Most of the commenters appearing on this page seem not to realize that the only governing entity with lower ratings than our President is the Congress. It is also apparent that they cannot dissect, comprehend and offer suggestions about how to deal with the parts of the problems any better than President Bush and our
Congress nor can they suggest solid answers to any of the myriad issues with which the U.S. has to deal every day.

All I read is vitriolic malcontent from the losers whining and making excuses for Poor President Clinton who had a much more appealing "bon vivant" personality (and I agree about that) but not much else and a little short in the ethics area. I just wish your complainers would grow up and start living in the real world instead of the world of Europe in the 1930's.

Betty,

I could care less who Bill Clinton slept with. (I've met him and I'd sleep with him too given the chance.) No one died because of his personal bad judgement. My taxes didn't change because of it. No government agency illegally spied on its own citizenry because of it. Hatred of American didn't explode because of it. People weren't tortured because of it. No country invaded because of it. Please! Someone give Bush a BJ so we can impeach him!

your United States automakers have decided to help themselves not the people that work for them or the country that they draw their expertise, resources, background, inheritance or exuberance from....

the corporates help the corporates...it's a class thing....

_any_ fool could have seen the direction that the United States needed to take when the little

stupid looking honda civic came out and the the corolla....

open the hood, everything was routed and thought out...

an American car from the same period looked like it hadn't been thought out at all....I know I put them together....

unions and corporate heads were at odds with each other...but the real story is this...

it's cheaper in the long run for the owner, to just reposition, and sell off...

which is why we haven't really made any effort to avoid an "oil crisis"

if you're in oil there's big money there, regardless of what the country is going through...

you see when you're a corporation, people don't matter, unless you're related to them or can get a favor from them...

that's why bush, cheyney, rumsfeld, carlyle group, haliburton...

they make money because they're the ones setting up the plans that do....and calling them

what you need.

that's a larf....

that's like captain hook saying it's all about making sure the children are happy....

Jay, Vermont has held the Republican seat of Jeffords for decades and decades. When you say Democrats like Clinton won the state, that is the electoral votes, not the Senate. Jeffords, as a Republican, won that seat in 1994 and 2000. So if a Democrat running for president wins the state, that has no impact on the Senate race. There are various states which have a Repubican governor, and all their Senators are Democrats, like California, S Dakota, and N Dakota, for example.
So we shall see who wins the Vermont Senate seat, and it will be based on the mood of the voters. Kerry, Hillary, and Bush are not on the ballot.
If Jeffords is high in his job approval now, it will not have influence on Sanders.

Helen,

So you were debating between a "US-Made" Prius and a Mini-Cooper, huh?

You are aware that ultimately, the profits for both of those products go OUT of this country, right? BMW produces the Mini, and the last time I looked, that was a German company. And Toyota, a Japanese company, makes the Prius.

I don't care how many American jobs the two companies create here in the US, they are still non-American companies who employ far fewer Americans than the two US auto manufacturers, GM and Ford.

Ultimately, your purchase HURTS our economy, because neither Toyota nor BMW pays US taxes at the level of GM and Ford, and neither employs union workers.

Betty et al, sorry I did not spell interaction correctly, I didn't know the grammer police were watching. I should do better, but was trying to point out the fact that Wells made very well. Republicans and especially those on the far right are oh so pure when it comes to republican cover ups and when they screw around. Well, it's kind of like what's his face that said "it was a youthful indescresion", probably mispled that too. That youthful indescresion was when the guy was 45, like Bush's drinking and cocaine use. But Republicans like to carry the bible and quote verses while they are screwing around, so that makes it o.k. I guess! Thanks Sue F P.S. going to get my webster!

Drindl: now, now, let's celebrate diversity. Vive le difference and all that. Otherwise this becomes the parallel universe version of the Faux News echo chambers. 'Sides, there are some good posters from the GOP but they have been remarkably silent lately. Not surprising given the on-going avalanche originating from Bad News Bush.

I'm fascinated that some people still support Bush, despite his constant lies, stupidity, and monumental failure as a human being. But in looking at his supporters' writing, it's clear to see why. They are almost universally subliterate and suggestible and their thinking processes are about what you'd expect from a small, superstitious child.

'Amy:' don't strain yourself jumping to conclusions. I posted the poll results to illustrate how monumentally badly BushRove has screwed up. The only "rage of hate" I see here is in your post.

Bush's 5-point plan on Immigration stinks of Rove. I think it is going to be known as Rove's last Great Mistake.

For one, why was the Bush Administration so opposed to the 9/11 Commission's recommendations on the border and immigration issues? Second, McCain-Kennedy is FAR more comprehensive a solution.

Bush's plan is purely political, it is no real solution, and it involves throwing a bunch of money at the military, and that's why I think Rove had a major hand in its creation. I think that's also what will lead to the plan's demise.

you're welcome

I think they got the headline wrong. It should of read :

" KARL ROVE BLAMES BUSH FOR IRAQ LOW APPROVAL NUMBERS "

I personally think... |

that geo...witless bush...

is a criminal,

and needs to be supported in that mannre...

I also believe that he should be impounded and have his lands sold, as well as those of his fathers and those who have worked with him to perpatrate this fraud upon the people of the United States of America

I think, he should, at the very least have to suffer that fate which he has tried to foist upon us...

stamp his resume with the word "loser"

take his properties, his reputation, give his job to foreigners and let him compete as he would have you compete

and that his lands be sold to foreigners as he has sold your land and used your children to _his_ benefit...

after he has wiped his dic on your reputation...verily so...

that _you_ are now associated with _his_ reputation...and

are rendered unclean...

heh!

and let hte unclean be washed in the blood of a lbam

.

let me hear an AMEN!!!!!!!!!!

I want to go back to Sue F comment to Betty

Sue F: Hey Betty, I'm not defending Clinton's ineraction with women, and by the way if you read anything other then the right wing newpapers, listen to Bill O'Reilly

Wells: So Betty did you stop listening to Bill O' Reilly when he got sued by his female assistant for sexual harrasement ? Bill O'Reilly admitted guilt when he did an out of court settlement with her. Oh, you have a double standard. Oh, you are a hypocrite. It's alright when Bill O'Reilly sexual harrasses women.

Or when Gingrich conducts a Impeachment of the President for cheating on his wife while Gingrich is cheating on his wife at night in congress in his office (Sick Pervert). I don't know why people talk to a double-crossing hypocrite like Gingrich.

So Betty, why don't you get off your moral high horse you been riding/mounting. And get back to the issues that matter - If you are not going to look at the morals of people in the republican party.

I can not think of any worse immoral action than lying to people to get them to go to war. The Blood of Young American Soldiers rests upon Bush's head and on Bush's lips with which he lied to us with. May God forgive Bush for I shall not nor shall the innocent souls that seek their revenge from their grave.

thanks.

I actually do think that Karl rove is a genius, but in the sense that he is missing that certain part of his soul that keeps normal from being complete scum.

Case in Point: In the 2002 Georgia Senate Race, incumbent Democratic Senator and Vietnam War hero Max Cleland had huge leads in the polls vs. his republican challenger, Vietnam draft-dodger Saxby Chambliss. Enter Karl Rove, who basically ran Saxby Chambliss's campaign from Washington. In 2002, terrorism and national security were the two most important issues. Chambliss's capaign ran Rove-created ads that blatantly called Cleland unpatriotic (Cleland lost htree limbs in Vietnam) and other ads that disgustingly attempted to tie Cleland to Osama bin Laden. All this from a man who claimed to have bad knees to get out of Vietnam, yet runs regularly. Chambliss ended up defeating Cleland as a result of the attack ads which were full of lies. Republican hypocrisy at it's best...er...worst. Hence, Karl Rove is a genius, but only b/c he is the biggest piece of s*** on the face of the planet.

http://www.nhgazette.com/news/chickenhawks/politicans_platoon/

To "Sara"

"the seat is not going to a socialist party member like Bernard Sanders"

Sorry to break it to you Sara, but Sanders is going to win HUGE over whatever lamb the repiglicans throw at him.

Actually, my dad in Vermont says Jefford's doing fine. But Karl Rove's supposedly being indicted either today or tomorrow - how did Bush manage to get him to hold off to tomorrow?

Jefford's lost support? Is that why he has 67% approval rating?

colnolen sanders aint won wone sinec foghorn legornh did in 19776

Sara, the political landscape in Vermont has changed significantly in the last few years. The state was a Republican stronghold for many years until Clinton broke that it in 1992. Ever since then, no Republican has been able to carry Vermont. Kerry won Vermont by 20 points in 2004. Jeffords was never really a Republican. He supported the Clinton health care reform, and is staunchly pro-choice. If you think a Republican can even come close to beating Sanders, you are dreaming.

an erection

ineraction is spelled one of two ways depending upon what yer trahin tuh sey...

Hey Betty, I'm not defending Clinton's ineraction with women, and by the way if you read anything other then the right wing newpapers, listen to Bill O'Reilly or Rush the drug doper Limbaugh, you will find that most of the feeding frenzy that went on during clinton's time in office was backed and brought forth by "judicial watch", which well it's pointless telling Republicans anything because they still think Bush is SMART! nuf said Sue F

Hey Betty, I'm not defending Clinton's ineraction with women, and by the way if you read anything other then the right wing newpapers, listen to Bill O'Reilly or Rush the drug doper Limbaugh, you will find that most of the feeding frenzy that went on during clinton's time in office was backed and brought forth by "judicial watch", which well it's pointless telling Republicans anything because they still think Bush is SMART! nuf said SF

Jay, that Senate seat in Vermont had been held by Republicans for 150 years until Jeffords jumped ship. He is not a Democrat, and the seat is not going to a socialist party member like Bernard Sanders. Jeffords lost support, that is why he is retiring. The Republican voters who helped him win the race in 2000 were disgusted when he jumped the GOP ship in June 2001. So it will be interesting if the Democrats get the seat, but again, Sanders is not running as a Democrat.
I still think the Republicans will win it, but we shall see.

cutting off heads...

and how many men has bush killed?

and how did the Iraq occupation start?

george h.w. bush, April Glaspie, Kuwiat

florida/cuba/mafia/honduras/negroponte/cia/kennedy/texas....

1 ='s 1

1 + 1 = 2

1 + 2 = 3

2 + 2 = 4

do I need to do the rest for you?

why did we put an embargo on Iraq,

until China, Pakistan and India started emerging and using a good deal of world resources?

need some help here?

...hit submit while doing preview...part
of 06:05pm posting missing...

...run out of money? stop spending money...
some wild cards between now and november
mid-term election...another katrina wipeout
...iraq goes worse ( is this possible?)
...oil hits the $90 range...iran gets
attacked by "someone"...

you knew what that was but you're so busy selling your stock in Fox news as_if it were the truth that

you've long since lost the ability to speak from a place of truth...

which would put Osama as being part of the Bush Administration plot to destroy the

United States from the inside out, so that they could sell the bits and pieces of it to other countries...

is that what you're really trying to say,

but you've forgotten how>

you pandering clown?

.

Judge, I think you are trying to make a point that your poll shows if the election were held today that Kerry would have won in November 2004 instead of President Bush.
Well, you can blame Osama and that tape that played in October for reminding people of the threat of Al Quaida and those barbaric acts of thugs who cut off the heads of their captives and blow up their own people. Using schools to hide weapons is against the Geneva Convention, holding civilians as hostage is also against the convention, using religious sites for shooting people or as a safe haven for storage of weapons is also against the Geneva Convention. The Democrats are so blind with rage of hate against the President they fail to see all the barbaric acts of the Iraq terrorists are completely wrong and disgusting. The voters understand that Bush is right to be in Iraq, and Afghanistan, and the voters cast their votes for Bush. Kerry lost, he had a chance to make his case in November, and he failed. Any poll of "buyers remorse" now fails to count for anything. Kerry has offered nothing to help show he is ready to seek the 2008 race, and this time, he has the long long shadow of Bill and Hillary Clinton standing in his way. If Hillary runs, she might win the nomination. But the nation is not giving her much support. In a recent CBS poll, she was only 34% favorable, (not much better than Bush) and she was at 35% unfavorable. So if the Democrats want a winner for 2008, your field is wide open.

There is probably a better chance of a Democratic picking up Texas than there is a Republican picking up Vermont.

There is probably a better chance of a Democrat picking up Texas than there is a Republican picking up Vermont.

your interests?

titilate your idiosycrosies?

how about nubia, did you know that used to be a country?

...with the bush2 WH there is always room
for more "make your own reality"...
...KR is surely a political creature who
has been able to shape bush2 electioneering
and governing practices well enough to get
barb and george senior's not so bright son
into the WH twice...
...no doubt the smear and slander machines
are being warmed up for another summer and
fall of attack and misdirection on those
deemed worthy of being torn apart...
...KR likely may have a date in court yet
but as seems to be a pattern with this
bunch the "bad" news will likely be held
off until after mid-term elections...
...the mexico-usa border issue is now just
getting put in place for pandering to the
border security crowd...likely the latest
iraq regime will be sold as being all good
until after the election...no matter how
contorted or disconnected that stance is
with reality...
...the tax cuts the gop in congress and
the bush2 WH are so fond of and like to
brag about remain unlinked to the furious
spend and borrow reality this bunch has
engaged in...sadly many americans have let
this happen...there is no way this trend
will continue without some severe and very
abrupt penalties...no country can spend
what it does not have forever...this idea
that the federal government has a drawer
of credit cards it can charge out to the
max is fiscal fantasy of a very dangerous
sort...just following the saga of "earmark"
spending that the congress is addicted to
points to a major flaw with this spend and
borrow but cut taxes dogma...the best thing
that could happen in washington dc would
be a balance sheet that accounts for all
revenue and disbursement...you only spend
what you take in...run out of money?...stop
range, iran gets attacked by "someone"...
...some democrats have suggested that it
would not be worst outcome to see gop still
in power slots after the midterm election
in washington dc...this may be correct...
it is likely KR and the gop would heap all
forms of scorn and blame on the democrats
during the last 2 years of the bush2 WH...
it would be the ultimate smear and distort
rove run...

