Republican candidates begin snubbing Bush

[babylonsister]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0607/4538.html

Republican candidates begin snubbing Bush

By: David Paul Kuhn and Jonathan Martin
Jun 18, 2007 05:52 PM EST


A president with dismal approval ratings and a bitter intraparty rupture over immigration are obvious problems for Republican politicians.

In recent days, however, the combination is emerging as something less obvious: an opportunity.

Recent polls have shown Bush's popularity -- which has long been in the tank with independents -- suffering significant erosion even among GOP base voters, largely due to a backlash over the president's stance on immigration.

The decline, according to some Republican strategists, has flashed a green light for lawmakers on Capitol Hill and presidential candidates to put distance between themselves and an unpopular president -- a politically essential maneuver for the 2008 general election that remained risky as long as Bush retained the sympathies of Republican stalwarts.

Now that those sympathies have somewhat cooled, the effects are visible: Republican House members upset about immigration policy have spoken of Bush in disparaging terms. And presidential contenders like Rudy Giuliani are striking change-the-course themes in their rhetoric, even while continuing to back Bush over the Iraq war.

The change, say GOP operatives, is the absence of fear about being perceived as something less than an ardent Bush backer. "What's the penalty now, Karl being mad at you?" Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio asked with a laugh, referring to Bush political adviser Karl Rove. "Who cares? Even his former chief strategist (Matthew Dowd) walked away from him and pissed all over him.":wow:

more...

[opihimoimoi]

1. "Forget about those BUSH Loyalties...Run Far Far Away and save yo ASSES"

This is what they get for supporting a mentally challenged LOSER of a President...They KNEW he was Nekkid but they still supported him.....

Now that it is clear Bush is a LOLO...they want to bail? Fuck them...they own the guy...

[rfranklin]

2. Bush must be tied to their tails like an anchor and...

Iraq must be constantly referred to as the Republican occupation or war.

[blondeatlast]

8. Absolutely. Every supportive statement (especially of the troop increase), every photo-op,

etc. It's got to be made public and it only has to go back a few months even though the field is deep and wide.

[treestar]

3. Traitors

:sarcasm:

immigration brings out the fissure in the repuke party between pro-capitalist, no business regulation republicans and old fashioned xenophobes.

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. If anyone caught Jim Gilmore on Tucker yesterday...

(BTW, it was worth watching yesterday. David Schuster was sitting in for Tucker. LOL!)

I sat there stunned with my chin on the floor. If Gilmore gets play with what he said, "We should immediately begin redeploying the troops to other areas," he might just be that 'conservative' dark horse that comes in first.

Here's the video of the interview (just under 8 minutes from MSNBC site):
http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?f=00&g=e3b19124-7c4a-43db-9768-254e2efe0b86&p=News_Top_Politics&t=c1152&rf=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8063292/&fg=

[librechik]

5. they can run, but they can't hide!

Everybody knows how they stood up for the Shrub like a fucking plaster Jesus. Running won't help.

Oh well, I suppose it will fool Republicans. I can't imagine a more crusiolous and naive electorate than those rubes.

[blondeatlast]

9. Everybody knows? But they'll forget. The blogosphere needs to remind them. nt

[librechik]

13. I know, it seems hopeless. Americans are so stupid and gullible--but enough will remember

I'm sure. The bad guys will have to come up with new scams.

I'm an optimist this morning...

[rexcat]

6. Every time a repuke candidate's name is invoked...

Bush's* name should also be said as to make a connection that Bush and the rest of the repukes are on the same page! A similar strategy that the Bush* administration used when mentioning 9/11/01 and Saddam Hussein.

[blondeatlast]

7. Which is why we need to dredge up every photo-op and statement supoportive

of the troop increase and escalation that we can. they are going to RUN, not walk away from Bush yet we know that even up to a few months ago most were licking his, ahem, um, BOOTS.

It's gotta stick to them like glue

[NeedleCast]

10. Not surprising in the least

considering the number of registered Republicans who are bailing on the party.

[LynnTheDem]

11. Questioning George W.bUsh is TREASONOUS. PERIOD.

So said the incredibly stupid MFing rightwingnuts when they supported the MFing bastard before they didn't support the MFing bastard.

[babylonsister]

12. OT: I just LOVE your posts!

:D :thumbsup: