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BOSTON GLOBE: Win shows 'red states' on the rise
Boston Globe ^ | November 4, 2004 | Peter S. Canellos

Posted on 11/04/2004 12:44:08 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife

...But the way Bush won reelection does not signal a move to the center: His chief political adviser, Karl Rove, advised him to shore up the base at the expense of swing voters -- a decision that led to Bush's endorsement of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, his commitment of federal funds to faith-based charities, and his unapologetic embrace of the doctrine of preemptive war in Iraq.

The usual blueprint for a presidential run calls for appealing to centrists to build a coalition. But Bush's decision to concentrate on energizing his core supporters may change that blueprint forever.

After all, an energized political ''base" does not waver if the candidate loses a few debates. It comes out to vote even in the kind of driving rain that soaked Ohio on Election Day. It supports its favored candidates even when times are good, like 2000, and there is no obvious need for a change in leadership. And it sticks with its favorites even when times are hard, and many voters seem to be looking for a change.

A leader who touted consistency as his prime character trait, Bush will probably govern in a second term the way he has in his first: By accepting the counsel of a small group of advisers led by Vice President Dick Cheney and by resisting opinions from any other quarter, including Republicans in Congress....

(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: bush; bushvictory; conservatism; election; mandate; victory
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
I'm thinking back to the polls after the 3rd debate that showed a nice bump for Bush. Kerry's spinners were dismissing it, saying "so he fired up his base and he'll get a few more people in Texas to vote for him. So what, we weren't going to win a state like Texas anyway". So the democrats KNEW that Bush was firing up his base and they thought "So what? Bush needs swing voters, not more base voters" but this was the Rove strategery all along. GET THE BASE TO TURN OUT. And, boy, did they.

I recall hearing Dick Morris say at one point "The Bush people are playing chess, while Kerry's people are playing checkers". That's an excellent analogy.

21 posted on 11/04/2004 1:07:59 AM PST by GLDNGUN (.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
And, just like four years ago, he lost the Northeast and the West Coast -- including such large states as California, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey -- by almost exactly the same margins as in 2000.

If it was for the Big Cities ... Kerry would have lost many of those states

22 posted on 11/04/2004 1:08:20 AM PST by Mo1 (one country, one Constitution, and one future that binds us)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Living in the belly of the beast here in MA it's interesting to hear the various excuses. One TV show, Chronicle, almost got most of it right. They mentioned that they have to stop being the party of abortion and gay marriages. They totally missed out the military angle. Was going to EMail them and show their foibles, but decided what they don't know will help us :)
The rest of the MSM is in total denial.
23 posted on 11/04/2004 1:10:37 AM PST by ProudVet77 (W stands for Winner)
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To: ProudVet77

Should also mention chronicle mentioned not being the party of stem cell research. Oddly I think it was Mike Barnicle (yech) that made these observations.


24 posted on 11/04/2004 1:12:02 AM PST by ProudVet77 (W stands for Winner)
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To: GLDNGUN

Their King didn't crowned.

Checkmate!


25 posted on 11/04/2004 1:13:28 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: ProudVet77

...licking their wounds and hiding in shame from what our allies will say about America.


26 posted on 11/04/2004 1:15:04 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Mo1

Hillary has dissed the Electoral College and voter ID.

She wants mob rule not a republic.


27 posted on 11/04/2004 1:16:05 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
I saw Jonathan Stewart on The Daily Show in a bar tonight (with the subtitles on). He talked with Chucky Schumer. He talked with someone putting unfunny captions on photos (HEY MSM, WE HAVE BETTER GAGS, STEAL FROM US!). He made asinine statements against the new "religious furor" in America (as did some other comedians on a later show). F'em. They go home for the holidays and pretend to still be Christians but I see nothing in their lives that supports that posture. They got lazy after high school and college, going for good times and taking a "screw you" attitude to those in need. Charity is not advocating government taking more from your paycheck. You should be tithing 10% BEFORE taxes. I won't say that it has to go to the church or that those who don't are sinners, but there is NO reward in claiming that the Government took it out for you. Forced charity is not charity. I heard Tony Snow or another conservative talk radio host saying that Conservatives are generous. I won't make that statement. I would say that some libertarians are conservative and some conservative are libertarian.

I have seen nothing from the libertarian "do it yourself" philosophy discussing the support of volunteer charity or assistance (they seem to be against tax free status for churches). I would say that "compassionate conservatism" is a misnomer. Christian Conservatism asks us to model our lives on the model set by Christ (no judgment for those who fall short). We give our time and money because we want to help others.

28 posted on 11/04/2004 1:17:45 AM PST by weegee (Bob Hope loved a Republican Ohio...)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
I've seen angry posts from the left about the electoral college, claiming that AGAIN Democrats got ripped off. They must not see the Bush Country maps.

If it WAS a popular vote this time, there WOULD BE NO recounts. Bush clearly won.

Meanwhile in 2000, the popular LEAD that Gore JUNIOR had was 0.52% meaning that we would have had to have a FULL NATIONAL RECOUNT COUNTY BY COUNTY, PRECINCT BY PRECINCT.

29 posted on 11/04/2004 1:20:29 AM PST by weegee (Bob Hope loved a Republican Ohio...)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
IMO - there was (at least) one big domestic "conservative" issue that KILLED Kerry with people who do not feel they are conservative -- or Republican -- at all!

He voted 6 TIMES not to ban partial birth abortion.

I know a great many pro "choice" people, men and women. Except for one "woman rights nut" (never married and never pregnant), to a person (including supporters of NARAL!) they felt that PBA was killing a child...not a fetus! With modern medicine making premature babies able to survive with fewer and fewer weeks in the womb, those aware of what is done -- even in the pro-choice mind -- it is completely different.

80% of ALL people are against it. Far more than 50% are EXTREME in that feeling.

Also, real "strong family" PARENTS do not want to be blocked from knowing if THEIR teenage girl is about to get an abortion.
30 posted on 11/04/2004 1:20:41 AM PST by Jackson Brown
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To: ProudVet77

96% of the countries counties bleed red and not blue. Even in those counties that were red in previous elections they've began to become darker. As the country moves right the democrats try to claim division. I'll say this, I may live in fly-over(the great state of texas)country but our voice was heard and their so called division exists as a minority. The democratic party has been dying for a long time now. They are split and as such we are picking up the pieces they leave behind. They blame the youth for not showing up. Well let me ask this what is 17% of 115 million? The answer is roughly 20 million(how many youth voted) and my answer to them is we, those between 18-29 (I am 21), did show up but for Bush and not Kerry as they hoped. I only hope that Bush will pas tax reform and perhaps flat sales tax so we can say goodbye to the IRS, allow privatization(however spelled) if social security, and brings peace across the world. As for the democrats and their scape goats and lies all I can say is good riddance and I will be wating in 2008 to cast my vote agian and do my part to ensure their disappearance.


31 posted on 11/04/2004 1:21:12 AM PST by Vortexsg (The only thing neccessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.)
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To: ProudVet77
Nominating a traitor who lied before Congress, calling troops "baby killers", and spearheading the protest movement was not a wise move this election.

He said this nation has not been this divided in 30 years, well guess what, he was the one leading the protest THEN too!

32 posted on 11/04/2004 1:22:26 AM PST by weegee (Bob Hope loved a Republican Ohio...)
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To: Vortexsg

I heard that youth DID show up. As NEW CONSERVATIVES.


33 posted on 11/04/2004 1:23:38 AM PST by weegee (Bob Hope loved a Republican Ohio...)
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To: Vortexsg

The media was flabergasted that they didn't even go through a period of liberalism (the "rite of passage").

I did the same thing growing up in the Carter-Reagan years.

We were called Generation X because of a book from the 1990s (although the term was already used by Billy Idol's first band in England in 1977).

We NOW call ourselves Gen-Reagan.

George W. Bush has shown himself to be the heir apparent to the legacy by standing up to international terrorism (as Reagan did the Soviet Union) and rallying America to vote in EVEN GREATER NUMBERS.

America said HELL NO to the MSM and the old liberal order.

This is a new morning in America.


34 posted on 11/04/2004 1:27:20 AM PST by weegee (Bob Hope loved a Republican Ohio...)
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To: weegee

Can't do it without the approval of Congress.


35 posted on 11/04/2004 1:30:17 AM PST by djf
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To: Vortexsg
The GOP edge grows wider ***...On the domestic agenda, expect "tax cuts as far as the eye can see," says Marshall Wittmann, a former Republican activist and now a senior fellow at the centrist Democratic Leadership Council. "The only constraint that Bush has at this moment is the deficit, but that doesn't seem to have stopped him in the past."

More specifically, Bush could move to make permanent the elimination of the estate tax and institute broader tax reform, making the rate system "flatter." Other legislation that was bottled up in the first term, such as the energy and highway bills, will likely move. One big unfinished agenda item from Bush's first term is reform of Social Security, specifically the establishment of private accounts. Bush and the Republicans can also be expected to defund discretionary programs, limiting the Democrats' ability to provide money for new social programs. ...***

36 posted on 11/04/2004 1:48:34 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: weegee

Yes. Algore only wanted recounts in selected counties. Even Florida newspapers did a recount. It was a circus but they couldn't change the numbers for Al. Yet they continue to lie and say the election was stolen.


37 posted on 11/04/2004 1:51:56 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: weegee

And I believe Bush is nudging Americans back to that model.


38 posted on 11/04/2004 1:53:50 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: weegee
I have family members in two colleges in Oklahoma and their talk of Conservative students before the election was heartwarming.

In 2000,the "county" map showed several nasty blue areas in Oklahoma.

This year,the "county" map of Oklahoma has been completely cleaned of any blue infection,if I'm looking at it correctly.

I think we've got the liberals on the run and our young folks are a good part of the reason.

39 posted on 11/04/2004 1:54:26 AM PST by Free Trapper (Terrorism is the Black Heart of Islam,not the fringe!)
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To: HarleyD

It's worse than "out of touch." They just don't get it. Their world view is completely different from yours and mine. Where do you start and where do you end up, when you can't see the evidence that's plainly in front of everyone that we are created and that there is a Creator? One who loved us enough to become "God among us?"


40 posted on 11/04/2004 1:59:33 AM PST by hocndoc (Choice is the # 1 killer in the US)
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