Is there a power-shift in Washington?

[mogster]

I'll post this in the less radicalized UK forum ;-)

Did you notice the pic where Bush was talking with Clinton and Bush senior standing behind him? To me, it was like seeing a child standing corrected before his parents.



I am not ready to give up on Clinton yet, and his 'clustering' with Bush senior is one interesting thing, to tell you the truth.

What if the moderate conservative Republicans are teaming up with the moderate liberal Democrats to cocoon Bush from the other neocons?

You can see some authority emerging from these past presidents, and they do command some respect in their respective communities as presidents with merits to show, like the Bush senior's Gulf War Walkover, and Clinton's amazing boost on US economy. Both looking very attractive at the moment, I guess. Although hugely unpopular because of the radicalized situation now, they may be able to build the bridges needed to get a swing of mood towards a more active policy of liberalism/centrism, some sound policy to break the deadlock we're in. Depends on wether you trust them, of course. I'm not sure what to think of Bush senior - he's got too many unaswered questions hovering in the background.
But I DO trust Clinton still - he took too much of a beating in the 90's to fold now, he's just an old order politician now seeing for the first time that things MATTERS.

But it's really not important wether you trust the constellation or not, the point is; are there something happening behind Bush junior, and what does it mean?

Because at the same time Dick Cheney disappears. It is an unusual thing, a puzzle.
Has he been told to leave? That his game is up?
He's usually not this quiet, and the activities in that camp are hushed and not very 'present'. What about the other PNAC'ers, like Rumsfeld? I did see something about him but it wasn't much.

I wonder what it would be like to be in the same room as Bush senior, Clinton and our own little mental favourite, the prez.
How would the conversation flow? Who would lead? Surely not GWB.
The only authority he would bring to such a conversation would be his role as the president - admittedly not a small achievement, but still.
In a 'man-to-man'-talk with his father and Clinton he would be the stuttering teenager anxious to make an impression.
With Bush pressured as he is, well...

I'm very curious about this development.

[kansasblue]

1. Poppy no fan of Chenny. Called Chenny one of the "crazies"

when he was pres.

[mogster]

8. Well, Cheney was secretary of defense under Bush senior

Which would suggest a somewhat trustworthy approach. You're thinking of Wolfowitz, no?

But the Bush sr.-Cheney relationship is very interesting as well. Their close connection during the last Gulf war is one against Bush sr., I'd say. Cheney reeks of it all; treason, gluttony and good old banditry.

[D-Notice]

2. How dare you say we're less radicalised?

I'll kill you for making that sort of comment! :P

[mogster]

6. Whaaat? This isn't the Tory forum?

:P

[nashville_brook]

3. i noticed the corrected child thing right off the bat

i hope you are right about cheney in exile.

[LiberalEsto]

4. I think Cheney's ill

Congressman Rangel said something about the VP's being sick with heart disease a couple of weeks ago. Perhaps one reason * has fucked up so royally is because Cheney isn't there to instruct him.

[mogster]

9. Good point

Cheney and Rove - Bush babysitters :P

[ailsagirl]

17. Mentally / Spiritually / Psychologically / Physically

Yep

[ms liberty]

5. The look on Clinton's face says it all...

He is disgusted, disappointed and he's feeling the pain of the nation. Say what you want about Bill but his empathy is one of his greatest qualities.

[mogster]

7. Thank you

I do agree. Bill Clinton is a very sane person, that's my impression.

[ailsagirl]

19. Amen... Clinton has a HEART

[Anarcho-Socialist]

10. It would not surprise me if the GOP Congress turns on him

He's deadweight as far as popularity is concerned and the Congressional approval rating languishes in the 30s. Republicans may try to distance themselves from him to save their own skins in 2006, fearing a Democratic sweep (as long as the election resembles a fair one).

[FighttheFuture]

11. When Cheney disappears, I worrry...

He's planning our next 9/11, no doubt.

[lady lib]

13. Yep.

Supposedly, he's vacationing in Wyoming, but it's becoming apparent that he's more than vacationing...he's absent. I think he's either gravely ill or planning the next Pearl Harbor event to set the stage for invading Iran. So say I, Sister Mary Sunshine.

[Greeby]

16. Sister Mary Sunshine?

Thought Sy Hersh had the rights to that nickname :P

[Taxloss]

12. I think they could be attempting to emphasise continuity,

and yes, that is a snub of GWB because he is desperate to distance himself from Clinton and his dad. Having to fall back on Clinton so often must really hurt.

I think you might be right - possibly the Beltway political community is attempting to insulate the president from his own advisers.

[NEOBuckeye]

14. Cheney is probably in the terminal stages of his disease.

He doesn't look very well at all in any of his most recent pictures -- very puffed up and tired-looking. Maybe his callous, total disreguard for anyone's life but his own has finally caught up with him?

[soothsayer]

15. Chandra Levy's heart finally giving out on him? What a waste

of a transplant. (He stole it from her, didn't he?)

[ailsagirl]

18. Karma

All the $$ in the world won't save him. I'd hate to
have his karma.