WP, Froomkin: Bush waves off family fixer Baker's rescue attempt; he'd rather stay the course

[DeepModem Mom]

Bush v. Baker
By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Thursday, November 30, 2006

The conventional wisdom in the immediate aftermath of the mid-term election was that President Bush -- humbled by a vote of no confidence, hobbled by a deepening crisis in Iraq -- would turn away from the neoconservatism of Vice President Cheney and the hyper-partisanship of Karl Rove.

It was said that he would turn to his father's team. There was to be a course correction, in Iraq and elsewhere.

But the conventional wisdom may have underestimated the president's stubbornness -- and Cheney and Rove's tenacity.

Because at today's press conference in Jordan, following his abbreviated meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Bush made it abundantly clear that he is waving off the rescue attempt by longtime Bush family fixer James A. Baker III. He'd rather stay the course.

News reports this morning indicate that Baker's bipartisan Iraq Study Group will next week officially recommend a gradual pullback of American troops from Iraq.

But in Amman, Bush went out of his way to mock the notion of a "graceful exit" -- and to insist that he's in Iraq for the long haul. "This business about graceful exit just simply has no realism to it at all," Bush said....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100879.html

[LonelyLRLiberal]

1. He's certifiably nuts. Those of us who have not protested

long, loud and publicly need to get out there and make noise.

[bobbolink]

2. Actually, in a perverted way, this may be a good thing

Baker as leader isn't in the best interests of democracy, and * showing his colors just strenghtens the opposition, which isn't that steady anyway.

It's clear the Dems aren't going to lead until the people force the issue, and * being * may just cause people to force the Dems to lead.

Of course, I've succeeded in little, so what do I know. :)

[KoKo]

3. K&R...It will be posted on Bush II's Gravestone: "I Stayed the Course"

What else do we need to know about this "broken CD P-Resident." He has no plan...he has no brains...all his life was like his "partying daughters" living up to a father who was a failure propped up by Special Interests.

No wonder the Bush Twins can't get their "act" together except by mimicking their Daddy...the Bush Crime Family just goes on...and on...and on...and on.... No matter WHO tries to stop them.

What a bit of luck they have. :-(

[orwell]

15. And our gravestones as well...

...if there is anyone left to dig them...

[xultar]

4. I wonder what poppy is thinking now?

[pdxmom]

7. My guess is that he's thinking, "My God, how did I raise such an ass!" n/t

[Hepburn]

23. Well, whatever it is...

...it sure ain't favorable to Chimpy.

[Harmonicaman]

5. Greg Stillson

more and more every day, Bush is sounding like Greg Stillson, the character from Stephen Kings book, the Dead Zone - played in the movie version by Martin Sheen.


"Gentlemen, the missiles are flying - Hallelujah!"

[DeepModem Mom]

12. Indeed, Harmonicaman -- welcome to DU!

[GCP]

17. He's reminded me of Stillson from the very beginning

He's the most frightening thing that's ever happened to this country.
Welcome to DU :toast:

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

18. I have thought of that particular book many times over the past couple of years.

I consider it one of King's best, now I consider it almost prophetic.

I read the book 20 plus years ago and it hadn't even crossed my mind until recently.

Your reference is apt. MKJ

[pdxmom]

6. So, shouldn't we all hope for a "graceful exit"? Win, lose or draw, I

would hope that we would leave Iraq, whenever that may be, with grace. Maybe Bushco should look up the definition of that word, then look at the antonyms of that word. How the heck does he think he's the one living in reality and that the rest of the world doesn't get it?

[Anthony Soprano]

8. I figured that when the "Daddy To The Rescue" issue of Newsweek came out...

...that whatever Baker & Co. recommended...unless it was "stay the course"...would go in one ear and out the other.

Of course, Bush can't hope to raise his half a billion dollars for the presidential lie-berry if he doesn't have a "legacy" to enshrine, so yes...yes, Mr. President, by all means..."stay the course." Don't "cut and run." Let's build a glowing altar to your failure. A half a billion dollar glowing altar, courtesy of your "Rangers" and "Pioneers."



:banghead:

[DeepModem Mom]

10. Hey, Tone -- welcome to DU!

[Anthony Soprano]

16. Thanks!

:toast:

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

19. Welcome and I saw another one of your posts on another thread.

Your observations are spot on, glad you're here! :toast: MKJ

[Anthony Soprano]

20. Thank you!

:patriot:

[The_Casual_Observer]

9. He was crazy enough to invade Iraq, he is crazy enough to want

to stay there. There won't be a change until there is a Tet sized uprising.

[Jacobin]

11. Congress holds the purse strings. That'll fix it for him

its how Viet Nam finally slowed to an end.

[Kagemusha]

13. This is why I'm no fan of blaming advisors and not the man in charge

because for good or for evil, advisors cannot simply overcome the authority of the person with actual power if he's determined on a course.

[Botany]

14. Capt. bush @ the helm

[Olney Blue]

21. We've tried a peaceful election to voice our discontent.

Now what? This blivet is not going to stop.

[Tatiana]

22. Petulant, defiant, (and in the words of Speaker Pelosi), DANGEROUS!

I'm not sorry for wanting him to be removed from office.

I hope someone starts an "Impeach Bush" movement.

[Olney Blue]

24. Impeachment by popular demand. Good idea.

Hi Tatiana! :hi:

[PATRICK]

25. Gone to his head

Whenever you are worried that these clever fellows will retrench, renovate and restore their grip remember Junior's competitive and utterly fixed lunacy. The delicate adjustment(acceptable to media and power wonks everywhere) won't succeed. The team that is wounded(Rumsfeld gone, Rove trashed, Cheney hated) won't fade into a new animal form like the full Moon has gone away. So the other bumbling loons of Bush I won't get much of a chance for their own discredited magic. At the same time the prone and hapless
slave the GOP has become is headless waiting for the impossible resolution, justifying utter nonsense or making the best of the death throes.

Applying pressure DOES work. The fact this might happen anyway does not mean the goading of the world and democrats trying to do something positive does not send lazyboy into a fury when he can't deal with being publicly spanked by Daddy(when it is supposed to be dynasty preservation NOT competition!). None of what either Bush camp does will benefit anyone, even themselves. iraq is a pawn of power and perception and nothing tactically rational can merge from it.

So it is up to the Democrats somehow to carry business forward and make it plain, through the ever deceptive fog, that they will take charge as soon as Bushies abdicate and/or go down for the count.

[badgerpup]

26. I wonder if very quietly behind the scenes...

Baker and the other 'adults' might be orchestrating a coup de etat to remove Bush from office for 'reasons of health'.

Putting aside the fact that he is becoming dangerously delusional and has apparently no contact with The Real World, he HAS been looking just a might peaky, don't you think? :sarcasm: