A little perspective, please (Mark Shields)

[dajabr]

WASHINGTON (Creators Syndicate) -- The emerging conventional wisdom in both press and Washington circles is clear. Because the stock market is up, Saddam is in custody, and President George W. Bush's poll numbers have improved, the Democrats, without any prospect of victory next November 2 had best begin working on their election-night concession speech.

Once again, the inside-the-Beltway political-press consensus is clear, straightforward and wrong.

Let's begin with the despondent Democrats of Washington who, at the end of 2003, can best be described as nervous Nellies with weak knees and cold feet.

Have they forgotten or do they not know that the last Democrat to challenge a sitting Republican president, on April 1 of the election year, had the support of just 25 percent of voters and trailed the incumbent by 20 points? That, of course, was Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton, who, as late as June of 1992, had just 24-percent support and was running third behind both President George H.W. Bush and independent Ross Perot.

More: http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/12/29/column.shields.opinion.perspective/

[Padraig18]

1. Don't confuse the 'crystal-ball crowd' with facts!

I can hear the heads exploding, even as I type. :P

[dajabr]

4. LOL! - who you callin' Nellie?!!

No weak knees and cold feet here my friend.

:hi:

[adadem]

2. Thank you for posting this

After 2000/02 that's what we need to hear.

[dajabr]

11. No problem...

Thought it was worth hearing.

[HFishbine]

3. A great read (quick too) no matter who you support (n/t)

[rfranklin]

5. Inspirational, but....

We don't have Ross Perot working for us this time.

[dajabr]

7. I'll trade you Perot for...

An energized opposition

Deep Grassroots

And a polarizing, near functioning illiterate incumbent.

[UrbScotty]

10. Reagan didn't have him either

Reagan won 51% of the vote. John Anderson got about 7 or 8 percent of the vote, but had Carter gotten all of the Anderson votes, Reagan would have still won the popular vote, and most likely the Electoral College.

[auntpattywatty]

6. Good to have a reality check every once-in-awhile ---no matter how careful

we all are- the next thing you know we start swallowing Republican clap-trap.

[CMT]

8. yes this stuff is constantly pointed out

that Clinton was running third at one point and 20-points behind. That Gore was running 15-20 points behind up to the Democratic convention but it really doesn't matter to some people especially the die hard Clark supporters who claim that only Clark can beat Bush despite the absence of any poll which shows him actually beating him and that most of the polls indicate he is either running a point or two better than Dean or a point or two behind what Dean is running against Bush.

[UrbScotty]

9. This is a MUST-READ article!! (nt)

[Lastgasp]

12. Thanks, dajabr!

We need to be reminded that the Democratic Party isn't dead yet. Thanks for the wonderful link.

[dajabr]

14. Hey Lastgasp...

No problem. Great column, huh?

:-)

[RamboLiberal]

13. Great Article - this is a keeper

Filed this away to keep my spirits up for this battle! Thanks for posting.

[dajabr]

15. kick

:kick: