Bush Goes Politically Deaf, Ends Up in Mess (Margaret Carlson, Bloomberg)

[swag]

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000039&refer=columnist_carlson&sid=aaPNPn_gFN0o

March 2 (Bloomberg) -- The latest CBS News poll has support for the president and his vice president dropping to 34 percent and 18 percent, respectively. If you add them together and divide by two, you get a joint approval rating of 26 percent, two points above Richard Nixon's pre-resignation level.

How did George W. Bush drop so low? There are many moving parts: Gas prices are high, pensions are fading, and the working class is struggling.

There are events that make it look like the fix is in for those in power: Halliburton Co. caught but not punished for gouging the military, a drug bill benefiting the drug companies, a Bush crony who is governor of Mississippi getting Katrina reconstruction money while New Orleans gets stiffed.

And there is, of course, the war.

For all these troubles, and many more, Bush would be doing better if he hadn't lost his ear. Gone is the man who picked up the bullhorn at Ground Zero, replaced by someone so clueless about the Dubai ports deal that he admitted he was out of the loop on the decision and then stubbornly went on to defend it.

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[Rose Siding]

1. Yeah, that's the problem, Margaret.

His "ear". Nothing to do with crappy policies. We should all still be falling for the choreographed bullhorn moments.

It doesn't just "look like the fix is in for those in power", dear.

[msgadget]

2. But, one thing I worry about is

any one thing or a successful campaign to prove his 'unwavering stance', 'firm resolve' and 'stength' were good for us. People are always, always desperate for a leader and for their chosen one to be a dud is unacceptable. Many on the right would fall back in line given the chance.