More Delusions of Grandeur

Just when you think this administration has stretched reality to its limit, they say something that makes you realize they haven’t even gotten close.

Currently, “President” Bush’s job approval numbers are mired in the low 30s, and rightfully so. But a post in U.S. News’ Washington Whispers reports that Bush aides predict a ‘remarkable shift’ that will give the president a 45% approval rating when he leaves office...

Again, I ask this administration; what color is the sky in your world??

The people in the White House see happy days for Bush this year, already labeled his “legacy year” by the White House staff. But, once again, they’re ignoring the American public, a majority of whom appears VERY ready for his presidency to be over.

Let’s think about this; the republican presidential candidates are hesitant to even mention Bush’s name, and the only remarkable shift will be the enormous sigh of relief coming from the masses on January 20, 2009.

Who in the conservative political punditry will stand up in front of the media and the American public and begin the steps that are desperately needed to polish the Bush Legacy??

One of the republican presidential contenders?

Doubtful...

One of the Republicans in the Senate or House?

Doubtful... especially if they are running for re-election.

Rush Limbaugh? Ann Coulter? Papa Bush?

Doubt it, doubt it and doubt it... none of them have the clout needed to polish his legacy, so it’s up to one man to do it… Dubya himself.

...

...

...

Now that we’ve all stopped laughing, let’s think about that for a moment like Dubya would---

The Friday Presidential ‘BushWhack’ing

• This past week: Sen. Clinton and Sen. McCain won the New Hampshire primary… Sen. Obama picked up endorsements from Sen. John Kerry and two key Nevada unions… Democratic candidate Bill Richardson (NM) dropped out of the race…
• The republican presidential candidates held a debate in South Carolina last night. Each candidate took time to snipe at the others about the economy, Iraq & Iran and... well, nothing really. They just took aim at and attacked each other...
• Michigan holds their republican primary next Tuesday and it’s being dubbed the last chance for native son Mitt Romney, though Mike Huckabee is doing his best to swipe the rug out from under him...
• With the republican candidates battling it out in Michigan, the Democrats are battling it out over South Carolina. Considering that African-Americans make up 50% of South Carolina's Democratic electorate, Sens. Obama and Clinton are each vying for their coveted vote...
• New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has not totally discounted a possible presidential run as an Independent. Expect him to make a final decision sometime in March…
• After the republicans finish in Michigan, they’ll turn their attention to South Carolina. And the best polling data I see from that state is that 81% of the state's republican voters – yes; republican voters – believe the United States should reduce carbon dioxide emissions… how will a party of gop candidates who have trouble saying the words global warming will combat that should be interesting. Stay tuned…

What's up with Iowa & New Hampshire?

I’m in my mid-thirties and, for as long as I can remember the Iowa Caucus and the New Hampshire Primary have always been the first salvo in the presidential campaign process.

As I grew older, started thinking for myself and got more interested in politics, I’ve often questioned the unwarranted amount of power that these states wield for both Democrats and republicans… after all; neither state is particularly representative of the rest of the US from a demographic, economic or political standpoint…

It is important to bear in mind that no state is uniform in its demographic or cultural makeup as every town, city, village in states that lean conservative have pockets of Liberalism and vice versa, but rather I am suggesting that these states are among some of the least representative of this country and, therefore, are an unfortunate choice for early presidential primaries.

Before on this blog I’ve postulated about a national primary…. but the more I think about that scenario, the more I become dissatisfied with that plan and instead think a regional primary system, one where each state is separated into 4 or 6 regions and each region votes on the same day, would be more beneficial…

But I also think that politics should stop at the waters edge… and I am not very confident, that the primacy of Iowa and New Hampshire in this process is likely to change in my lifetime.

But one can hope…

The Thursday ‘BushWhack’ing

It’s Thursday, and I continue to find it hard to write anything of merit post-vacation, I can still muddle out your Daily ‘BushWhack’ing… so have at it.

• FYI: Today is de-lurking day, a day where readers of blogs come out of the woodwork and leave a comment rather than stay in the shadows lurking (see what I did there?), so what are you waiting for? De-lurk already...
• Sources say that Democratic Presidential candidate Bill Richardson (NM) will be dropping out of the presidential race. With 2 fourth place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire, it’s the smart thing to do – though I wager he’s on the other’s short list for veep, so stay tuned.
• For a good read, head on over to CNN (I know, I know, bear with me for a moment) and read Jack Cafferty’s column about how the Democratic Race just got interesting…
• And in other Democratic presidential candidate news, the Dems’ 2004 candidate John Kerry is going to endorse Sen. Obama (D-IL)… who also picked up the coveted Nevada culinary worker and service employee unions endorsement in Nevada…
• President Bush is predicting (usually the first sign of trouble) that there “will be a signed peace treaty” to turn the West Bank and Gaza Strip into a Palestinian state by, in Bush’s words, “the time I leave office.” (Uh-huh, and what color is the sky in your world George? You think after ignoring that region for 7 years you can stroll in and fix things with barely a year left in office? There’s a word for that… and if you think I’m the only one believing that, consider that USA Today, says in an article today that, “despite Bush’s upbeat assessment, there was little to suggest concrete progress during his second day in the Middle East.” Meaning, he ain’t done squat, he ain’t gonna do squat, and he needs to come back down to earth…)
• Knowing he’s in deep shit, the former head of the CIA’s covert service – the one that supposedly ordered the destruction of torture videotapes – is requesting immunity before he testifies on Capitol Hill next week… stay tuned…
• In the interest of equal time: Clinton, Edwards, Giuliani, Thompson, Huckabee, Romney…
• And have we mentioned? That republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has some competition for THE MOST bat-shit crazy presidential candidate? This past Sunday, former senator and current Democratic presidential candidate (a term I use loosely) Mike Gravel was speaking at New Hampshire’s Phillips Exeter Academy prep school when he, you know, it’s easier and better if you just read if for yourself: “We’ve all got addictions. Anyone in here not taking any drugs? Tylenol, aspirin, we’re all druggies! … I’m on painkillers! […] I’m sure that a lot of you have tripped out on alcohol. Well, it’s a lot safer to do it on marijuana.” (Wow… I see a Ron Paul/Mike Gravel dream ticket in the future… how much fun would that be???)

The Wednesday ‘BushWhack’ing

Today’s Daily BushWhacking has been replaced with a New Hampshire Primary Applaud and Heckle; let’s see if anyone notices…

Applaud: to the results in New Hampshire. Not so much the winners of Clinton and McCain (I still haven’t chosen a candidate yet) but the fact that the results thumbed their collective noses at political pundits who were already naming certain people winners and losers; before the primary even began. Let’s remember that politics is fluid and can change like that (snap!)…

Heckle: to John McCain’s victory. Okay, I used to like McCain, but somewhere between Iraq and his last campaign, he’s changed. And his victory speech last night was, easily, one of the most boring and clumsily-delivered victory speeches in political history. And the rumors of him having Joe Lieberman as his running mate if he gets the nod makes my skin crawl that much more… BTW: If he makes it to the White House with Lieberman by his side, I will flee the country...

Applaud: to Mitt Romney's abysmal showing in the Granite State, it brings a smile to my face. His concession speech can best be summed up thusly; “I spent A LOT of money in New Hampshire and all I got was second-place.” Apparently he doesn’t know the state’s other mantra of Live Free or Cheap…

Heckle: to conservative tool Bill Kristol, who attributed McCain’s victory happening “because of the surge.” (Uh, huh… and what color is the sky in your world Bill? Rose-colored?)

Applaud: to this tasty tidbit reported by MSNBC during their reporting last night. In MSNBC’s exit polls, more than half of the republicans responding said that they were either “dissatisfied or downright angry with this President.” (about time – too bad it took almost 8 years for that to sink into some people’s thick skulls...)

Heckle: to NBC’s Matt Lauer, who asked Obama last night; “I just want to be clear: It was issues that separated the two of you, not tears?” What the fu—

Heckle: to pollsters and pundits who were calling the results before the primary began and were WAY off the mark… makes me smile inside when they fall over themselves…

Stay tuned, Bush is in the Middle East trying to salvage what's left of his dignity his legacy, and this presidential campaign thing is just getting started…

The Tuesday ‘BushWhack’ing

Let’s get to it as the first primary of this election cycle gets underway in New Hampshire… insert own joke here.

• Since the media is keeping it under wraps, New Hampshire’s primary is underway…
• Polls are showing Barack Obama winning on the Democrat’s side and John McCain winning on the republican side…
• He just can’t help himself. Days after tying his loss in Iowa to 9/11, Rudy Giuliani is now tying other candidates’ displays to his performance after 9/11. Speaking on MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe’ and discussing Sen. Clinton’s “emotional moment” from earlier this week, Giuliani said; “The reality is, if you look at me, September 11 — the funerals, the memorial services — there were times in which it was impossible not to feel the emotion.” (the man is shameless…)
• Despite constant denials of a run, rumors of a Michael Bloomberg presidential run are still floating around…
• White House spokesman Tony Fratto apparently doesn’t read the newspapers… or watch the news on TV… or surf the web… or have a brain in his head. How else can you explain him saying yesterday; “I don’t know of anyone predicting a recession.” Um… how about Harvard University economist Martin Feldstein… or Lawrence Summers… or the National Association for Business Economics (NABE)… or Warren Buffett… or CBO Director Peter Orszag. Maybe we should take up a collection to buy him a subscription to the Washington Post. Sure, he wouldn’t get totally accurate news, but he would be informed…
• And have we mentioned? That the web site Celebstoner has chosen, and this should not come as a surprise to anyone with a brain, Rep. Ron Paul (r-TX) as their “stoner” pick for President? Show of hands of anyone who thinks Mr. Paul doesn’t smoke the reefer…
  

The Monday ‘BushWhack’ing

In case you’re wondering where The Weekly Rewind has been the last 2 weeks, blame Blogger. Scott and I have both tried to post it and each time it’s been lost in the blogosphere. Naturally I blame blogger, but (puts tinfoil hat on) perhaps something more ominous is afoot here… anyhow, we’re back to our normal schedule this week (Blogger permitting) so enjoy the weekly lead-off for the Daily ‘BushWhack’ing…

• In case you hadn’t heard because the media is not talking about it much (sarcasm alert!), tomorrow is New Hampshire’s primary…
• Apparently there’s a history between John McCain (r-AZ) and Mitt Romney (r-MT)... why we should care is anyone’s guess…
• Headline on CNN; “White House hopefuls spar before New Hampshire” (You don’t say? Presidential candidates arguing with each other, that’s some nice journalism there Lou…)
• Wyoming held their republican caucus Saturday and the winner was Mi, ah who cares…
• A former chairman of President Ronald Reagan’s Council of Economic Advisers, Martin Feldstein, says that the odds of a recession have risen to more than 50 percent after a report showing unemployment jumped in December. Said Feldstein; “We are now talking about more likely than not.” (Well duhhhhhh)
• John McCain: “I don’t think Americans are concerned if we’re there (in Iraq) for one hundred years or a thousand years or ten thousand years.” (What. A. Tool.)
• Former presidential candidate George McGovern called for Bush and Cheney’s impeachment in today’s Washington Post. (though I wouldn’t hold my breath…)
• And have we mentioned? That the New Hampshire primary is tomorrow? It’s true…

McCain is scaring me now

Things are officially scary now…

After a better-than-originally-thought showing in Iowa, Sen. John McCain (r-AZ) decided to kiss Sen. Joe Lieberman (I r – CT) ass and said that he would like Lieberman to serve in his administration, saying; “I would definitely want Joe Lieberman to play a part — particularly in national security issues — in my administration.”

Ew.

It’s no surprise, considering that McCain and Lieberman have been in bed together for quite some time, whether it be their consistent push for more troops to Iraq or their ignoring of U.S. military commanders and rushing to declare victory in the Iraq war saying, respectively, “we’ve succeeded militarily” and “We are winning.”

Tossing Lieberman into the national security mix in a republican administration has been a right-wing wet-dream for quite some time, and could very well happen if we don’t make sure a Democrat wins the presidency next year.

It’s up to us.

The Friday Presidential ‘BushWhack’ing

Iowa-centric post this morning with our next stop in New Hampshire…

• Sen. Barack Obama (IL) won the Democratic caucus in Iowa…
• Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (AR) won the republican caucus in Iowa…
• Heading into New Hampshire, Sen. Hillary Clinton, who finished in third place, has lost a lot of momentum while Sen. John Edwards’ stock seems to be rising. Stay tuned, things are just getting going…
• Mitt Romney finished a distant second behind Huckabee in Iowa and is counting on a HUGE showing in New Hampshire…
• Not surprisingly, following their shallow showing in Iowa, Chris Dodd and Joe Biden have dropped out of the Democratic race… Kucinich is still in… Richardson is still in, for now, and Gravel… well, his campaign was dead in the water months ago…
• On the right, no one has dropped out… though some of them should… I’m talking to you Duncan Hunter (CA)
• Evangelicals helped Huckabee win Iowa, though I doubt they will help him much in New Hampshire. On the left, young voters helped Obama, as did Independents who look upon him as bringing change…
• And have we mentioned? That the gloves are off?

No real earth shattering surprises....after all it's only Iowa.

The Iowa Caucus' (which is basically a game of musical chairs on the Democrat side..) are over and the winners are....... a Democratic win for Barack Obama and on the other side of the aisle a Republican win for Mike Huckabee.

Okay, is anyone really surprised by this? No, not if you can read or have watched at least 2 minutes of TV in the past month.

If there was any surprise it was in the 2nd and 3rd place finishes.

On the Democratic side 2nd place was captured by John Edwards while Hillary Clinton came in 3rd.

On the Republican side, Mitt Romney came in 2nd with 3rd place being snatched by Fred Thompson.

Low 'caucus' results dealt death blows to the campaigns of Christopher Dodd and Joe Biden. Both will abandon their runs for the White House.

Okay now that the 'caucus' are officially over, can we now please go about the business of ignoring anything to do with the state of Iowa for the next 4 years ?

The Returning Thursday ‘BushWhack’ing

I’m back… I’m bad… and the official primary season is (finally!) underway…

• In case you haven’t heard, the Iowa caucus is today… while returning from Orlando I read the Orlando Sentinel on the plane and found a phenomenal article asking what I’ve been asking forever; why should we care what the Iowa caucus tells us… my opinion? We shouldn’t… I say you should ignore what the egotist states of Iowa and New Hampshire say and make up your own mind with your own opinions and thoughts; sheep be dammed…
• Not everyone is kissing Iowa’s ass as Rudy Giuliani skipped over Iowa the night before the caucus to focus on that other full-of-itself state New Hampshire.
• Speaking of New Hampshire, John McCain is tied with Mitt Romney for the republican lead. (There once was a time when I admired and liked John McCain, but every since he got TOO behind the Iraq war, he’s started to sound a little too senile for my taste and has, in my eyes, sold out his once-upon-a-time maverickness. Can he maintain this to other states? Only time will tell)
• The DOJ has “opened a criminal investigation” into the destruction of the CIA interrogation videotapes. According to AP, recently minted AG Mike Mukasey has named John Durham, a federal prosecutor in Connecticut, to oversee the case. All fine and good, but Durham is neither “outside” nor “special,” nor “independent” and will report to the Deputy AG, who in turn reports to Mukasey. In other words, it’s a dog and pony show
• 9/11 Commission Co-Chairme Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton wrote earlier this week in The New York Times that the CIA “obstructed our investigation” when it destroyed those interrogation videotapes and “failed to respond to our lawful requests” about “the kind of information that would have been contained in such videotapes.” (Okay… annnnnnnnnd; what is going to be done about that???)
• And have we mentioned? That the Bush(whacked) Administration is going to open “46,000 square miles off Alaska’s northwest coast to petroleum leases” next month? While the decision is naturally being condemned by environmental groups that say it will harm animals, I’m sure it’s being done to make Bush’s oil-friends richer help the American public with high gas prices make Bush’s oil-friends richer…

Back at it

I'm back from vacation, in need of another vacation to recover from the first one, but will be back to it tomorrow, Thursday... which happens to be the first day of the official primary season...

As we say at TBWA; Stay. Tuned.

We have the top political quotes

As we get closer and closer to the end of 2007, we at TBWA continue with our Top Lists of 2007. Today; The Top Ten Political Quotes of 2007; enjoy.

• “Put your big-girl panties on.” – Education Secretary Margaret Spellings' advice to deputy White House press secretary Dana Perino, who replaced Tony Snow as White House press secretary (Meowwwww
• “Think about it. Rudy Giuliani. There's… there's only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun, a verb and 9/11. I mean there's nothing else.” – Democratic presidential contender Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware (very nice Mr. Biden. Unfortunately you also said this this past yea:)
• “You got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy." Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE) on Barack Obama
• “Um, no.” – Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, on whether he misses President Bush (Ouch… not words you want to hear from your one-time BFF)
• “Dumb as hell.” –President Richard Nixon, on tape, talking about Fred Thompson (Being called dumb by Nixon? That’s gotta hoit)
• “It was an unidentified flying object, OK? It's, like, it's unidentified.” Rep. Dennis Kucinich on his UFO sighting (do I really need to say anything else?)
• “I don't recall.” Former U.S. Attorney General and Bush(whacked) Administration Albatross Alberto Gonzales
• “I'm not going to get into a name-calling match with somebody (Vice President Dick Cheney) who has a 9% approval rating.” – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Ouch)
• “I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history.” – Former President Jimmy Carter (pretty hard to argue with that…)
• “(I have) a wide stance when going to the bathroom.” Senator Larry Craig trying to explain why his foot touched the foot of an undercover police officer in an airport men's room known for gay pick-ups (Gonna take me another 2 weeks to get that image out of my head…)
• “I would not refuse to meet Barry Manilow.” – Mitt Romney. (Reason enough to not vote for him…)
• “You never point your gun at the carcass of a dead animal.” — Mike Huckabee. (Good safety tip, thanks Egon)

That’s it for 2007…I am on vacation starting tomorrow until January 2nd. So I will see you all when I get back from visiting the evil empire Disney World. See you in 2008. With elections, lameduckiness ® and all, it should be one helluva year…

Things are slow going this day after Christmas, so whilst you break-down boxes, put together kids’ toys and try to get your daughter’s latest Barbie out of the box, enjoy today’s ‘BushWhack’ing…

• Some people in Iowa are complaining about being inundated with political phone calls, ads and mail over the holidays. To them I say this, perhaps if you weren’t so damn full of yourself that you had to place your caucus on January 3rd, you wouldn’t be experiencing this. I guess what I’m saying is; get over it…
• CNN reports on what the Bush’s gave each other for Christmas… is this really what accounts for news nowadays?
• And have we mentioned? That it’s a SLOW political-news day?

Merry Christmas!!

from Kemp & Scott