Pat Buchanan: Bush at the nadir of his presidency

[sabra]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8789892/#050919a

Bush at low tide (Pat Buchanan)

As the petty carping from Senators Reid and Kerry indicates, President Bush’s speech from Jackson Square was a success. Again, he accepted responsibility for the torpid response of federal authorities. He showed empathy for the victims and recognition the poor had borne the brunt of the New Orleans disaster.

...

Media and Democrats who continue to snipe will soon appear to be what many are: inveterate Bush-baiters and Bush-bashers. Nevertheless, there is no denying that George W. Bush is now at the nadir of his presidency. The aura of 9/11 is gone. His approval is at 40%. Iraq appears an insoluble mess with the real potential for a strategic and economic disaster. Gas prices are biting. The immigration situation—and the president’s inexplicable refusal to protect the border—is killing him with his populist base.

While the Roberts appointment was a coup, the Scalia constitutionalists will still have, when he becomes Chief Justice, only three solid votes of nine. It is difficult to exaggerate the criticality of the nominee to replace Sandra Day O’Connor. It has to be a nominee who will rally the Republican-conservative base -- or Bush’s strongest supporters will start leaving the stadium. Those imploring Bush to name a “centrist” to the court, to avoid a bloody brawl, the “Can’t-we-all-just-get-along-crowd?” -- should have their pundit’s licenses pulled for malpractice.

But those, like my friend E. J. Dionne, who wrote, “The Bush era is over,” are expressing hopes, not describing reality. Bush holds the most powerful office on earth -- and will for the next three years and four months. He draws up a federal budget of $2.4 trillion, can veto bills, appoint Supreme Court Justices, attend summits, negotiate treaties, go on national TV virtually at will, and pull out or send in troops to Iraq.

Ask the Syrians if they think, “The Bush era is over.” The people writing Bush off today were calling him a success six weeks ago when he got CAFTA and the highway and energy bills. He is going through a rough patch, but nothing like Iran-Contra in Reagan’s second term or Hurricane Monica in Clinton’s. Moreover, he is eternally blessed in his opposition. Jackson, Sharpton, Pelosi & Reid is not an all-pro Front Four.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. Sometimes PB confuses me

he runs hot and cold too often. Can't figure him out.

[Missy M]

10. He confuses me too. Talk about flip flopping opinions out of him...

also, his insult to the Democrats almost seemed like a challenge to get them off their butts and start being Democrats.

[electropop]

2. Well, technically, it's the sunset of his presidency.

He'll be out by August 2006. The Pukes in COngress can't afford to have him around in November.

[K8-EEE]

3. "Nothing Like Hurricane Monica"

What a psycho to even equate the death and destruction rained down on the world by BushCo Inc. with a freaking blow job! OMG....they are just sick, sick people.

[BlueIris]

32. Oh, I know. That is DISGUSTING.

"Nothing like Iran-Contra in Reagan's" doesn't wash with me either. In my opinion, the death caused by Bush's failure to act here is worse--or, at least, as bad--as Iran-Contra.

[Warren DeMontague]

4. The Zenith being, apparently, when he stood on the smouldering ruins of

two skyscrapers..

Ahh, what a fucking treat this man has been for our nation.

[aquart]

5. Nah. I think he can go lower.

Actually, that's the only place he CAN go.

[Ilsa]

30. My thought exactly.

And we still have mroe garbage (PlameGate) to come out.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. Sure Pat, you've been right about soooooo many things!

[meganmonkey]

7. i couldn't even get past 'petty carping'

:puke:

:

[acmavm]

8. I wish they would just get Pat's medication adjusted to the point where

he's at least semi-conherent.

[indepat]

9. That speech makes everything before and hereinafter ducky-poo

[StClone]

11. Three counter points to this article

Bush Bashers bashed bush early on as they were, and are, realistic in their analysis of Bush's incompetence, cronyism and lack of insight into important matters.

Rove's outing of Plame is worst than Watergate.

I do not know why Bush adversaries Sharpton, Reid, Pelosi and Reid are considered by comparisons to Bush as more loathsome and incompetent. Pat says so and that makes it so?

[Burma Jones]

12. I love his dismissing of Democratic Leadership

I mean, ya gotta love the blatant racism of listing two African American men without any elected position in the party as two of the top four leaders. And Pat is deluded when he believes that the Lewinsky BS touched Clinton as badly as the litany of failure is slamming Bush. I suppose old Pat overstates Lewinsky because it involved oral sex from (shudder) a Jewess. I suppose he sees AIPAC involved in that affair.....

That having been said, if we don't come up with some sort of message machine, Rove and his cronies will figure out how to come out on top of even the Hurricane Katrina disaster.....

[unrepuke]

18. With $60 Billion in their pockets, and another 150 - 200 coming, I'd say

they got it figured out. And all that is just for starters.

>>> Rove and his cronies will figure out how to come out on top of even the Hurricane Katrina disaster..... <<<

Just wait 'til Halliburton demands cost overrides.

[pitohui]

13. who cares what pat buchanan thinks

talk abt irrevelent

if this guy danced naked on the white house lawn no one would notice or care

[faithnotgreed]

14. didnt he call for bush impeachment about a month ago

because of immigration issues

he is like many bush supporters or teenagers etc - they can dislike bush (for various reasons) but when everyone else gets vocal about it then they dig their heels in and decide that bush is actually an incredible leader who is being unfairly attacked

and as the classic goes - you only attack bush because "you never liked him" or "you had your mind made up from the beginning"

[Bob3]

15. Pat's back on the kool aid I see

"the Petty carping" that Pat is so dismissive of includes the American people and while Pat only thinks about things in inside the beltway terms - the speech was a bust with the folks back home as well.

The rot as set in - once you lose the magic blue smoke that is political power - you don't get it back. Other time servers looking to protect themselves will jump ship. People stop returning your calls - people aren't afraid of you anymore. (that includes Iran and Syria by the way chunky - we're stretched to the limit in Iraq and they know it) .

And no, this is not the nadir - he isn't a hard enough worker to start solving problems - and as the long term economic effects of Katrina bite things are only going to get worse. Iraq is still a bloody mess - his tax cuts are dead, his social security plan is dead, and there is another storm heading for the coast of Texas.

To quote Bill Mahar "Maybe you're not lucky"

[fooj]

16. Hasn't the reference "Bush-baiters" and "Bush bashers" run its course?

I am getting quite sick of it, myself. Talk about an "ILLUSION"!!! It's more like the free press giving out free passes...Geez!!!

Peace.

[faithnotgreed]

17. nope - those words apparently are as fresh as the "blame game"

in the media any lie and any theme can be perpetuated as long as you keep saying it they keep reporting it
so why stop using it when its so effective

because when you describe people as "bush bashers" you dont have to explain the reasons why so many citizens would criticize and be angry

and when you pull out "blame game" you dont have to admit its actually called accounting for why so many people died and so many horrible things have happened under the direction of bush et al

so much easier to use a couple words to explain it all away and with no challenge then theres no reason to stop
as we so well know....

[fooj]

19. Guess where they got the idea? "Blame Game" comes from Poppy!

he used the exact wording during the hurricane fiasco during his presidency.

peace.

[sabra]

20. no creativity! :-)

[faithnotgreed]

22. ha - i didnt recall that

well thats all i needed to know and is the perfect example of what i was saying above

no need to think when you can provide your non-response to the willing media (and masses)

[Flubadubya]

21. This a**hole Pat Buchanan will never get it...

"Again, he accepted responsibility for the torpid response of federal authorities. He showed empathy for the victims and recognition the poor had borne the brunt of the New Orleans disaster."

What a crock of you know what! He only "accepted repsonsibility" to staunch the flow from his stuck pig neck that was bleeding him to political death. Moreover, he can feign care and compassion for all those "poor who bore the brunt" until the cows come home, but those who have even an ounce more sense than Mr. B. ain't buyin' it!

Go Cheney yourself Pat! :puke: :grr:

[Arugula Latte]

23. Not quite the nadir.

He's at a low point of his presidency, but I want him stomped into the ground -- deep.

Preferably by spike-heeled shoes.

[BlueIris]

34. Heh. Let's make Gore Vidal's prediction come true.

Most. Hated. President. Ever.

[txaslftist]

24. You should be more respectful of a former President.

...what? Pat Buchanan was never president?

But he ran, didn't he? He didn't get elected? He lost? He lost huge? He got his ass kicked royally?

Shit. I didn't know that. I thought his political opinions must be "spot on"...

Gee. He just lost a lot of credibility with me...

How about you?

[Maccagirl]

25. Thanks for reminding what a POS

you are Patrick.

[MsAnthropy]

26. Wasn't Nader the one who gave us Chimpy in the first place?

B-)

They can both go take a flying f***!

[stopbush]

27. So PB is - again - looking out for the political welfare of Dems

by warning us not to attack *. Oooo! It's gonna come back to haunt you! It will turn the public against you! Ooooo!

Newsflash to Pat: we're not listening. Besides, how long do we have to cool our anger before the NEXT bush-created disaster hits? I, for one, am not hopping on that roller coaster!

When Rs start telling Ds that they better be careful you know the Rs are in trouble.

[maine_raptor]

28. Re: Rat..er...Pat on Roberts

Pat Buchanan, aka "The Man Who Wanted the Nixon's Tapes Burned" said this: "While the Roberts appointment was a coup...".


Hmmmmmm,

Wonder if he'll still feel the same if Bill Maher turns out to have been right all along?

My bet?: :nuke:

[applegrove]

29. "Bush-baiters and Bush-bashers" - total projection. Nobody set

Bush up - ALL THEY DID WAS ASK FOR THE TRUTH OF HIS ACTIONS & FOR SOME ACTION WORTHY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

[deadparrot]

31. Who knows how many thousands dead on Bush's watch..."petty carping..."

:puke:

Fuck you, Pat.

[Lexingtonian]

33. what a waste of ink

He's certainly optimistic.

A year from now he might not see things this way, when the present Administration polls in the high twenties.

[The_Casual_Observer]

35. Not at all true, this. He has 3 years to go, it is bound to get worse.