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Exactly. I don't like it either but I still plan to show up and vote Republican this year. The fact is Bush has established some strong conservative credentials in a number of areas, like his judicial nominees and most of his cabinet as well. He's pretty much ignoring his own principles for the moment on economic issues. His view, correctly or incorrectly seems to be that it will help the GOP in November. He's determined not to have Daschle running the show for the last two years of his term. I can't say I blame him. I saw ABC news last night talking about the tariffs Bush slapped on imported steel. The reporter called him a hypocrite. What are they doing that for? They're trying to get conservatives to stay home in November. I think the Dems are concerned they don't have an issue to get their own supporters to the polls, so the media wants to drive down conservative turnout too.

I agree with you about the media's motivation but keep in mind that if Bush weren't giving them an opportunity to call him on his hypocrisy they would have a much harder time convincing conservatives to stay home.

Of course, but if he was to start a big argument with the Dems and give them a chance to start demagouging he might lose the votes of some middle of the road voters who change their minds more often than actresses' hair styles. He would also boost turnout amongst the Democratic base. He has no risk free decision.

I believe he feels he's taken a conservative stand on enough things, like his judicial appointments, tax cuts, missile defense, oil drilling in Alaska to name a few, to motivate conservatives to show up. For some conservatives nothing short of 100% is acceptable, but any Republican who wastes his time trying to convince them has rocks in his head. True Free Republic type conservatives are not the majority of the electorate. Bush has to live in the real world.