Peggy Noonan tears into Bush!!!! MUST READ!!!

[grytpype]

http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110010148&mod=RSS_Opinion_Journal&%23038;ojrss=frontpage

Too Bad
President Bush has torn the conservative coalition asunder.

Friday, June 1, 2007 12:00 a.m. EDT

What political conservatives and on-the-ground Republicans must understand at this point is that they are not breaking with the White House on immigration. They are not resisting, fighting and thereby setting down a historical marker--"At this point the break became final." That's not what's happening. What conservatives and Republicans must recognize is that the White House has broken with them. What President Bush is doing, and has been doing for some time, is sundering a great political coalition. This is sad, and it holds implications not only for one political party but for the American future.

...

The White House doesn't need its traditional supporters anymore, because its problems are way beyond being solved by the base. And the people in the administration don't even much like the base. Desperate straits have left them liberated, and they are acting out their disdain. Leading Democrats often think their base is slightly mad but at least their heart is in the right place. This White House thinks its base is stupid and that its heart is in the wrong place.

For almost three years, arguably longer, conservative Bush supporters have felt like sufferers of battered wife syndrome. You don't like endless gushing spending, the kind that assumes a high and unstoppable affluence will always exist, and the tax receipts will always flow in? Too bad! You don't like expanding governmental authority and power? Too bad. You think the war was wrong or is wrong? Too bad.

But on immigration it has changed from "Too bad" to "You're bad."

The president has taken to suggesting that opponents of his immigration bill are unpatriotic--they "don't want to do what's right for America." His ally Sen. Lindsey Graham has said, "We're gonna tell the bigots to shut up." On Fox last weekend he vowed to "push back." Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff suggested opponents would prefer illegal immigrants be killed; Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said those who oppose the bill want "mass deportation." Former Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson said those who oppose the bill are "anti-immigrant" and suggested they suffer from "rage" and "national chauvinism."


... much more at link ...

[EarlG]

1. Hmm

The president has taken to suggesting that opponents of his immigration bill are unpatriotic--they "don't want to do what's right for America."

(snip)

Why would they speak so insultingly, with such hostility, of opponents who are concerned citizens?

Congrats, Peggy! You're finally on the receiving end of the same shit we've been putting up with for the past six years. Not a lot of fun is it?

[Erika]

5. Go EarlG

Bush's arrogance has been intolerable. If you disagree with him, you're a traitor or stupid. Yes, the right wingers are having it tossed back in their faces.

Let them suffer.

[Kagemusha]

6. She goes through er... phases. Yes, that word will suffice...

She flatters and criticizes and is consciously balancing the two. She's also loyal to the movement over Bush and this is not a new phenomenon... but she always presents the criticism - even when her kind are attacked for it, as in this case with the immigration bill - as friendly, concerned criticism, in no way hostile and insulting to the people who respond in a hostile and insulting way. Because Peggy's just too... nice?... to put it any other way to people she regards as Good People even when they're misguided about particular deeds or policies.

Not that I've kept track lately but.. I think she goes back to mothering mode soon after making just enough criticism to seem like she has just enough independence to be credible... without rocking the boat too far. So she's been on the receiving end before.. and she'll soon go back to hero worship, I imagine...

[illinoisprogressive]

2. Washington Journal was discussing this article today on cspan.

[terisan]

3. She didn't mind torture, just gets upset over too many immigrants? nt

[mitchum]

4. When even a crazy woman knows that you're incompetent...

time to hang it up

[struggle4progress]

7. As election 2008 approaches, vicious rightwing ideologies like Peg will increasingly pretend ...

... that they really don't know George and that they haven't spent years helping push his nasty agenda.

[Fovea]

8. Gosh, that is a pretty seamless and easy transition

from media whore cum stenographer to intrepid wearer of the mantle of Conservatism.

Perhaps too easy. I notice you're still wearing the pretzeldental kneepads, Peggy.

[OHdem10]

9. Newt Gingrich gave an interview to the New Yorker ###XX#_!!!!!!!!

He disses GWB Comparing the Bush Adm to Carter ADM.
Republican Version of the Carter Presidency.

Calls Rove maniacally dumb. (criticism of Rove's political
strategy.

I heard this from 2 reports on CNN. Havenot seen the
article yet.

Some say he is distancing himself from the President and
creating a different position from other candidates in the
event he runs for President.

Some say he is making it "okay for members of Congress
to start distancing themselves from the President so they
do not completely lose everything in the next election.

Could be a little of each, IMO

[Rydz777]

10. Bush has now formed a circular firing squad with his base. If

we had a parliamentary government, he would have been out months ago. Yet we are stuck with him for almost 600 more days. If the Democratic Congress does not take hold of the situation, we are just going to wallow in deeper and deeper misery until January 20, 2009.

[DavidDvorkin]

11. So she no longer feels that this presidency is a gift?

I.e., from Heaven. That's what she said in the early days.

How he became president didn't bother her, and I suppose it still doesn't.

[Demeter]

12. Cry Me a River, Peggy

You and your spiritual godfather, St Ronnie, set this all in motion, and it's gonna take more than we've got to fix it all.

[opihimoimoi]

13. Granma Peg is saying things for the Pubs to be able to restore their standing

She is still a friggen Pub....

Stay home ole lady.....no one is listening cept for an insig amount