Trouble in Paradise

Just when you thought things couldn’t get any better, we get this.

Congressional republicans asked Bush to convene a special session of Congress to grandstand and showboat their lusting of lifting the ban on offshore drilling.

“President” Bush refused.

Now he’s got House republicans mad at him… and a group of them sent a legislative update to gop members today in which Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (r-MI) accused the President, whom he labeled “Beijing George” of throwing House republicans “under the bone-dry bus.”

Says the memo; “Today, in his final term, the wildly unpopular President George W. Bush boarded Air Force One bound for the Beijing Olympics and a meeting with his chum Hu Jintao, the dapper ruler of a nuclear armed, communist dictatorship. … Perhaps our Compassionate Conservative-in-Chief will bring our absent Democrat Congress some ‘Made in (communist) China’ souvenir t-shirts: “Bush went to Beijing and all I got was this lousy five week, paid vacation.”

Ouch… that sounds like something I would say on this blog… but the fact that it’s members of Bush’s own party should give concern to republicans and joy to Democrats.

We can only hope the animosity lasts...

McCain's Liability

While I beg for Democrats to unite and vote the ticket this November, a primary reason for my belief that we have an above average chance to win the White House this November is finally getting the recognition from the so-called MSM.

Sen. McCain’s greatest liability this November isn’t his age (though he is too old in my opinion), it isn’t his lack of understanding about economics (a gas tax holiday? Really, that's the best you and Clinton for that matter - can come up with?), it’s not his desire to see Iraq through, it's not his failure to see the food "crisis" (for lack of a better term) for what it is, and it isn’t his Bush-repeated healthcare plan...

It’s “President” Bush himself…

A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows that 43% of registered voters have major concerns about McCain because he’s too closely aligned with the Bush(whacked) Administration.

Now, McCain shouldn't feel too bad as Bush is, unfortunately, EVERYONE'S problem… but McCain has brought this on himself.

For the last 2 years McCain has been kissing (and hugging) up to Bush and his supporters in a ramp-up to the presidential race, and now, seeing the effects that strategy was having, he’s desperately trying to separate himself from Bush now… criticizing the federal response to hurricane Katrina and blaming the administration for it’s lack of leadership in Iraq are just the latest examples, but it’s too late… especially when you have Liberal and Grass Roots blogs keeping the image of McCain hugging Bush in everyone’s heads.

I believe McCain to be a hero for what he went through in Vietnam, but I don't trust him to have the proper judgment to deal with the war, soldiers care or foreign policy, but my question is how someone who went through such an experience subject another generation of fellow soldiers with his “stay the course” mantra?

As I’ve said before, I would have considered voting for the 2000 version of McCain, but this is not the same guy that was running in 2000.

(BTW, the same poll says 36% believe Sen. Clinton’s biggest problem is shifting her position on issues after realizing Liberals don’t support them and 34% say they are bothered by Sen. Obama’s “bitterness” issue – the weakest argument of the three in my opinion.

The same poll that found that voters think McCain is too close to Bush also reports that 73% of voters disapprove of Bush’s handling of the economy (no wonder when he continually maintains we’re only in a ‘slowdown’) and 81% believe the US is in a recession… a feeling shared by a majority on national and international economists… but let’s get back to the topic at hand – McBush, I mean; McCain)

It’s no secret that the political landscape is skewed to the Democrats this cycle (much like it was in the 2006 mid-terms), and the gop is going to need a LOT of help to keep the White House.

Let’s all make sure that doesn’t happen. To help with that affect, here’s the picture I reference above…



Awwwwm, isn’t that sweet... and highly disturbing?

He still doesn’t get it...

Yesterday I wrote about the incredible lack of logic displayed by Bush regarding the NIE report that says Iran stopped working on their nuclear weapons program in 2003.

Yesterday I hoped that someone, anyone, in his administration, his cabinet, his house, would tell him the facts.

Didn’t happen.

This morning “President” Bush was in Nebraska and said;

“It is clear from the latest NIE that the Iranian government has more to explain about its nuclear intentions and past actions.”

Huh?

No George, the latest NIE does NOT mean that the Iranian government has more to explain… it DOES mean that your administration has more to explain on who knew what, what they knew and when they knew it.

Less than two months ago, Bush famously elicited images of another World War when he said;

“… if you're interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them from having knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon. And I take this very -- I take the threat of Iran with a nuclear weapon very seriously.”

