Salon - The unmaking of the president

[rndmprsn]

The unmaking of the president

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2004/10/27/bush_presidency/

Why the incumbent who should have won in a cakewalk is headed for defeat next week.

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By Sidney Blumenthal


Oct. 27, 2004 | The unmaking of the president 2004 began on Sept. 11, 2001. By Sept. 10, George W. Bush's poll numbers had reached 50 percent, the lowest of any president at that early point in his tenure. Having lost the popular majority in the 2000 election and been delivered the presidency by a 5-4 Supreme Court decision, Bush operated as though he had triumphed with a full-throated mandate. "From the very day we walked in the building," Vice President Cheney remarked, "a notion of sort of a restrained presidency because it was such a close election, that lasted maybe 30 seconds. It was not contemplated for any length of time. We had an agenda, we ran on that agenda, we won the election -- full speed ahead."

From the start Bush ran a government based on secrecy, handed over departments and agencies to more than 100 industry executives and lobbyists appointed to key positions, and exhibited belligerence toward anyone who raised a question about his right-wing imperatives. His bullying prompted Republican Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont to cross the aisle, throwing control of the Senate to the Democrats. In just months, Bush's incompetence and arrogance had induced paralysis. His presidency had already run his course.

"Never did I dream I'd hit the trifecta," said Bush after Sept. 11. As his poll numbers soared he wrapped his radical agenda in the cloak of commander in chief. Now he would attempt to implement Karl Rove's ambition of a one-party state and the neoconservatives' plan for an American imperium. Bush believed he had permanent political capital to forge a factional partisan political realignment. The war in Afghanistan, almost unanimously supported in the country, solidified his popularity and certainty.

The conservative wish list came off the shelf. Civil liberties were curtailed with the passage of the PATRIOT Act, extremists nominated as federal judges (one candidate even opposed the inclusion of the Bill of Rights in the Constitution), environmental protections ravaged and resources shifted from the Afghan war theater to prepare for Bush's ultimate objective -- Iraq. After the summer, the pressure for invasion mounted. "From a marketing point of view, you don't introduce new products in August," said White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card at the time...

[madfloridian]

1. I disagree with this paragraph a whole lot. PS you need to edit.

You should only have 4 paragraphs.

I don't agree with Sid on this at all....further comments after the election in which we are fully supporting our nominee.

SNIP..."Suddenly, the Democratic presidential party came to life, providing a forum and focus for outrage against Bush's policies. At first, the movement gathered around Howard Dean as an emblem of resistance, not only for verbalizing criticism of Bush but for standing apart from the enfeebled Democratic leadership. But the Democrats saw that with his stumbles Dean was not the man for the mission. Bush had counted on the Democrats once again picking an earnest but easily defeated candidate like George McGovern or Michael Dukakis, but they turned instead to John Kerry...."

Lots wrong in that paragraph, sorry Sid.

[bushwakker]

2. Sid Blumental is a badass

they don't call him sid vicious for nothin'.

[KittyWampus]

3. Had To Read The Quote By Thucydides Twice To Understand It!

:D

[Barad Simith]

4. rndmprsn --

Please be aware that DU copyright rules require that excerpts of copyrighted material be limited to four paragraphs and must include a link to the original source.

[Bandit]

5. "a decent respect to the opinions of mankind."

What is he suggesting, some sort of "Global Test"? Bush* is, to put it mildly, "A Miserable Failure"