Bush, Rush and holding on to the base.

[xray s]

I think Rush deliberately made the statements on ESPN knowing a firestorm would result.

Bush is wobbly. They are shoring up their base; white racists. The Nixon 'Southern Strategy'. That is why Bush is making a big deal about supporting Rush.

When guys like Bush are going down in the polls, you can always count on them to show their true colors when they have to hold on to their base.

Unfortunately, it works.

[eleny]

1. Then this whole drug issue sure threw a monkey wrench into it

And they say that Arnold's people knew the kind of dirt that was bound to come out about him. I suppose that all this could be interpreted as some sort of perverse "Hail Mary" play.

[xray s]

4. Well the timing of the drug story is very interesting

Coming so soon after the other flap.

Bottom line, Rush will play it up big that he is under attack by the same 'powerful forces' that are behind 'Al Franken'.

His fans will forgive the drug story. Remember, millions of Elvis fans still insist he was not addicted to drugs.


All of this distracts Bush's base from the fact that they are getting screwed economically, their president has traitor(s) in his administration, and their sons and daughters are going to war for oil.

[On the Road]

2. It Works for the Base

That's not enough for reelection. The word just has to get out to the swing voters and undecideds.

That's where the Dem candidate comes in -- we need someone who can score without becoming and attack dog (like Clinton could).

[xray s]

5. I agree they can't win with the base alone.

But without it, they will get creamed, and lose the House and Senate too.

[sexybomber]

7. You think?

I don't think their base is all that big. There are enough moderates and swing voters that, theoretically, the Dems could get the Senate back. The House is gerrymandered in place, unfortunately, but if we had the WH and the Senate, that would be a start.

[xray s]

8. The base is small in overall numbers, but has a big impact.

Why?

1. They vote (that is a big, big deal)
2. They are concentrated as far as the electoral college is concerned, as indicated by the Red/Blue split.

If Bush were to lose the base, the impact of the swing vote, combined with our base vote could overcome even the gerrymandering. I think that is possible, given the right candidate and right message.

We do not have to win his base over, they just have to be disgusted enough with Bush to stay home.

Maybe things will get so bad, (and having traitor/s in the administration at a time of war is pretty bad), some in Bush's base will wake up and see how they have been manipulated by the likes of Rush, O'Reilly, Hannity etc.

Then you could see a major realignment. And maybe a major improvement in race relations.

And that would be nice.

[ShimokitaJer]

3. But the base keeps getting smaller

You can never betray so many of your party's values and hope to hold together enough to elect you president.

Their base used to include fiscal conservatives, those who idolize a strong military, and those who were disgusted with Clinton for being a liar.

Now it's pretty much limited to the Neocons, the religious right, and the corporate interests.

Let them shore up the base. Me, I'll take their fringe votes anyday.

[damnraddem]

6. This one could backfire.

Some of those white racists also like football, and some know that McNabb is pretty good as a QB. And they no longer have any trouble with being entertained by black athletes. They may not identify with Rush as a fellow racist, rather see him as either anti-football or, worse, stupid about football. Now, consider how many of those racists may be Eagles fans -- there goes any hopes for winning Pennsylvania.