Critics again fire away at Bush
Posted on 07/30/2002 5:40:15 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
Critics again fire away at Bush
Jabs over scandals, economy signal end of Sept. 11 shield
07/30/2002
NEW YORK - If there was any doubt that President Bush has lost his wartime shield from political attack, Democrats dispelled it Monday.
A parade of critics that included presidential aspirants went after Mr. Bush on corporate corruption and the economy. Some even challenged his conduct of the war on terrorism.
"What has George Bush done? He has put America on the wrong track," said Democratic Leadership Council founder Al From, whose organization sponsored a forum in midtown Manhattan.
In some ways, the meeting of the DLC a pro-business group that helped fuel the rise of Bill Clinton signaled the end of the political détente that emerged after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, analysts said.
They said more criticism can be expected heading into the November elections, with control of both houses of Congress at stake. Mr. Bush's approval rating more than 80 percent for months has fallen to the 60s under the pressure of a sagging stock market, removing Democratic reticence to take on a popular president, analysts said.
"That special period has ended," said Karlyn Bowman, who analyzes polls for the American Enterprise Institute. "It was unrealistic to expect the halo effect would last a long time."
Republicans said Democrats have no choice but to attack because they lack economic and foreign policy plans of their own.
"It has been said those who live in glass houses should not throw stones," said Marc Racicot, Republican National Committee chairman.
White House officials have said they would focus less on politics than on policy, including new laws that govern corporate executives and their accounting methods. Mr. Bush is set to sign a bill dealing with those issues on Tuesday.
Speaking Monday in Charleston, S.C., Mr. Bush repeated that the stage for economic growth is set: "Interest rates are low. Inflation's low. Monetary policy is sound. Fiscal policy is sound. Productivity is up."
At the Democratic conference in New York, some of Mr. Bush's possible challengers stressed other numbers. They cited tax cuts they believe benefit the wealthy, a sudden and steep increase in the federal budget deficit, and a stark drop in the stock market.
"They have no growth strategy, except their one-note plan that could fit on the back of a shampoo bottle: Cut taxes, increase spending, borrow, repeat," said Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., a 2000 vice presidential nominee eyeing a run for the top spot.
Possible presidential contenders zeroed in on Enron, WorldCom and other corporate corruption, saying those scandals reflect the GOP's all-too-cozy relationship with big business. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said that relationship drained the credibility from Mr. Bush's speech to executives on Wall Street.
"His speech combined Teddy Roosevelt rhetoric with Herbert Hoover policies," Mr. Daschle said. "It was full of tough talk, but short on real solutions."
White House officials said the Democratic rhetoric makes it sound as if the party is shifting farther to the left of the political spectrum. "It appears the Democratic primaries have started early," said White House spokesman Claire Buchan.
Some Republicans said the Democrats are trying to undermine investor confidence for the purpose of political gain.
"It's the Democrats' stagnation strategy," said House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land.
Republicans also said Democrats have internal problems to work out when it comes to economic policy.
Some Democrats agreed. They cited discomfort with 2000 presidential nominee Al Gore's slogan "the people versus the powerful," saying it seemed anti-business.
Mr. Gore, an original DLC member who skipped this week's meeting, disputed that analysis, telling a Capitol Hill audience last week that the Enrons and WorldComs of the world justified his approach.
"The Republican Party today is at the hands of an elite that embodies wealth and power," said Mr. Gore, who is expected to decide by the end of the year whether he will again seek the presidency.
In the past I enjoyed the C-SPAN morning call in program. If you've watched it the past year, I do only during commercials on other stations, it only takes a moment to realize that a bunch of illiterates are calling in who can't read their opinions--what they've been told to say. I think they're paid to do it. These are people with a MTV mentality.
Coming back to this article. Funny how cagle.slate.msn.com
uses the same URL and just updates for the times, huh ? hehe!
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