Posted on 02/25/2008 6:34:52 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - President Bush predicted Monday that voters will replace him with a Republican president who will "keep up the fight" in Iraq. "I'm confident we'll hold the White House in 2008," Bush told donors at the Republican Governors Association annual dinner, which raised a record $10.6 million for GOP gubernatorial candidates.
"And I don't want the next Republican president to be lonely," Bush said. "And that is why we got to take the House, retake the Senate, and make sure our states are governed by Republican governors."
The pep talk came in the midst of a presidential campaign that largely has overshadowed Bush's final year in office. Bush has promised to be an active fundraiser, and he had no trouble slipping into enthusiastic campaign mode Monday evening.
He said Republicans still offer the bedrock positions that voters embrace: strong defense, low taxes and personal freedoms.
"When I say I'm confident, I am so because I understand the mentality of the American people," Bush said. "And I understand the mentality of our candidates. And there's no question in my mind, with your help, 2008 is going to be a great year."
Democratic governors have a 28-22 edge nationally, having regained a majority in 2006 after 12 years of GOP dominance. Eleven seats are up this year.
The Republican governors still have the financial edge, with the Republican Governors Association raising $22 million last year, to $13 million for its Democratic counterpart. That includes $9 million cash on hand for the RGA, compared to $7 million for the Democratic Governors Association.
In Congress, Democrats took control of the House and Senate in 2006. Bush has sought to remain relevant through his veto power and bully pulpit.
On Iraq, he pledged Monday that he would use his remaining time in office to make whatever decisions are needed to "make sure that we succeed in Iraq." The country has long grown weary of the war, although economic concerns have overtaken Iraq as the top concern among voters.
"I believe the American people understand that success in Iraq is necessary for the long-term security of the American people," Bush said. "And we will elect somebody to the White House who will keep up the fight to make sure Iraq is secure and free."
Republican governors, as chief executives and effective fundraisers, see themselves as the key to turning around their party.
Four of the last five presidents, including the current one, were governors.
One former Republican governor, Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, remains in the presidential race, but the next president is all but certain to come from the Senate — Republican John McCain, or Democrats Barack Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton.
About 1,400 people attended the event at the cavernous National Building Museum, where they dined on grilled shrimp, spring rolls, gumbo and crab cakes before filtering into an adjacent room to hear Bush.
Whether yes or whether no, it will be a very very dark four years for our nation.
What happened to that formidable person Hillary? Sadly I do think you are correct in the short term.
Ever the optimist, isn’t he?
Does that mean that Jorge’s adopted brother is not going back in? A family tragedy!
My hopes for November don’t include McCain. My hope for 2010 is a swamped Congress with plenty of new honest to goodness conservative blood. If that doesn’t happen, I give this nation about a nickle’s worth of a chance of surviving the globalist’s plans.
Actually, I think President Bush is right about this.
Bush is clueless.
President Bush, as usual, is right. Republicans will win the White House again, because Americans want to keep the adults in charge.
It’s unfortunate Bush can’t serve a third term, as nothing would be more satisfying than seeing the Democrats cry yet again over another term.
FOUR MORE YEARS! FOUR MORE YEARS! FOUR MORE YEARS!
Waiting for my check.
I’m short on bullets.
No thanks to him and “shamnesty.” Not sure what he was thinking by trying to snuggle up to the Demotyrants. Both he and his father were major disappointments late in their terms of office.
I will never give up hope in America.
I'm an optimist about America. Even if Osama wins. Even if Hillary wins. America will pull through because human nature will pull through.
I do too. As long as the truth about what the Dems (Hillary or Obama) actually envision for the US is a back seat in the world, under the UN thumb and could taxation by fiat through a Dem Senate.
Very well said! So very sad, but true.
I wonder why the author thought we would care what was on the dinner plates.
I’m afraid the legacy can be summed up in four words:
Press Two For English.
I believe you just displayed your political cluelessness with your cluelessly snarky remark.
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