Of course that’s all fine and good… Iran having a nuclear weapon would be bad… but with the revelations about the NIE coming out… did Bush already know that Iran had suspended their nuclear weapons program in 2003 when he said that?And if he did, does saying what he said and banging the war-drums merit censuring or, at the most, impeachment?

And before you trolls jump up and down on me about a witch hunt, it’s not just Liberals and Democrats that are getting fed-up with Bush’s (choose one) logic and/or lack of intelligence.

Joe Scarborough had Pat Buchanan (via telephone) on MSNBC this morning to discuss the recent NIE revelations about Iran as well as Bush's sad and pathetic performance yesterday when he said he didn't find out about it until just now.

It’s safe to say that Joe and Pat are dubious about that concept, with Buchanan even suggesting that Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) needs to get back to DC and hold hearings about who knew what, and when. Buchanan also called on Biden to bring Condi Rice and Stephen Hadley before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and ask them if they knew about the NIE report, and if they had ever told Bush, and if either of those two knew about this report, and didn't tell Bush about it, they should be fired immediately…

And Buchanan wasn't the only one firing off at Bush as Scarborough said;

"We are left with only two options here. Either the President of the United States is lying to the American people about what happened during that meeting, or the President of the United States is stupid."

It seems that Joe Scarborough and Buchanan (who are no where close to Liberal about anything) has had it with this administration.

There seems to be a shift evolving with the release of the NIE… people who usually would support the president, no matter what, are realizing that he may be as off-the-chart as many of us have already said…

Stay tuned…

Let's not get complacent

Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse for “President” Bush within his own party… something comes along that makes you giggle like a schoolgirl.

During the most recent campaign finance-filing period, covering contributions and spending through April 30, the NRCC (National republican Congressional Committee) trailed the D Triple C (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) by $7.75 million in cash-on-hand or $9.87 million when debts and obligations are included.

Usually, republicans could bank on the President to bail them out of a financial mess such as this… but therein ‘lies the rub.’

During last year’s midterms, some gop lawmakers and candidates didn’t want the leader of their party to stump for them… then some of them started to break away from him about Iraq… then it was his Immigration bill that caused some inter-party friction.

And now? Now it’s “President” Bush’s money-raising ability ( or rather, the lack thereof) that’s garnering attention from Liberals and is putting republicans into a tight spot.

In the last few weeks, his money-raising prowess for the party has waned, ebbed… and yes, even diminished.

Case in point; the organizers of a congressional republican fund-raising dinner happening tonight don’t think they will be able to raise the kind of money they used to, despite Bush being the “main attraction.”

All of this is indicative of two things: first, President Bush isn't just unpopular with some of the more Liberal republicans, but with the republican base as well… but anyone with a brain probably knew that already.

Second, the Republican base is not getting engaged in this cycle's elections, which could be a real problem for the gop as we inch closer to election day.

All of this brings to mind one question; is this a good thing for the Democrats?

While it would be easy to say ‘yes’, I would suggest a little cautious optimism.

Sure, it would be great to say that the Democrats have the elections in the next couple of years all sewn-up thanks in part to the gop’s current fundraising strife, but let’s keep in mind that we are talking about republicans, and they have shown many, many times before that they can raise money faster than John Kerry can flip-flop.

And let’s also keep in mind that we could be only one polarizing event away from the conservative base regrouping, most likely under a different standard bearer (they seem to be pinning their hopes on Fred Thompson as of now) but regrouping nonetheless.

And with a regrouping comes a re-energizing of the party anda rise in contributions as a major effort to shore up a now floundering party and advance whatever they will come to accept as their rallying cry (Immigration? Terrorism? Healthcare? Oil?)

The point is that Democrats cannot sit idly by and think that they have the next couple of election cycles in the bag. Instead they need to continue to be diligent in their efforts to out-raise the gop, present a single, united candidate who could return something not just to the White House, but the government itself…

And that’s the will of the American people.

Fundraising troubles for the gop

As if we needed more proof that the American people are sick of the conservatives currently in power comes this tasty tidbit of information.

The republican party held their annual fundraising gala last night with “President” Bush and a gaggle of lemmings republicans in attendance. The event raised $10.5 million for the national republican party… not a bad amount, but it is the smallest amount raised at this event in the past few years.