get the president elected using demagogurey

and appealing to the pedophilic interest level of antichrist-ians to insert their "half-truths" into the unthinking mouths of children of pure-love believing in gawd...looking for guidance, selling them _hate_ as love...like any child abusing thoughtful(sarcastic tone)/father would...

actin' in their own interests, not in the interests of love or truth or beauty, and least of all in "the American Way"

they turned the election to push their agenda of hate,

which McCain is busy pandering to....

AND VERILY THOUGH:

"You shall know them by their werks"

isn't it interesting that the History channel has been running over the weekend about how to recognize the anti-christ...

ah yes....

and Karl Rove, does he really have a pointy tale under his coat?

AH THINK SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....

yes indeeeeeeeeeeeeeddddddddd!

spank him.

Sorry Sue F. I think you forgot the lawsuit by Paula Jones against President Clinton for his totally disgusting behavior against her while he was governor. Her lawyers were allowed to continue with her lawsuite in a 9 to zero Supreme Court decision, which led to interviews with other women to find a pattern of bad behavior with other women who worked with him and for him. Manhandling a woman, giving her a job if she allows him to fondle her body, and other types of sexual behavior is not what our nation is accepting in the White House. Clinton was impeached, lost his lawyer license for 5 years, and was fined by Jusan Susan Wright. If Sue F is going to defend Clinton at this late date, it is only to try to justify his bad behavior toward women.

tick tick tick...

I believe the correct response is

tick tock, tick tock, tick tock,

and Karl Rove is Captain Hook, who stands for all that is bad....

and the alligator of truth is going to swallow his big white butt...

and poop out gold coins of honesty for this country....

.

My Mini Cooper was purchased in Tampa Florida, that helps the US economy too. Britian is an ally with us, like Winston Churchill helped FDR.

I would have purchased a US made Prius, but they are back ordered, and I wanted a small car at the time I purchased my Mini.

If Katherine Harris continues to spend her own money to get her message out to the people across Florida, she might defeat Nelson. If Nelson blocks judges like Brent Kavanaugh and the other 20 people who will be named soon, it will clearly show the Democrats only want to block the President instead of allowing people with experience as Supreme Court clerks or other types of legal experience be confirmed. In fact, If Bill Frist has any backbone, he will hold a real fillibuster to get Kavanaugh confirmed before the May 25 recess. Does Frist have the guts to keep the Senate in session 24 hours a day, day after day, until the judges is passed? I think the Democrats will buckle if they can not get out of DC because they won't confirm a judge.
The power of Rove is just as good on the Republican side as it was with Carville and Paul Begala on the Clinton side. The WAR ROOM was created by the Democrats as stated in Bob Woodward's book, The Agenda. I think Karl Rove inherited it. So I guess the Republicans and the Democrats are set to go to battle from now until November 2006

Why all the anger directed at Karl Rove? So many of this administration's policies have been so appalling that what makes him a genius in my book is that he got the American people to buy this malarky for 5+ years.

In March 2003, over 70% of the American people supported the war in Iraq. We get the government we deserve.

Baaaaaaa.

Dear Karl, we feel so bad for Bush. He just can't catch a break.
Why, that war over in Iraq (that no one really wants to talk about anyway) is turning the voter's mood "sour"! Aww shucks, what a drag! I wonder why that could be? Must be hard knowing that your Party has been in control for 6 years and all you manage to do each day is try and find new creative ways to conceal Bush's incompetence. And now you aren't even good at that anymore! Ouch

Can't understand why Rove is considered a genius by the professional political insiders?

He managed to get an "empty suit" elected - TWICE.

Helen: you are really scaring me..thank God only 29% of the American electorate agrees with you..thing that gets me with gop'ers is for all the things you "stand" for what have you really accomplished??
--Abortion outlawed?--nope
--we praying in public school yet?--nope
--gay marriage outlawed?--nope
--is the deficit reduced?--nope
--do we have a "smaller" gov. now--nope
i could go on all day...but i have to go do some more whining and crying...

Helen,

Way to buy American with that Mini Cooper you have. That's the way to support America. At least you learned one thing about this administrations policies, you know how to outsource.

Joe Wilson never said anything about Cheney sending him to Niger. You are repeating another lie, Julie. Get your facts straight. How can you defend the outing of a covert CIA agent, who by the way was working on finding out about Iranian nukes, for political revenge? Bush, Cheney and Rove have always cared more about politics than the good of the country. The Democrats are not angry enough, as far as I am concerned. Really, anyone who cares about this country SHOULD be outraged. What is is going to take for that to happen for you? Another 2400 body bags?

To 'Helen:' from Rasmussen.

"May 15, 2006--A polling rematch of the 2004 Presidential Election shows that John Kerry leads George W. Bush 48% to 41% (see crosstabs). In the real election, Kerry never held a lead that big in any of the nightly polls we conducted from January 2 through Election Day.
This latest poll is another indication of how much support has fallen for the President since his re-election. The number of voters who call themselves Republicans is also down since Election Day 2004."

Julie Thompson/Florida,

Go fly a kite. Preferably with Katherine Harris.

Your theories have been disproved time and time again. Notice how Karl says that "... it's because we stand for blah, blah , blah which is why we will win." Well all of that blah, blah, blah has put America where we are today and it seems that all that the President and his people want to do is just make it out alive and hand off the massive problems that they helped create to the next president, kind of the Hoover mentality.

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!!!!

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/05/federal_source_.html

Federal Source to ABC News: We Know Who You're Calling

May 15, 2006 10:33 AM

Brian Ross and Richard Esposito Report:

A senior federal law enforcement official tells ABC News the government is tracking the phone numbers we (Brian Ross and Richard Esposito) call in an effort to root out confidential sources.

"It's time for you to get some new cell phones, quick," the source told us in an in-person conversation.

ABC News does not know how the government determined who we are calling, or whether our phone records were provided to the government as part of the recently-disclosed NSA collection of domestic phone calls.

Other sources have told us that phone calls and contacts by reporters for ABC News, along with the New York Times and the Washington Post, are being examined as part of a widespread CIA leak investigation.

One former official was asked to sign a document stating he was not a confidential source for New York Times reporter James Risen.

Our reports on the CIA's secret prisons in Romania and Poland were known to have upset CIA officials. The CIA asked for an FBI investigation of leaks of classified information following those reports.

People questioned by the FBI about leaks of intelligence information say the CIA was also disturbed by ABC News reports that revealed the use of CIA predator missiles inside Pakistan.

Under Bush Administration guidelines, it is not considered illegal for the government to keep track of numbers dialed by phone customers.

The official who warned ABC News said there was no indication our phones were being tapped so the content of the conversation could be recorded.

A pattern of phone calls from a reporter, however, could provide valuable clues for leak investigators.

Well, it didn't take Karl long to come out of his new bat cave and tell us all why Bush is so unpopluar, IRAQ, gee KR did you think that up all by yourself?? Let's hope Bush's brain, and his other cohorts are marched off to the court house soon. Please let's hope Fitzgerald comes through with and indictment and we don't have to look at this little texas toad anymore, I guess that could cover either Bush or Karl.
So Karl who will you blame Iraq, the two class economy, spying on Americans without warrants, secret prisons where they torture, Katrina, gas prices, the Medicare mess for elderly that was a give away to the pharmacutical and insurance companies. Our biggest deficit in history, tax breaks for the rich, I could go on but there is just too much to mention. So Karl, yes, I happen to like the former President much better then your idiot other half Bush. Clinton has a great speaking style, he is a road scholar and led this country with respect from the rest of the world and an economy that shared the wealth with everyone. He lied about sex, I'll give you a quarter for every man you can name that cheated on the little woman and then didn't lie about it!I think the Republican puritans were just mad because they probably couldn't get any! I can only hope for America's sake that you and Bush and all the other neocrate croonies are marched straight to jail and you don't collect $200. It can't be too soon for the country! Thanks Sue F

Well Helen, that was a very powerful defense of the President. I mean, you managed to weave in anecdotal evidence regarding your own spending habits to "prove" to us that the economy is perfectly fine and that gas prices aren't a problem. I for one will feel better now when I go fill up at the pump. The only thing you should have mentioned was how lucky we are that Bush is protecting us from Gay Marriage, which I'm pretty sure Rove will soon reveal is the real cause of the high gas prices.

Seriously, has it occurred to you that perhaps people (democrats, independents, and other Republicans) are attacking the president b/c he hasn't done anything to make the country better in the 6 years that his party has controlled every branch of government? You argue that Democrats, who are completely out of power now, have the burden of revealing in detail how they would fix the country's problems. My question for you would be, why haven't Republicans managed to come up with that kind of a plan in the last 6 years?

Oh, and about your predictions for Vermont, Maryland, and Minnesota. Sanders is leading by more than 35 points in Vermont, Klobuchar is up by two points on Kennedy, and Cardin is leading Steele by double digits. If the election was today, the Senate would be tied 50/50 and the House would flip. So I wouldn't console yourself too much by thinking about pick-ups in any of these Blue states.

