Bring In The Clowns

Personal Comment | November 19, 2002 | R Grizzle

[RGrizzle]

Most of us thought it. Some of us have said it. A few have written about it. We all should be excited about it. Could this be the team being fielded to go against W? This is simply too good to be true. An old saying comes to mind. What is it? I can’t recall, but I think it has something to do with some fish and a barrel.

A liberal will be leading the minority in the house. No, wait. A California liberal will be leading the minority in the house. Better yet, a San Francisco liberal will lead the minority party in the house. And the Senate? What more needs to be said? This brings us to Gore. Gore as their candidate in 2004? Oh please, please say this will happen! I need to type slower now. I’m feeling faint.

Now admittedly we are also talking about the Republicans here. I love my party, but we aren’t exactly adept at maintaining our lead. It seems that we tend to pull a Leon Lett and have the ball ripped from our hands just before we dance into the end zone more often than we score touchdowns.

But to make it so easy! Do they know something we don’t? Are they pulling a fast one on us? Are we about to get sucker-punched? It can’t be this easy! Can it?

So what could go wrong? Well, few anticipated a certain Governor from a certain southern state would land eight years of free rent and all the cigars money could buy. He faked right and the nation bought it. Few thought Bush The Elder would loose after the end of the Gulf War when his approval numbers were so high that his nose began to bleed. He darted left and paid the price.

Then there is McCain and those of his ilk. I’m not trying to pass aspersions on anyone here, but let’s face it. There are Republicans out there who would like to upgrade their title a notch or two. In order to do this, they will try to prove themselves as a champion on issues favorable to voters in Iowa and New Hampshire whatever those may be. Party unity will be the next big challenge.

Nonetheless, screwing this up would be monumental even by Republican standards. The Democrats have positioned themselves for many years of thumping. Let’s just keep the ball tucked tightly and make darn sure we running for the right end zone.

[Leto]

One thing that is helpful Bush 42 has connected with the American people in a way that x41 never did. The war due to it's nature (unfortunatly) won't be over by 11/2004. The other crucial difference is that in this war unlike the 1991 Gulf war America is under direct attack.

Hope the rats keep shooting themselves in the foot. A Recovered economy would be nice too.

[richardtavor]

We can't get overconfident--must be constantly vigilant!!

[philman_36]

One thing that is helpful Bush 42 has connected with the American people in a way that x41 never did.
Bush 41, Bush 43...x42...fill in the blank.

[Cicero]

So what could go wrong?

In my opinion the weakest point is the same as the strongest point: Bush and Rove.

So far Rove has gotten most of it right, and he certainly did a masterly job this year. But he still doesn't seem to get one basic, fundamental political point: the Republicans can't win unless they have the support of the right-to-lifers. And he has too often convinced Bush to go along with him against his own principles.

Rove failed to back Schundler in New Jersey last year because he let the party hacks there convince him that a pro-lifer couldn't win. Rove failed to back Simon this year (after a few weeks' half-hearted effort) because he let the RINOs in California convince him of the same thing. For that reason he left a RINO loser in charge of the state party, who undermined the candidate.

Let's put aside the moral aspects of the pro-life position for a minute and consider the political reality. The Repulican pros seem to think they can constantly abuse and disappoint the pro-lifers and the conservative religious elements of the party and get away with it, because these people have nowhere else to go. But they can stay home, and they often have stayed home when they are given no choice to voite for or when they expect the Republicans to betray them once again, as they have so often in the past. It was their enthusiastic participation in the last election that turned the tide in most races.

This last election was a big win for the pro-lifers, and a big defeat for Emily's List. Rove had better realize that and do something practical to convince the RNC and the pros what the position is. Otherwise, this golden opportunity will be frittered away as it has been so often in the past.