Cue the Liberal laughter…

Last year the event fetched $17 million, in 2005 it raised $15 million, a record $38.5 million in Bush’s re-election year of 204 and $14 million in 2003.

Ouch… down 30% from the baseline and 75% from the peak… that’s gotta hoit…

Especially coming on the heels of the gop losing control of both houses a few months ago, keeping that in mind and the incredibly low amount is telling.

The republicans have always been known for their fundraising prowess, which is also an electoral strength for them (that and fear) and it’s not a good sign for them to see such a significant plunge in one of their top fundraising events.

I wonder if it has anything to do with Bush himself??

One word answer: yes.

Bush, his cronies administration and his policies have all broken the gop from their center, broken them from the military and broken them from the people that matter most to republicans… rich white men people with money.

Essentially Bush has screwed the party with its pants on… and Cheney is helping him when he says things like “we didn’t get elected to worry just about the fate of the Republican Party”

Lovely… sure the party loved to hear that.

While all of this republican in-fighting and fundraising difficulty is enjoyable news, let’s not start congratulating ourselves TOO much. There’s still a long ways to go and much work left to be done…

But this certainly helps… so let’s keep it up.

A White House Intervention

Hmmmm… maybe the dominoes are beginning to fall after all.

Okay… at first “Iraqtember” ® (as I am now dubbing it and calling dibs on) was a true threat by republicans to “President” Bush… then some decided to call it a reach around to give him more time… now, it looks as though Iraqtember is a true threat to Bush’s “strategy” (and I use that term very, very loosely) in Iraq.

In a sign of the ever-growing crevice between the White House and some republicans over the war, a handful of media outlets (NBC News, CNN, WaPo) are reporting that eleven repulican members of Congress, led by Reps. Mark Kirk (IL) and Charlie Dent (PA) had a blunt meeting earlier this week with Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Bush Rice, Defense Secretary Robert “Don’t call me Rummy” Gates, White House political adviser Karl “President” Rove and presidential press secretary Tony “Job” Snow.

The “Iraqi Eleven” ® (as I am now calling them) were: John Boehner (OH), Michael Castle (DE), Dent (PA), Tom Davis (VA), JoAnn Emerson (MO), Jim Gerlach (PA), Kirk (IL), Ray LaHood (IL), Todd Platts (PA), Jim Ramstad (MN) & James Walsh (NY).

The topic of the meeting was Iraq… and the Iraq 11 were NOT happy with the current course or the current “strategy”, with one of the eleven calling the discussion the “most unvarnished conversation they’ve ever had with the president,” while White House mouthpiece NBC’s Tim Russert said that the meeting “may have been a defining pivotal moment” in the Iraq debate.

The highlight, for me anyway because it shows just how far this president has fallen within his own party, was when one of the eleven said that; “the word about the war and its progress cannot come from the White House or even you, Mr. President. There is no longer any credibility.”

Finally!! Someone within the republican party has finally realized that “President” Bush has no credibility left… all it took was over 3,000 lives lost.

Today, Rep Ray LaHood (R-IL) said that Bush was taken aback by the concerns expressed by the congressional delegation, with LaHood saying;

“He listened very carefully. I think he was a little — I don’t know if surprised is the right word, probably maybe sobered. The fact is that, I don’t know if he’s gotten that kind of opinion before in such a frank and no holds barred way but he was very sober about it and he listened very intently.”

LaHood went on to say that the congressional delegation expressed concerns to Bush about the political impact the war is having on their congressional districts… in other words, they’re scared shitless that they’re going to lose re-election when the time comes.

Maybe I’m being naïve, but I truly think that this is the first serious clink in the Bush’s armor… he’s no longer the ‘Teflon President’… his own party is starting to question him, and that is certainly good news and leaves me with an air of cautious optimism… and if these eleven can round up, say, 60 additional disgrunted republican Representatives and a handful of republican Senators, then we can be a little bit more optimisitc and a little less cautious.

Also… I seem to remember from history class and such that near the end of Nixon’s reign of terror that a group of republicans went to the White House to talk to him about Watergate and his plunging approval numbers…

Sound familiar?

It should… it certainly seems that Bush is getting his “Nixonian” moment… and with 28% approval ratings, you have to wonder how much farther can Bush go.

Stay tuned…

And the dominoes continue to fall...

2 Update belows

For years the republican mantra about the Iraq war has been “a few more months.” Such as ‘a few more months is all we need for victory’ or ‘a few more months is all the Iraqi people need to create a working government’ or ‘a few more months is all the Iraqi government needs to be effective.’

Well… it’s beginning to look as though the current “few more months” will be ending this fall.

William F. Buckley, George Will & David Brooks sounded the trumpet last week… then came the LA Times Editorial board…then came House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) this past weekend… then Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR)… then Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) then Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)…

Now it’s Senate republican Whip Trent Lott (R-MS) who is declaring that the war in Iraq is on a short rope within the republican party.

Lott says President Bush's new strategy in Iraq has until September before gop members will need to see results.

Lott’s comment echoed remarks made this past weekend by House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH)… which are all signs that republican’s have limited patience on the war.

Said Lott: “I do think this fall we have to see some significant changes on the ground, in Baghdad and other surrounding areas.”

(Welcome to the evident point that was well known to everyone with their own brain months ago Mr. Lott)

However, in true republican flip-flop fashion, Lott declined to say what he thinks should happen if Congress doesn’t see improvement in the situation by then, leaving an opening for him and every other republican to backpedal.

Despite that, it’s clear that Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle are giving “President” Bush a few more months to show that the war has (finally) turned a corner… and it’s also relatively clear that September is beginning to look more and more like that decisive month.

That sucking sound you hear is the wind being taken out of the White House sails by upper-echelon conservatives.

Add to that ever-growing list the fact that Kevin Drum of The Washington Monthly believes that there is a “handful” of more moderate republicans who are also thinking about abandoning Bush… plus, Senate Democrats have compiled a list of other republicans that have been opining similar comments.
Wait a minute… are these some of the same republicans that bashed Harry Reid for what they, at the time, said was an all-to-quick prognosis of failure of the war??? Are they now covering their asses hedging their bets?

My one word answer: Yup.

What’s happening now is that they are not only trying to save face, but they are also trying to avoid another election smackdown at the polls in 2008… and 2009… and 2010… and, well, you get the idea.

So in trying to save face they’ve assigned September as the month in which things have to change by, and the reasoning behind September is primarily because that was the month that Gen. David Petraeus, the commanding general in Iraq, has said he would have a handle on whether the current troop increase surge escalation was having a positive “political progress” impact on the war or not.

(Remember that Bush’s supposedly primary purpose of the escalation was to assuage anxiety in Baghdad so some kind of political progress could occur)

Additionally, fiscal 2008 starts October 1st and (most members of) Congress would like to rein in war spending for the new fiscal year.

Granted, we’ve heard similar things before… but this; this could be the real deal.

In September, Petraeus will deliver his progress report, and many people already seem to know what it will say… that progress is being made on the ground… but political progress is a whole different kettle of fish, especially since, as of right now, there is virtually no positive signs that the political process is getting any better.

And in an effort to head the republicans off at the pass, the Democrats need to outline a definition of “progress” now before the Bush(whacked) Administration has a chance to do it and, as is the custom and trademark of this administration, dumb it down. And in my opinion, “progress” will have to mean the disarming of militias, suppressing a wide swath of sectarian violence, the sharing of oil revenue, and so on… anything less than that will be (more of) a failure.

And one has to think that what we know now and what we expect, failure is what we will be seeing in September.

So it’s all settled in the republican party now, right? September will might will might will might will be the end of the president’s Iraq policy…

Maybe… Stay tuned…

Update 1: Then again... maybe not September. The Pentagon announced late yesterday (Tuesday) that 35,000 soldiers in 10 Army combat brigades will start to deploy to Iraq this August, which would make it possible to sustain the escalation until the end of this year at the least. (Once again, ignoring the will of not only the American people and Democrats but quite a few conservatives, the Bush(whacked) Administration is doing whatever the hell they want… way to be the ‘people’s government’ there guys… or should I say ‘boys’…)

Update 2: More coming out about this as Craig Crawford of CQPolitics.com thinks this sudden surge of Septemberitis is a rope-a-dope by a handful of republicans;

House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., among others in their party, are now settling upon September as a deadline. But the White House might be preparing the way for another “ropa dope” of Congress. Yesterday the Pentagon announced that another 35,000 troops were notified that they are likely to be heading to Iraq by December. That suggests that, come September, the White House will be asking for a reprieve until the end of the year — and possibly beyond.

Stay tuned…