What planet have you been living on for the last six years Helen? You sound like you have been living in complete isolation from the world except perhaps a radio that is tuned only to Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

Just as with President Bush I don't think anyone cares what Karl Rove has to say because they are two of the same voice.

Karl Rove believes in spiteful and vindictive politics and Bush is just along for the ride. Karl Rove destroyed the political landscape of the 21st century through his divisive policy. Now, it might just be where he was the product of his own destruction. But that will not be the end of him. Karl will be out on the airwaves with some of the great hate filled propagandists such as Rush, Hannity, Ingraham and Savage. Honestly, that is where he will feel more welcomed because once he's out he's a target of those people who were victims of his policy.

Karl Rove is not going to be indicted. In my opinion, the notation on the July 6, 2003 article by Joe Wilson is an example of the problem of his wife causing his own problems. Cheney writes abot whether his wife helped him get the Niger junket, which means to me that Cheney did not authorize the trip as stated by Wilson. Have you heard of the term "diplomatic immunity"? Well, Wilson still thinks of himself as an Ambassador with all the rights and priviledges of that post. But in 2003, he was just another HAS BEEN who was frustrated the Bush Administration did not put him back into service as a diplomat. Did Joe Wilson get investigated for using his own wife in the CIA to get the trip to Niger or did she come up with the idea herself to send her husband as a diplomat? And why did Joe lie about Cheney sending him? Until the Democrats understand that most of Joe Wilson's troubles were created by his own circle of the universe, they will be shocked that Karl Rove is not indicted. It is amazing to watch so much hate and anger be contained in a political party like the Democrats. As I review this chat listing of all the people so far, they sound like they have to see Karl Rove with his head on the chopping block before any of that same hate and anger is ever released instead of festering inside their bodies like a cancer. Unless the Democrats offer voters a clear plan for the nation, few of them are going to win seats in the House or the Senate just like Rove said.

From elsewhere in the WaPo:
"Top presidential adviser Karl Rove asserted today that the Bush administration is "doing a heck of a lot better job" in controlling the U.S.-Mexican border than most Americans realize..."

The WaPo publishes praise of the Bush Administration by the Bush Administration as news? I am reminded of how Bush planted 'stories' in the Iraq media. Can you be any lazier?

I think I am the only person so far who can stand up FOR the president. Nice to see all the people come to the Blog and complain, but how many of you actually watched Rove speak? All I can say is thank goodness for Cspan. Yes, Rove spoke about the hybrid cars, and how more of them are being produced and purchased.
I have a Mini Cooper, which gets 30 to 35 miles to the gallon. I sold my Audi and paid that money on a dealer demo Mini, so I used my money wisely and have no car payments. Yes, premium gas is higher but I get great gas mileage.
Another point was consumer confidence, which I think I address in the above comment. My money for vacations this year was spent in the US, and I have not gone on any foreign trip since Sept 11. Why? I am not in the mood to be challenged by the other people in Germany or France while I am a guest in their nation. So I have spent my time and money in USA, feeding the economy. And since the consumer dollar is keeping our economy thriving, I guess other people are spending in the USA to keep it healthy.
Rove was questioned about the President poll numbers. Laura Bush was correct about just ignoring them, because the only poll that means anything will be on November 2006. The general mood of the Democrats will shift when they realized solid GOP districts will stay as such. Only a few GOP seats are at risk. Even if the House goes back in the hands of the Democrats, there is zero chance of them getting their seats necessary to take over the Senate.
Rove mentioned all the qualified judges who have been blocked, and how the Democrats are blocking the President on other matters.
So if the Republicans vote for their own members in November 2006, I am not worried. No large group of Republicans will be crossing over to elect Harold Ford in Tennessee. There is also a chance to pick up Minnesota, Maryland, and Vermont. I am pleased to have a president like Bush in office. The Democrats have been whining and complaining for the past 2 years ever since Kerry lost. If the Democrats keep watching Dean and Rahm Emaneul hacking each other to pieces about how to spend millions of donations, then they will see their party collapse again. Rove is right, what do the Democrats stand for? Until they define what solutions they bring instead of more investigation and even impeachment of the president, then the Democrats only seem to be full of rage for PAY BACK. If the Democrats only offer our nation more attacks on our president and more degrading of our nation, who the heck wants to elect them?

the Bush tax cuts have not increased the burden on the rich as joker boy says. They've increased the burden on future generations, as everyone knows.

If there is anyone's brain I'd like to see the results of a Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan performed on it's Karl Rove.

http://www.intrepidliberaljournal.blogspot.com

" ... repeatedly said that the first priority of the Bush administration -- on immigration and other hot-button issues -- is "getting the right policy, and the politics will work itself out."

Huh...havent' they been there for six years, don't they know yet what the right policy is?????

BTW, now I know why my niece is always in a "sour" mood--it's because her husband who is in the National Guard has been in Iraq for the past six months.

Did anyone see if Karl's knees were knocking? Had to be a tad nervous.

I wonder if the NSA is keeping track of one P. Fitzgerald's cell? Just asking.

In that spirit, new on EWM: Mother's Day parody edition...

Mother's Day Calls Prompt NSA Alert
http://www.eyewitnessmuse.com/musings.php?p=223

EWM- (May 15, 2006) Lights were burning into the wee hours at the National Security Agency last night as spooks and spies monitored a deluge of domestic phone calls occurring throughout Sunday. An unofficial tally put the call spike in the "tens of millions."

"The chatter was off the charts," said NSA terror-call cartographer Alex Ghrambell. "It can only mean one thing. Get out the duct tape, we are doomed."

Bush Administration officials were frantically reconnoitering this morning trying to determine whether to put the nation on a higher threat alert status, have the President declare marshal law, or propose another tax cut. Others were not so sure...

It's more than just Iraq.

On the economy, Rove credited the president's fiscal policies, particularly a series of first-term tax cuts, for a recovery that has gone on since late 2001. "The reality is, the tax cuts have helped make the U.S. economy the strongest in the world," Rove said.
-from CNN

Why has economic recovery taken 5 years? It certainly hasn't touched all parts of the nation. Great Lakes states in the midwest are still experiencing problems (Ohio and Michigan especially).

Newsweek
May 11-12
"Since George W. Bush was reelected to a second term in 2004, has your opinion of his performance in office gotten better, worse, or stayed about the same?"
4% Better
48% Worse
47% Same
1% Unsure

USA Today/Gallup
April 28-30
"Thinking about the following characteristics and qualities, please say whether you think it applies or doesn't apply to George W. Bush. How about-"

Picks good people for key leadership positions?
41% YES 56% NO

Honest and trustworthy
41% YES 56% NO

Shares your values
40% YES 58% NO

Cares about the needs of people like you
38% YES 61% NO

Can manage the government effectively
37% YES 62% NO

Pew Research
April 7-16
"From what you've read and heard about this, do you think President Bush acted improperly, or don't you think so?"

57% Acted improperly
34% Acted properly

May Approval/Disapproval Ratings

Fox 38%/53%
Newsweek 35%/59%
CNN 34%/58%
AP/IPSOS 33%/65%
CBS/NY TImes 31%/63%
USA Today/Gallup 31%/65%

ARG Approval Ratings
April 18-21

Overall 34%/60%
Economy 31%/64%

ARG
March 13-15
Favor/Oppose Censure
Overall 46%/44%
Voters 48%/43%

TIC: absolutely. Gotta whip up those evangelicals. You left out abortion, flag burning, and get-the-US-out-of-the-UN as motivations for the single-issue (sucker!!) voter.

i'm sure as spring turns into summer turd blossom is going to have to go into his bag of goods to help stave off the inevitable in November..i assume national security and gay marriage will be beaten like the proverbial dead horse in the coming months??

To: RMill

RMill: Last week Rasmussen reported that the safe Georgia governor is now in a dogfight with Secretary of State Cox 48-42% after a 20 point lead in February.

Wells: You noticed that to. Six months ago they said the Georgia Republican Gov. Perdue had a free ride - nothing to worry about. Now Cox is on his tail (No pun intended). Didn't know what to think of the poll - it definetely surprised me. Thought it might be connected to Ralph Reed's lobbyist scandal too.

I wish Chris would write about governor races - some of the ones going on are very interesting.

What I don't understand is why do so many people feel the need to throw the word Genius around when talking about Karl Rove. Is he a good political strategest. Yeah probably the best in his party. Does that make him a genius. Hell No. Karl Rove is a slimy political hack who has benefitted from poisoning the political scene to a point of partisan warfare.

I think Wells is right, what policy decision or strategy has Rove ever been a part of that didn't blow up in the president's face.

Also he is totally going to Jail, and I personally will go out to celebrate when it happens.

In addition to the numerous other Rovian falsehoods noted above, Bush's favorability rating (whether people like him personally) is actually lower than his approval rating (whether people like the job he is doing) in at least one recent poll. Last week's CBS News/NY Times poll put Bush's job approval rating at 31%, but his favorability rating at 29%. Similarly, the USA Today/Gallup poll last week found that 60% of respondents have an unfavorable opinion of Bush as a person. So Rove will find no salvation in this faulty assertion, except to the extent that he can get the press to spin his lies without fact checking them, as the Associated Press report posted on this web site earlier today has done.

RMill: thanks for the analysis, as usual. This is starting to look like a historic event. "Interesting times," in the Chinese sense.

Find me the poll that shows that America still "approves of Bush as a leader". Go ahead Karl, I dare you.

Why does anybody listen to Turd Blossom? He is just a fat little nerd that got his superman lunchbox stepped on everyday. He is getting his revenge through the political process.

"Inherited a faltering economy." The economy grew 17% during Clinton's second term -- four years. It hasn't grown 17% yet under Bush - five years and counting.

The guy lies about what went on in the White House, and gets away with it. But, after all, only insiders know what goes on in the White House. How does he get away with lying about what goes on in the economy?

My figures, by the way, come from the "Economic Report of the President -- Table B2." It's an annual, published by the Government Printing Office. It's also available online.

Spin...spin...spin

If it was just Iraq, then why are they (GOP) getting pummelled in nationwide polling and individual state polling up and down the board?

Criticism continues from inside the party with Chuck Hagel and Arlen Specter leading the way on this weekends talk shows.

Ramsussen released polls this weekend on match ups in Ohio Missouri and Nebraska. Brown (D) over DeWine (R) 44-41%. Talent (R) 43% McCaskill (D)40%, Nelson (D) 54% Ricketts (R) 35%.

Arkansas Governor
Beebe still leads by double digits
Beebe (D)49%
Hutcheson (R) 38%
Pennsylvania Primary Primer
Quinnipiac releases new polls on Senate and Governor's races.
May 2-8
Casey (D)49%
Santorum (R)36%

Rendell (D)55%
Swann (R)33%

Last week Rasmussen reported that the safe Georgia governor is now in a dogfight with Secretary of State Cox 48-42% after a 20 point lead in February.

The embattled Democratic Governor of Maine has now exerted leads against all possible GOP opponents after trailing in the mid 30's much of the year.

And Tennessee's Harold Ford has made steady gains in polling of late.

Too early to be conclusive but there does seem to be statistical evidence mounting for widespread voter discontent with Republican rule in Congress. Both houses leadership are scrambling away from the President. There is obvious discomfort and organization disarray between Congress and the White House.

Why do the political insiders still think that Karl Rove is a genius when he got Bush involved with Privatizing Social Security. Social Security used up all of Bush political capital in 2005. From there it's been nothing but free-fall ever since. Seniors in Florida still do not forgive Bush about Social Security Privatization. He can talk
Medicare till he is blue in the face; seniors will not forgive him. They feel betrayed.

Where to begin? Let's start with the first paragraph:

"...flash his in-depth knowledge..."
This is contradictory.

"....of critics who alleged that Rove was demoted for not finding a solution to President Bush's sinking poll numbers."
Odd, plenty of R's continue to believe that Bush doesn't care about the polls. Therefore, this should not be a problem. Bush has very plainly become the polar opposite of "Teflon Ron." He's pissed off the middle and only seems to achieve erosion of his more refractory base with every move he makes.

"...inherited a faltering economy..."
That was generating surpluses. Anybody remember what those look like? Are there any Republicans who'd like to see them come back? If so, they have zero representation either in Congress or the WH.

"...that was further battered by the terrorist attacks..."
Yawn, yet another repetition of this trite excuse for tax cuts for the rich. Boring. Isn't the WaPo supposedly a NEWSpaper?

"...Rove said the tax changes have "shifted more of the burden onto the wealthy."
The key word here is 'said.' He didn't back this up with any citation of reputable sources now, did he? This is serious GOP kool-aid at this point. Would be laughable if it wasn't so sad for those of us who care about this country.

"Our opponents stand for little or nothing aside from obstructionism."
I'm sorry to hear that Mr. Rove thinks so little of the Republicans who control the House and the Senate.

"He cited a similar contradiction between economic studies showing strong consumer confidence and polls that seem to indicate that Americans remain uneasy about the future of the economy."
Americans know that the POTUS only controls so many buttons and levers when it comes to the economy. They are wondering what Bush will try to screw up next. Will he take another run at Social Security? Medicare?

"Rove said he didn't want to spend much time discussing polls..."
He just did.

"...getting the right policy, and the politics will work itself out."
Wishful thinking IS the hallmark of this administration.

"...Rove is on the verge of being indicted..."
My own personal odds: 70/30.

"We are going to be fine in the election because we stand for something"..Huh? hopefully his handlers are keeping all sharp objects out of turd blossoms reach cause he be smoking the evil weed ya know..

WHERE'S THE INDICTMENT. I want an indictment! Bah.

Tick, tick, tick. Talk now while you can Karl. Soon your lawyer will be advising you not to speak at all.