It’s Useless, Stupid!
The New York Times reports that GOP candidates will – these last days of the campaign – focus on the economy. Their main message will be that the unemployment rate has dropped due to the tax cuts. There is, in my opinion, one major problem: the economy is not the main issue these US elections: it’s Iraq. The Bush administration has messed up everything about Iraq, it was only able to do so, because it had the support from a GOP-ruled Congress. Republican strategists should have (perhaps they did of course) advised Bush to get rid of, at least, Rumsfeld: that would have sent a message that the US President is aware that the allied forces are failing in Iraq and that something has to change. One can focus on the economy as much as one pleases, but as long as Americans (and others) are constantly confronted with images from an Iraq torn by sectarian violence, as long as American soldiers are dying due to how the Bush administration refuses to learn from its mistakes and refuses to accept reality, as long as more information is getting out about how Bush et al. (mis)handled the war and continue to mishandle it and now that even the military is turning against Rumsfeld (and thus Bush – because Bush support his Secretary of Defense at just about all cost)… it is all useless.
One cannot help but think that it is not just Bush who is in denial: it is the entire GOP.
Anyway, Bush immediately used the good news about the unemployment:
“If the Democrats’ election predictions are as good as their economic predictions, we’re going to have a good day on November the seventh,� Mr. Bush said, drawing a long cheer from a crowd in Joplin, Mo., where he was campaigning for Senator Jim Talent, who is in a close race.
“The facts are in,� Mr. Bush said at another campaign stop on Friday. “The tax cuts have led to a strong and growing economy, and this morning, we got more proof of that.�
Yeah, very good. So what you’re planning on doing with Iraq?
Cheney has the answers:
“Full speed ahead,� Mr. Cheney said in an interview with ABC News that was taped for broadcast Sunday, two days before the election.
“It may not be popular with the public,� he continued. “It doesn’t matter in the sense that we have to continue the mission and do what we think is right. And that’s exactly what we’re doing. We’re not running for office.�
Although battle plans always change in times of war, the vice president said, “I think, again, we’ve got the basic strategy right.�
And that is where you are wrong Mr. Cheney: you do not have the basic strategy right. You are messing it up. A country is falling into chaos because of your idiotic devotion to a failing ‘strategy’ and a refusal to face the reality of the situation.
More:
“I’m going to tell you something point-blank,� Mr. Bush said. “If I didn’t think we could win, I’d get our troops out.�
Separately, two former Pentagon advisers who were closely identified with the argument for invasion, Richard N. Perle and Ken Adelman, told Vanity Fair magazine that they would not have supported the invasion if they had known how “incompetently� the administration would manage it. Both have previously criticized the administration’s conduct of the war.
Well, that’s just great. What is he waiting for? Devine intervention?
The only intervention he can expect is a relatively tremendous loss for the GOP the coming elections.
UPDATE
H/t to the Snark, an interesting video:
12 Responses to “It’s Useless, Stupid!”
Thanks for the shout-out Michael.
Now that you’ve told us what he should do, tell us what you think he will do.
And what do you think the military will do?
No problem Snark, thanks for the link to the video.
Well, as always, I cannot predict the future so I can’t be sure. My initial thoughts are that he will not change anything (mainly because he is afraid that people will consider that to be a sign of weakness).
On the other hand, that would mean that he is not just committing political suicide for himself and the ones closest to him, but also for the GOP in its entirety regarding the 08 Presidential elections.
It’s difficult to imagine that other top Republicans / strategists / etc. will tolerate that.
Great post Michael. That video is rather shocking as well.
Although I have to say that I am a little disappointed that you are not writing about the most pressing issue of our time: John Kerry and his “joke”.
MvdG- I agree that Bush won’t want to be seen as giving into pressure, and so will keep Rummy- But I think he will do so regardless of the outcome for his party. We have never had someone in office with a mindset quite like this one-hard to tell if its because he’s an ex-alchoholic or an evangelical or a combination of both.
I used to think it was because his dad (who’s the far better man, BTW) was seen as a waffling weakling by right-wing critics-because he was so reasonable, and Bush didn’t want the same legacy. But, unlike the captain going down with the ship. this time the ship’s unfortunately going down with the captain. But, at least we’re staying the course over here!
I couldn’t agree with this more. Daddy Bush however, is trying his hardest to intervene. This makes it more likely to me Jr will put his head down and resist.
Snark: I am afraid that Bush 41 is actually not ‘intervening’ as much as he could. That’s not what he wants to do. He is pressuring now and then perhaps, but all through other people.
I actually think that if he would sit down with Bush 41 and have an honest and long conversation, he could make a difference.
Michael, in my book thats intervening. The Baker commission is all about intervention.
On a personal level, I don’t think they get along.
Snark you wrote:
I’m not saying that he doesn’t intervene at all, but simply that he doesn’t intervene as much as he can / should.
We can only hope that W
1) sleeps with his Babs
2) kills his real father Cheney
3) gouges out his eyes and wanders through Bazra or Gaza
It’s the updated Greek tragedy Oedipus W.
Um, not to get too deep into the, um, interesting relationship W has with Bush pere et mere (jeez Rudi, thanks for that image), but I have links to an interesting article by Lance Mannion here.
And, by the way, if the GOP is focusing on domestic issues as its strong suit it’s officially toast.
(And btw, isn’t that a nice demonstration of the use of its and it’s?)
Ironically enough, Domestic has become their strongest suit. But only because Foreign is a bloody nightmare.
So yeah……toast, extra burnt.
What about the quality of the jobs “created”? Wasn’t it pointed out last time these statistics were posted that most of the jobs are low-paying part-time jobs and ignore those who are unemployed but are not looking for a job?
Not to dump on these numbers but let’s get real. MvdG is right, the real issue this election is Iraq and the mess the GOP has made of it by blindly following the President Bush.
“There are lies, damn lies and statistics.” Which may not really be a Mark Twain quote… LINK