DNC's Palmieri: Bush Shot Wad on Midterm Election

NewsMax.Com ^ | 11/7/02 | Carl Limbacher

[FreedomWarrior]

Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2002 10:55 a.m. EST

DNC's Palmieri: Bush Shot Wad on Midterm Election

President Bush may have won big with yesterday's Senate sweep, but now he's shot his wad of political capital, contends Democratic Party spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri; currency that she said might have been better spent developing support for legislation he'll need to win reelection.

"He had a lot of political capital to spend," Palmieri told WABC Radio's Batchelor and Alexander Show as the returns came in late Tuesday. "He chose to spend on these midterm elections."

But the top aide to DNC chief Terry McAuliffe warned, "I don't know if that's such a great investment, frankly. It might have been better if he chose to spend it developing an economic plan or, you know, working with the Congress on a prescription drug benefit or something."

Palmieri said that while the Bush bounce was "able to bring these [Senate] guys over the edge.... Now I think the question is, to what end?"

The McAuliffe deputy predicted that Bush would "wake up tomorrow morning and say, 'Well, now what?'

"In some ways it's the worst thing," she added. "Be careful what you wish for."

Asked how she felt about the Democrats' election night debacle, Palmieri joked half-heartedly, "It feels a little bit better than in '94. It doesn't feel as good as '98. And it feels a lot better than 2000."

[Arkinsaw]

What a stupid spin. Bush lost by driving us out of power. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[mikeb704]

More advice Dubya can ignore. The Demos are sure gracious in losing, aren't they?

Michael M. Bates: My Side of the Swamp

[Nuke'm Glowing]

I hope she repeats that after she's fired. Because the liberal wing of the DNC is probably going to drag McGovern out to represent them as the DNC head. Or a McGovern clone.

[Doctor Freeze]

What a crock. The democrats are trying anything to make them feel better. How do you exhaust political capital? You either have it or you don't. Bush will have political capital as long as he remains popular.

[NittanyLion]

Ms. Palmieri fails to understand a very basic concept: one cannot hoard political capital. If it remains unused, it will disappear. The only way to insure future political capital is to utilize the stock you presently have toward political victories, thus convincing the public that you're an effective leader.

Any sports fan understands that momentum needs to be capitalized upon immediately.

[Mr. K]

"Bush lost by driving us out of power..."

you summed it up perfectly- this has been the same message all day on the news this morning.

[Joe 6-pack]

"How do you exhaust political capital? You either have it or you don't. Bush will have political capital as long as he remains popular."

The demlibs equate, "political capital," with campaign funds, and view their world through such a lens...

[woofie]

Shot his wad?....maybe she was thinking of Bill Clinton

[ladtx]

No wonder they lost with this kind of thinking. She must've gotten a headache with that kind of convoluted logic.

[AD from SpringBay]

What a stupid way to have to think. I almost pity this woman and her conclusions.

[gulfcoast6]

Amazing isn't it. This is what you call advaced stage of PANIC!

[Poohbah]

President Bush may have won big with yesterday's Senate sweep, but now he's shot his wad of political capital, contends Democratic Party spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri; currency that she said might have been better spent developing support for legislation he'll need to win reelection.

Which, Ms. Palmieri fails to mention, a Democrat-controlled Senate would not pass...and a Republican-controlled Senate will. The legislation will be passed, and Bush will be re-elected, QED.

Is Ms. Palmieri blond, by any chance? :o)

[agrace]

...currency that she said might have been better spent developing support for legislation he'll need to win reelection.

That's because he's SELFLESS and acts for the good of the party rather than personal gain.

[hellinahandcart]

It really is all about sex with these people, isn't it? And it's really not "becoming" for a lady to use that phrase on the radio...jeez.

[ClearCase_guy]

Seems to me that Bush is the big winner of this election cycle. Huge victory, historically unprecedented, lots of politicians all over the country now owe him something, he has an electoral mandate whereas before he (quite famously) did not have such a mandate.

I'd say the man has more political capital right now than he did before the election.

[bradactor]

I guess these liberals will never admit that they lost. They will find some spin to try to blame their opponent or crush them with idiotic lies. Let them keep bringing out their liberal idols like Mondale and who knows maybe Gary Hart and see where it gets them. They will never understand the real people of this country

[SeeRushToldU_So]

That is about the most stupid thing I have ever heard. I hope Bush recovers so he can shot his wad again in two years!

[SES1066]

"...It might have been better if he chose to spend it developing an economic plan or, you know, working with the Congress on a prescription drug benefit or something."

Let me see if I have this right, Daschel, McAuliffe etc. had basically stopped Homeland Security, Judicial appointments and any economic plan. Now this McAuliffe deputy is chiding Bush for spending 'Political Capital' to defeat the Dem majority so that he can get action on these points. So whom is this advice better for?

Do these people spin in bed and at what rpm? UNREAL!

[BuddhaBoy]

It looks like the same Liberal inclination to react emotionally instead of thinking is going strong here.

This is really great, because they are going to overreact, and elect Nancy Pelosi as their standard bearer, and she is a radical socialist who will only drive people further away from the Democrats.

Rush is SO right. When Democrats are out of power, they are so much fun to watch.