WP, Dan Froomkin: How Lame a Duck?

[DeepModem Mom]

How Lame a Duck?
By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Monday, June 11, 2007; 3:04 PM

After the apparent collapse of the compromise immigration bill in the Senate last week, the political obituaries for the Bush presidency started rolling in.

President Bush himself isn't giving up quite yet -- he's headed to Capitol Hill tomorrow in a last-ditch attempt to revive the legislation. He'll be having lunch with Republican senators.

But it's not clear that he still has the ability to change anyone's mind -- even members of his own party.

The Obits

Jim Rutenberg writes in the New York Times: "The breakthrough on the 'grand bargain' on immigration a few weeks ago had brought new life to a White House under siege, putting a long-sought goal suddenly within reach. After many grim months, there was almost giddiness at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

"But that early euphoria only made the grand bargain's grand collapse on Thursday night all the more of a blow, pointing up a stubbornly unshakable dynamic for President Bush in the final 19 months of his term: With low approval ratings and the race to succeed him well under way, his ability to push his agenda has faded to the point where he can fairly be judged to have entered his lame duck period.

*

"(E)ven some close allies were surprised by how Mr. Bush's advocacy for immigration had seemed to hurt his cause within his party when, in a speech in Georgia last week, he said those opposed to the bill didn't 'want to do what's right for America.' The statement infuriated Mr. Bush's usually reliable allies on talk radio, in blogs and in Congress, galvanizing the right against his plan all the more."...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2007/06/11/BL2007061101362.html?hpidtopnews

[maxsolomon]

1. now you know how it feels to be told you hate Murka, talk radio

not that it will wake you up, you faux populist corporate tools.