Remember 2002. Everyone. Remember 2002.

[Yavin4]

After 9/11 and before the mid-terms in 2002, what did Bush do to help Republicans increase their numbers in the congress? He pushed for the Iraq War Resolution. Remember how Bush used the war on terra to go after good Dems? Remember Max Cleland?

On election day, Cleland lost to Chambliss 53-46. Some supporters blamed a Chambliss TV ad featuring the likenesses of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein while criticizing Cleland's votes against homeland security measures.[16] Cleland supporters claimed the ad questioned the senator's patriotism,[17] while Chambliss supporters claimed it simply questioned his judgment.[17][18] The ad was removed after protests from prominent politicians, including Republicans such as John McCain and Chuck Hagel, both of whom are also veterans of the war in Vietnam.[19][20]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Cleland

Will Trump start a war with someone to save the Republicans in congress?

More about 2002:

The 2002 United States elections were held on November 5, in the middle of Republican President George W. Bush's first term. Unusual in midterm elections, the incumbent president's party gained seats in both chambers of the United States Congress. The Republicans picked up net gains of 2 Senate seats and 8 House seats.[1]

These elections were held just a little under fourteen months after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Thus the elections were heavily overshadowed by the war on terror, the impending war with Iraq, the Early 2000s recession, and the sudden death of Democratic Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone about one week before the election.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_elections,_2002

[Dawson Leery]

1. The nation was still reeling from the attacks.

Any President with a 70% approval will gain seats in the congress for their party.

Never forget the ad made by Rick Wilson.
He is still a piece of shit.

http://observer.com/2005/12/giving-rick-wilson-the-bird/

[marylandblue]

2. Being a wartime President is not all it's cracked up to be

Truman and Johnson were both wartime Presidents and both were very unpopular by the end of their 2nd terms because of their wars. Same thing happened to Bush, only he managed to squeak through 2004. He didn't make it through 2006.

Trump is going to do worse than any of them because he can't do anything right. What makes he think he knows how to fight a war? I just feel sorry for all the innocent lives that would be lost.

[ProudLib72]

3. It would backfire on tRump, no question

After 9/11, we were on terror alert. We were already at war. That's the difference. tRump would need to start the war, and, at this point, no one would back him. We've had no attack on US soil. We are more afraid of home grown terrorism than ISIS.

[Tiggeroshii]

4. Bush was somewhat competent enough to pull off an image of positive leadership

Compared to Trump, he looked like Winston Friggin Churchill.

[Jspur]

5. Bush benefited

from the 9/11 cloud and people bought his bs about being a War President. If 9/11 never happens then Bush is very unpopular and doesn't benefit from a republican wave in '02. Historically all the presidents who won the election without the popular vote were all 1 term presidents until Bush came.

[Drunken Irishman]

6. Bush's approval in 2002 was infinitely better than Trump's. The GOP brand was nowhere near as toxic.

It's a completely different environment. I don't think we need to get complacent but...