iraq war. My gut reaction was "you bastard".

That's a lefty DNA test, right there.

143 posted on 11/11/2006 10:56:14 AM PST by M. Thatcher
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
"When Rat candidates talk about the minimum-wage and Republicans just sit there and let the lies go unanswered then it becomes a popular issue."

They don't call us the "Stupid Party" for nuthin'.
144 posted on 11/11/2006 10:57:14 AM PST by EnochPowellWasRight
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To: Grampa Dave
they claim to be the greatest conservatives ever on Free Republic and then they sound just like Kerry, Piglosi, Dubin, Klintoon, Kennedy or the Bush haters

LOL! First time I have seen that one. It's great!

145 posted on 11/11/2006 10:58:03 AM PST by onyx (I'm now a minority and victim of the democrats, but with full and free entitlements!)
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To: Grampa Dave
They're trying to force out the productive people, leaving behind the dregs. It won't work the truth always wins.

God bless President Bush! 

146 posted on 11/11/2006 10:59:26 AM PST by 1035rep
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To: snugs
They just sign onto the forum and say the words they think will make them SOUND like ubercons.

But then again, I've always felt that if you go around the circle far enough to the right, you end up joining the left.

That is exactly what's happened here, IMO. There's not a whole lot of difference between them.

And the truth is, that President Bush wouldn't have to be negotiating with Democrats, at least in the Senate, if it hadn't been for the libertarian vote against the Republicans in Missouri and Montana.

I hold them partially responsible for the disaster that occurred on November 7th.

If we had held those two seats, we wouldn't have lost support for our troops, for the unborn, for lower taxes, for origninalist judges, or for the war on terror.

147 posted on 11/11/2006 10:59:29 AM PST by ohioWfan (If my people which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray......)
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To: M. Thatcher
That's the line that convinced me, M.

Dead giveaway, IMO.

148 posted on 11/11/2006 11:00:28 AM PST by ohioWfan (If my people which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray......)
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To: Dane
so instead of complaing all the time why don't you part and tell and educate your fellow voters the arguements against the minimum wage.

How Dane. I don't have the power to tell the MSM to break their programming so I can give a televised speech. Bush does. All Bush has to do is make a simple statement saying the minimum-wage doesn't work and give a short explanation why. Sure the MSM and Dims will say he's evil and in bed with corporate executives who are "pulling his strings" but who cares?

149 posted on 11/11/2006 11:00:43 AM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Why can't Republicans stand up to Democrats like they do to terrorists?)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
How Dane. I don't have the power to tell the MSM to break their programming so I can give a televised speech. Bush does.

Bush actually doesn't. The drive by media will bury his remarks in page A-15 or 15 minutes into a TV news broadcast.

150 posted on 11/11/2006 11:03:13 AM PST by Dane ("Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" Ronald Reagan, 1987)
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To: RodgerD
Our photo thread/sewing circle is far more grounded than many others around here.

We are realistic that a President is not going to please everyone 100% of the time and that ultra conservative issues will turn 80% of the population off.

I am a Conservative in both senses party and philosophy but I am sensible enough to know that at present an ultra conservative agenda is not what the people at large want. You and your kind rant on about the government not telling you what to do but that is exactly what you want to do. You think you know what is best for them following your agenda in my book that makes you no difference from the average liberal except your follow a different belief.

My party leader David Cameron in liberal on most issues but if he can get the Conservative Party re-elected in Britain then I support him 100%, you can achieve nothing if you do not have power. An ultra right wing conservative agenda is never going to give you power in 2006 either side of the water.
151 posted on 11/11/2006 11:03:14 AM PST by snugs ((An English Cheney Chick - BIG TIME))
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To: EnochPowellWasRight; 1035rep; Grampa Dave; ohioWfan
They don't call us the "Stupid Party" for nuthin'.

Sorry, you're too quick to slam the GOP and POTUS.

Sirens going off here.

152 posted on 11/11/2006 11:03:15 AM PST by onyx (I'm now a minority and victim of the democrats, but with full and free entitlements!)
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To: onyx

"they claim to be the greatest conservatives ever on Free Republic and then they sound just like Kerry, Piglosi, Dubin, Klintoon, Kennedy or the Bush haters"


'LOL! First time I have seen that one. It's great!'

I just 'created it!'. For years I have posted comments/replies after some walk on the water pseudo conservative posted terrible things about GW, what is the difference between their rabid hatred of GW versus that of the rats.


153 posted on 11/11/2006 11:04:17 AM PST by Grampa Dave (Bush haters on both sides have elected the government they have dreamed of!)
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To: ohioWfan

Absolutely they are as bad as the liberal they want to tell people what they want and not listen to what they actually want.


154 posted on 11/11/2006 11:04:47 AM PST by snugs ((An English Cheney Chick - BIG TIME))
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To: MadIvan
The dems now consider Bush a 'lame duck' and don't mind mentioning that on TV. It makes me sick. I want to tell him to get some backbone and show them they are wrong. Lead as you were elected to do six years ago. Don't kiss their butts. That won't happen of course, he'll 'work' with the dems so they can get all their legislation passed, the hell with what his Conservative follows want.

His news conference after the election really made me angry with him. He came off as a wimp. I am still mad!!!

155 posted on 11/11/2006 11:05:22 AM PST by Dustbunny (The BIBLE - Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)
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To: Grampa Dave


It's a wonderful creation. Back to the lab, Dr, Frankenstein. More monsters to create...lol.


156 posted on 11/11/2006 11:06:03 AM PST by onyx (I'm now a minority and victim of the democrats, but with full and free entitlements!)
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To: Dane; Extremely Extreme Extremist

Now they want and believe the President can control the media how left wing communist is that.


157 posted on 11/11/2006 11:06:07 AM PST by snugs ((An English Cheney Chick - BIG TIME))
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To: onyx
"Sorry, you're too quick to slam the GOP and POTUS. "

That's a joke, onyx. The Republican Party has long been called that. Come on, look at the Democrats! How could anyone lose to those guys? NEVER call them on their BS? 2004 never should've been close at all. Kerry made it so easy!

"Sorry, you're too quick to slam the GOP and POTUS. "

On my about page, you'll see I support a conservative R Senator. It's the liberals in the party I don't support.
158 posted on 11/11/2006 11:06:08 AM PST by EnochPowellWasRight
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To: goldstategop
He is NOT cutting deals to rebuild his legacy or popularity. He is cutting deals to WIN in Iraq/WOT. Sheesh.

He has said over and over that is his FIRST priority and he has stuck to it no matter the personal toll. How you can interpret this as some self-centered self-preservation is, frankly, absolutely beyond me.
159 posted on 11/11/2006 11:06:13 AM PST by pollyannaish
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To: onyx
Sirens going off here.

Big time! 

160 posted on 11/11/2006 11:06:58 AM PST by 1035rep
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