Why The Base Still Stands By Pres. Bush

[NATO AIR]

Her analysis is on the money. Her point about Laura Bush (having never made a mistake as first lady) is seemingly trivial but also profound in its own right, it sort of defines the bush presidency (not in never making a mistake, but never embarassing the country). Bush has never gone overseas like Clinton and Pappy and Carter used to and return with his tail tucked between his legs. He's stayed strong, changed tone as needed but remained his own man and kept his administration together, despite some crucial media bias and the rogue agent Colin Powell.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110007087

Bookends
Why the base--and some outside it--are standing by President Bush.

Thursday, August 11, 2005 12:01 a.m. EDT

In New York right now the sun is soft, not searing; the humidity just high enough that you feel like you're walking through pleasantly warm gelatin as you walk along the streets. A good time for a general political overview, I say. Let's start with the Bushes.

President Bush is under pressure from various parts of his constituency, but there is little sign he's noticed. Among conservatives there is rising frustration over immigration, government spending and the gradual, slow-mo, day-by-day redefining of what modern conservatism is and what the Republican Party stands for that has taken place during the Bush presidency. That is in fact the big, largely unspoken fact of the Bush presidency.

This will be argued over and may be at least partially resolved in 2007 and 2008, as individual Republicans choose which Republican contenders for the presidency to back. It will be an orderly process, because Republicans are orderly people. But if Republicans lose the presidency in 2008, things will get less polite. There will be an intraparty fight over what to do about America's borders, what to do about dramatically rising spending, what to do about the growth of government, how or if to lower deficits, what path to take on taxes, where we are going in foreign affairs. That's how Republicans will spend the Hillary Clinton years if we get the Hillary Clinton years: in a great big donnybrook.

But while Republicans are on the verge of a great struggle, the president continues to be supported and appreciated among the Republican base. I have talked to all kinds of Republicans this summer, and for all their questioning, the base is his.

How could this be? How could the reason for a coming party battle--George W. Bush himself--be the continuing object of unified party support?

CONTINUE ARTICLE @ LINK

 

[Annie]

She's always good, while once in awhile over the top, this is not one of those times.

 

[NATO AIR]

Agreed. We all have our bad days anyway. I wish I could afford a subscription to the WSJ (i probably can but waste money on other stuff)

 

[Annie]

Agreed. We all have our bad days anyway. I wish I could afford a subscription to the WSJ (i probably can but waste money on other stuff)

Hint: I took WSJ 'free trial' but never subscribed. They delivered for 3 months past. Still asking me to subscibe.

 

[NATO AIR]

Hint: I took WSJ 'free trial' but never subscribed. They delivered for 3 months past. Still asking me to subscibe.

Right on!

Oh yea, the economist too.... i need a rich g/f or aunt/uncle....