[dead]

You're right. But Bush and Rove have calculated that those on the right wing who don't vote for him will be more than made up for by those mushy moderates who will jump aboard.

It's a political calculation, and that's what Rove is really good at.

It's pretty gutless for Bush, but there's an election to win, I guess.

[George W. Bush]

You're right. But Bush and Rove have calculated that those on the right wing who don't vote for him will be more than made up for by those mushy moderates who will jump aboard. It's a political calculation, and that's what Rove is really good at.

Huh? Bush won despite Rove's idiocy. And I suspect this is more of Rove's lunacy. Look at all the money and time Bush squandered on California instead of locking up Florida and a few very very close states like New Mexico. Rove put Powell and Rice on the ticket and Bush tried to make an appeal for black votes and did even worse than Bob Dole did, getting only 8% of the black vote. And after this performance, Rove is supposed to be good at political calculations? Bush won despite Rove's blunders. Rove should be dismissed and replaced with a competent national campaign advisor.

Bush had better think twice if he thinks he can sign this and win any moderate votes because of it. He will certainly lose part of his base support with no swing voters likely to vote on this issue. Furthermore, Bush has already paid the full political price for gun rights and he is expected to be pro-gun so stopping the AWB is not a true political liability for him. Bush had better remember who voted the Republican landslide of '94 into office (pissed off gunowners).