Bush Losing Some Mystique of Presidency

[jbfam4]

Bush Losing Some Mystique of Presidency
http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-presidents-and-politics,0,2909502,print.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines





By NANCY BENAC
Associated Press Writer

March 15, 2004, 8:39 AM EST

WASHINGTON -- Springtime is creeping up on Washington and flowers are starting to bloom, but there will be no luxury of a Rose Garden strategy for President Bush this season.

With the election still nearly eight months away, Bush has surrendered some of the mystique of the presidency to take on a very public role as candidate for re-election. After spending months steadily building up campaign cash, he now is taking on Democrat John Kerry directly by name both in speeches and in a huge first burst of campaign ads.

Many think the president had no choice but to shift into an overtly political role early, given his deteriorating poll numbers, the speedy selection of a Democratic presidential candidate and continuing public concern about the state of the economy. Plus, he's got all that money burning a hole in his pocket.

"And so, off you go," said presidential scholar Calvin Mackenzie of Colby College in Maine. "It's a trade-off. You're not going to look as presidential. You're going to be down in the gutter slinging mud. And I assume somebody smart in the Republican strategy sessions has said, 'We've got to do this.'"


Begala called Bush's appearance last month on NBC's "Meet the Press," in which he had to defend his National Guard service record during Vietnam, "a gift to the Democratic Party. He didn't look 10 feet tall. He didn't look unbeatable."

[Jack_Dawson]

1. Bush had "mystique" to begin with?

He's always looked like a miscast, confused dolt to me...

[trotsky]

2. Tell me about it.

"Mystique," my ass.

(Yes, I'll go so far as to say * has as much mystique as my ass.)

[Sugarbleus]

8. LOL

I remember a "speech" he gave, either right before he was selected or right after, where he stiffly walked up to the podium and stumbled through his talk, looking exactly like a deer caught in the headlights. Gawd, I thought he was pissing down his leg.
"Mystique"?

[placton]

3. The mystique has always been provided

by the media.
After 9-11, as an example, when we were lied to about the "growth" of Herr Bush. Dan Rather was one of those who annointed him. Looks like the Crisco is sloughing off Fearless Leader.

[Leilani]

5. I still don't understand the 9/11 myth

of our fearless leader.

Any President would have done what Bush did, & most would have done a lot more.

It was the American people who united; Shrub got the rewards.

[Sugarbleus]

9. I totally agree. n/t

[xultar]

4. Yeah, Stupidity will do that to Mystique. n/t

[Lisa]

6. more "mistake" than "mystique"

He sure has THAT aura about him.

[izzie]

11. I never knew he had it but maybe the office does.

I think it is good he is out talking as he will drive you all crazy.He hardly ever makes any sense and the more he is sure he talks to God the more silly he sounds. Now he is out of the box how will they ever get him back in to it?

[Miss Authoritiva]

7. Has the phrase shifted?

The phrase used to be "presidential aura" -- no? "Mystique" doesn't seem to be a very American political quality. It sort of contradicts the cherished American notions of just-one-of-the-guys and accessible. "Mystique" to me means, say, the Japanese Imperial Family, not a tongue-clumsy Opie Cunningham pretender.

[Sugarbleus]

10. ROFLMAO!!! Opie..lol

[acmavm]

12. Mystique? Uh oh, sounds pretty 'French' to me. The only mystique in

regard to bush* (in my opinion) is how he avoids handing himself when he ties his shoelaces.

[yellowcanine]

13. It's hard to have "mystique" when you can't speak your native tongue.

I was listening to Kerry yesterday. Then I heard a short clip of Bush speaking (It was short because I changed the station - too painful to listen to). Kerry is no Jack Kennedy but compared to Bush he sounds like it. His rhetoric is positively soaring compared to the Bush tangle-tongued, simple-minded, cliche-ridden, bumbling babble. I couldn't help but think, had Kerry been the nominee in 2000 instead of Gore, maybe we wouldn't be in this mess.

[yellowcanine]

14. Also - it is hard to have "mystique" when one is naked.

and the Emperor's lack of clothes is becoming apparent to everyone.