Why Bush?

[Hippo_Tron]

Okay, assuming that the entire administration is just an attempt (and so far a successful one) at a neocon power-grab, why would they pick George W. Bush as their face. I realize that he's easy to manipulate but there are others who can be easily manipulated as well. Why not Collin Powell or Denny Hastert? At least they can actually make articulate speaches and don't have histories that include DWIs, AWOL, and cocaine usage. It just doesn't make any sense.

[Fenris]

1. Because he doesn't seem like the type to do it, does he?

In many ways, it's ingeneous.

[rwenos]

2. His name is B-U-S-H

If you know anything about Shrub's loser business career (closet payoffs from Poppie's buddies), you know he was selected because of his name. He's a M-A-R-I-O-N-E-T-T-E.

[Kadie]

7. Name recognition = votes.

[gyopsy]

3. I've thought about this

It doesn't make any sense to me either. The guy is a moran. You would figure the repukes could get some evil big brain behind the operation.

[Fenris]

6. He isn't the brain, only the body

The brain is Dick Cheney.

[Renew Deal]

4. Bush is a big name.

He was a governor with a big name from a big state. That's why they chose him. He was the golden child.

[toddzilla]

5. People voted for him in texas thinking he was his father..

seriously...

[phiddle]

8. It's Reagan redux

With George W. Bush, like Reagan, the CONs needed a front man, who was:
1. Not Too Bright
2. Affable, at least on the surface
3. Pliable, would do what he was told, and
4. Could put the best face on (i.e., gull the public into buying) policies which he himself didn't understand and which they otherwise would not accept.
Like Reagan, the CONs have carefully stage-managed him, surrounded him with imperial trappings, have covered him with a "mystique", and have given him a smart, ruthless vice-president who is the real power behind the throne. That Dumbass is the son of Reagan's VP (himself the center of the cabal) is just a very large bonus, and guarantees his subservience.

[July]

18. That sounds like the plan, except that even with help, he fails.

I keep thinking it was a mistake on the puppetmasters' part to choose Bush over whoever else was in the running, and that he or Rove or Poppy had some dirt or specific advantage that led them to back him. He makes a damn fool of himself on a regular basis, and his off-the-cuff remarks piss off half the world. Surely they have better dimwits.

[Minstrel Boy]

9. He brought the fundamentalist Christian base.

That, I think, is hugely important.

Can you see another candidate doing that as well for the neocons?

[Hippo_Tron]

11. Orrin Crotch perhaps...

But they would've lost the election.

[Kazak]

10. It's all about his perceived incompetency...

I think the guy is ultimately willing to be the fallguy for the entire neocon agenda, should it come to that, claiming incompetency pleading for mecry all the way (and probably getting it too). Quite Clever actually...we're really not dealing with amatures here. This isn't even really thier very first shot at this song'n'dance, if you think about it.

[TruthPrevails]

12. Because a smart president would not have approved the PNAC agenda

The PNACers had their grand vision of empire way before Bush. They tested their idea on Clinton with an open letter. President Clinton, like any wise man, saw through this scam. PNAC is not in the best interest of USA. It is a national defense plan for Israel.

The PNAC hawks were quite disappointed that they could not convince Clinton and made sure the next victim they chose, was dumb. Bush was dumb and religious. They couldn’t have found a better candidate.

[ComerPerro]

13. Because Cheney could not have won

And none of the core group is at all likeable. Bush really isn't either. But he had the name recognition going for him.

Plus, he somehow managed to make enough stupid people in this country think that he was a normal, average guy (with alcohol and cocaine abuse problems) who they could "have a beer with".

And, best of all, Bush seems to have no sense of morality, which is perfect for this group. So, he wouldn't object to the many terrible deeds that this administration has comitted.

[ConsAreLiars]

14. He's a facade, a diversion

Cheney, Perle, Armitage, Rummy, or Wolfowitz as poster kids? No. When you are Cons, when lying is the highest form of morality, you never show your true face.

In addition to being a simpleton with politically compatible delusions of divinity, Chimpy was rather well connected with elements of a political machine capable of seizing state power.

[fujiyama]

15. You said it yourself

He's easy to manipulate. He's supposedly "likable" and "genuine" (hey this is what others use to describe him - not me). He thinks in very simplistic terms, which many uninformed and ignorant people can relate to.

He's openly anti-intellectual and dislikes thought. Anyone that thinks too much is an "elite".

He's also a "good Christian", whose favorite political philosopher is Jesus.

Basically, they knew he would appeal to the base (and he's extremely popular among the religious fanatics) and could probably convince enough people that he actually gave a shit about them.

Many of that latter group have learned their lesson. They thought he was a "compassionate conservative" ( whatever the hell that means...it's a freakin oxymoron).

[renegade000]

16. Because they misunderestimated his ineptitude

eom

[mopaul]

17. i have no clue

anyone, a-n-y-o-n-e, even i could do a better job. he is the least qualified person to ever hold that office.

my personal crackpot theory: they owed daddybush a favor for some very nasty shit he's orchestrated over the years, involving mass murders and covert operations. (jfk)