The combination of GWB hatred (which he helped create with Iraq) and the media echo chamber kept republicans on defensive(and many were currupt by then) . Don't fault GWB for "GWB hatred" (aka BDS) -- it's purely a product of liberals' own guilty consciences, their own hubris, and their own acute frustration and embarrassment at having been caught red-handed trying to steal a national election from a guy they said they despised for moral reasons, among others.
We can't offer any excuses for the corrupt GOP'ers; Hastert and the others should have been in there sorting those guys out -- Mark Foley types, too. Send them home, they're an embarrassment to the Party -- surely someone else down there can represent that district!
I think Tom Delay imitated Democrats like Tip O'Neill too much, though. And Tony Coelho -- remember him? got caught bigtime, had to slither away? At least the Congress made him go away.
You just had to do it again. Off the top of my head:
1) promising the war would pay for itself(Cheney)
2) Claiming we were winning 2005-2006 and magically finding out after midterms 2006 we were really losing
3) Selling out on energy 2006, no drilling, ethanol instead, same with no child left behind, no vouchers, prescription drug give-away bankrupting medicaid(that's three)
4) Largest government and deficit in American history (we stand for what?)
5) Illegal amnesty bill including SS benefits for illegals (you too McCain), forcing rest of party to oppose him
6) Financial bailout bill, twisting R party arms to sign a piece of crap that made things worse and lost seats in congress and probably McCain's election too (McCain was tied to Bush after this)
7) Lastly, Pelosi/Obama, Reid, his final legacy. I will think of GWB every time they do something I don't like, WHICH IS EVERYTHING!
Yes, he did some things I liked, Alito and Roberts being my favorite, but so much crap. Complete destruction of party. Term ‘conservative’ is considered an ‘insult’.
FROM NATIONAL REVIEW
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2129377/posts?page=17#17