Bush declares himself "ready for the job"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,137556,00.html

WASHINGTON — President Bush (search) on Thursday vowed to reach out to the whole nation while pursuing his agenda over his second term, saying that "the voters of America set the direction of our nation for the next four years."

"I'm honored by the support of our fellow citizens and I'm ready for the job," Bush told reporters in the Old Executive Office Building during his first post-election press conference.

Items Bush is likely to move quickly on include reforms to the nation's intelligence community, halving the record $413 billion deficit, expanding health care coverage, pushing for a constitutional ban on gay marriage and moving "this goodhearted nation toward a culture of life."

"I think the president will do well to remember that 49 percent of the American people didn't vote for him … I hope he will try to reconcile this country," Burns said. "It would be the best thing he could do as president and it would be a good thing for his legacy." Don Riegle, a former Democratic senator from Michigan, noted that 55 million people voted to oust Bush from office — a fact the newly re-elected president shouldn't take lightly.

[MallRat]

1. So NOW he's ready?

What the hell were the last four years? Practice? On-the-job training?

-MR

[SammyWinstonJack]

9. He's no more ready now then he was 4 years ago

And just him saying so, isn't enough.

[democratreformed]

2. BWAHAHAHA! Stupid idiot! n/t

[elperromagico]

3. Well, I'm glad those four years of on-the-job training helped.

:eyes:

[tngledwebb]

4. He's ready allright,

Long as Cheney is alive and the other PNAC puppeteers keep his transmitter batteries charged.

[calico1]

5. Do you really think he cares that half

the country hates his guts? I doubt it. He's got a mandate! Fifty-one % (including the stolen votes!) :mad:

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

12. I'd be willing to guarantee that he doesn't care at all

See, there's only ONE reason for all of this "heal the wounds and work as one" crap.

Read this thread I posted earlier today (as well as the full article I linked to):

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=2594425&mesg_id=2594425

Scott McClellan basically saying "the president wants to reach out, but the democrats will have to reach back, because his arms are only so long"...

The stake has been put in the ground to define Bush as the "Uniter, Not A Divider" once again. Those who do not reach out will be branded as "unwilling to work for a better America." This talking point will be hammered over, and over, and over again by Rush and Hannity, mobilizing the "base"...and the "base" will grow.

Many political analysts have attributed the Bush victory to two key factors:

1). This has been a carefully planned, carefully executed GOAL of Karl Rove's that he has been methodically working on for years. The end game is the demolition of the Democratic Party, the end of a "two party" system in America, and a single, Neo-Conservative, Fundamental Christian single party.

We're not there yet. The results from Tuesday got us one hell of a lot closer, though.

2). The "mechanism" that Rove has in place to "inform" the base, to "energize" and "motivate" it, is Fox News and Rush Limbaugh.

You DO NOT have to like Rush or Hannity. The sad truth is that when it comes to the alleged 51% of the population that voted for Bush, THEY like and BELIEVE them. They see Fox News as a LEGITIMATE NEWS organization.

The NUMBER ONE question that Al Franken and the rest of Air America Radio should be asking is "How can I communicate more effectively?" The second question is "How can I reach more people?"

Then, of course, there is DU. After we pass through the period of "shock and awe" over this election, we need to start planting the seeds for what will happen four years from now.

As we approached the deadline toward Nov. 2, questions that were asked here on a daily basis were "What else can we do? What have we missed? If we can't contribute money, what CAN we do," etc. etc. etc.

We need to ask those questions again, starting RIGHT NOW. We can't sit back for the next three years and attempt a full court press in the home stretch.

If Al Franken isn't destined to be "our" Rush or Hannity, we NEED TO FIND THEM.

Skinner, EarlG and Elad were prepared to go to Ohio to do whatever was necessary in the final hours of the campaign. That kind of "what can I do to help" attitude needs to prevail. We've already seen that DU won't sustain a "Democratic Strategist"...although it may have simply been that individual's communication style that turned off a few folks here. So if "Democratic Strategist" was a failed and perhaps noble experiment, what WOULD work?

WE CANNOT fault John Kerry for this week's results. I asked the question many times on DU leading up to the election..."Does Kerry TRULY understand that he is running against Karl Rove?"

Some people responded angrily with "Kerry knows what he's doing, STFU." The fact of the matter is that we need to carefully consider the "Democratic" or "Liberal" model we want and GET BUSY on building the machine that will sustain it. WE NEED a "Liberal Karl Rove." We DO NOT have one. We need a "Liberal Rush Limbaugh." We need a "Liberal Sean Hannity." Now, we may high-five any number of PERSONAL favorites on talk radio or cable news, but we DO NOT have a "Hannity." We DO NOT have a "Rush."

I haven't checked in for Howard Stern's reaction to all of this. Maybe Bush-Cheney II will be the straw that broke the camel's back, the "defining moment" that awakens his "sleeping giant." Maybe not.

[demnan]

6. The fucker is giggling

like a 14 year old girl on crack!

[ScreamingMeemie]

7. He's going to have a hell of a time. I'm going to get a little louder.

You?

[athena]

8. Don't these pictures look like pictures of royalty?

Like Charles and Diana, for example? They just don't look like pictures of elected representatives of the people. There is something very elitist, or monarchical about them.

[HughBeaumont]

13. "The Retard Monarchy"

[lovedems]

10. It was the stupid people who got him elected

it is the smart ones who will fight that asshole every step of the way. I guess he is going to treat all Americans as if they are stupid like his supporters. They count on ignorance and ignorance is what got him re-elected. He is going to blow it, I can feel it. Intelligence will win.

[tanyev]

11. Gonna get that physical

anytime soon?