In perilous territory, Bush prepares his lines

[Olney Blue]

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/21/news/letter.php

Letter from Washington: In perilous territory, Bush prepares his lines
Albert R. Hunt Bloomberg News
Published: January 21, 2007

WASHINGTON: Anyone wishing to avoid listening to a long speech Tuesday can be assured that the state of the American union is strong. That's what President George W. Bush will declare.

snip

"We won't be hanging on every word," acknowledges Representative Jeff Flake, a prominent conservative Republican from Arizona. Flake is looking for two signals: "immigration reform, where I hope the president remains consistently good, and fiscal discipline, where he has been consistently bad and I hope he turns the corner."

Congressional Republicans, once appreciative, if not in awe, of Bush's help in their success, now bitterly blame him for the party's losing control of both houses of Congress in the November elections. They fear the Iraq war will be a disaster for Republicans in the elections next year and rail about the political arrogance and insensitivity of the Bush White House.

"He is even more of a lame duck" than other second-term presidents, says one of Washington's most prominent Republicans — who nonetheless asked to remain anonymous.


Sounds like Dems won't be his only hostile audience!

[kentuck]

1. He will probably challenge Democrats to fix Social Security...

Which was in pretty good shape just 6 short years ago. The trust fund was no longer being used to fund deficit spending and some were even talking of putting it in a "lock box". Mr Bush has even put Social Security at risk, as well as the rest of the world.

[babylonsister]

2. The rethugs did learn one thing from dimson; how to avoid any kind of

responsibility for their actions. I think the individual rethugs had a huge hand in their downfall by not acting as representatives of their party, their state, or this country. The rethug sycopants who were too busy kow towing to their 'messiah' also have the same disease their leaders do. No one seems able to think long term, about anything.