DNC: No Wonder the Republican Party Wants to Change the Subject

[MaineDem]

For Immediate Release
June 8, 2005
Contact: Luis Miranda - 202-863-8148

NO WONDER THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WANTS TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT
Poll: President Bush and Washington Republicans Not Getting the Job Done

Washington, DC - An ABC News/Washington Post poll reported today that Americans
feel less safe, with only 40 percent of independents approving of President
Bush's job combating terrorism, and among all Americans, "58 percent said he is
not concentrating on the things that matter most to them."

Furthermore, more than 50 percent of Americans do not approve of the job
President Bush is doing, the highest negative rating of his presidency. The
poll also found that for "the first time, a majority, 55 percent, also said
Bush has done more to divide the country than to unite it." 6/8/05]

According to the Post, "Six in 10 respondents said Bush and GOP leaders are not
making good progress on the nation's problems; of those, 67 percent blamed the
president and Republicans while 13 percent blamed congressional Democrats."


During an appearance on the Today Show this morning, Democratic National
Committee Chairman Howard Dean discussed the Republican leadership's efforts to
distract the American people from their failed record: "They want to divert
attention... We (Democrats) believe this is a diversion from the issues that
really matter. Social security and adequate jobs. Strong public schools. Strong
defense where our troops are not pinned down. Iran and North Korea are the real
threats to America. We will build this party back. When we take over, we will
include everybody. And we are going to have an economic and defense policy. We
don't have that now."

Dean further highlighted the Republican Party's divisive agenda, noting that
Republicans have "used words like quota to separate black from white
Americans," have "scapegoat gay Americans by putting an anti-gay amendment
out" and that "they are attacking immigrants." Dean also referenced anti-
immigrant legislation being driven by Republican members of Congress. Dean made
it clear that America can do better, stating that "this is not the way America
needs to be*we need to be all in this together."

On the Fox News Channel a short while later, Republican Party Chairman Ken
Mehlman tried to defend the Republicans' failed record. Instead he touted a
judicial nominee who has been criticized for inappropriate judicial
overreaching and for being motivated by politics rather than the law, again
pushed for a Social Security privatization scheme that would lead to the
greatest benefit cut for middle class Americans, and praised President Bush for
supporting the Real ID anti-immigrant legislation. Mehlman went on to endorse
the President's modern day 'Bracero' immigration proposal, which would not
offer hard working families a path to earned legalization. 6/8/2005]

No wonder the Republican Party wants to change the subject.

To view a full video of Chairman Dean's appearance on the Today Show this
morning, go to:
http://www.shadowtv.com/redirect/notification.jsp?vid=fd4a6a37910155efa3ec12c14ec0a4cc
###

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Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, www.democrats.
org. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's
committee.

[fob]

1. Nice. Now get out there Howard and call 'em all a bunch of good-for-

nothing pricks and steal the next 3 days of prime time "news" coverage to get our message out!

NOT SARCASM.