Monday - March 27, 2006

Republican Party Death Watch

Republicans On The Run
As midterm campaigns gear up, Bush’s party fears a
backlash that could end its 12-year hold on the House
_{Monday - March 27, 2006}

TIME MAGAZINE—Considering that Vice President Dick Cheney had come a long way to help Florida Congressman Ric Keller raise $250,000 last week, the reception he got in the Sunshine State could have been a bit warmer. After extolling Cheney as “one of the most effective Vice Presidents in the history of the U.S.,” Keller launched into all the times he had recently opposed the Bush Administration, including the deal to allow a Dubai company to manage operations at several U.S. ports. And then Keller went right for the punch line: “‘Don’t be too hasty,’” he claimed the Vice President had pleaded with him. “‘Let’s go hunting. We’ll talk about it.’”

As the campaign season kicks into gear, Republican incumbents are having a hard time figuring out how close they want to be to the White House. Voters have plenty to take out on Republican candidates this year--ethics scandals, the G.O.P.’S failure to curb spending, the government’s inept response to Hurricane Katrina, a confusing new prescription-drug program for seniors and, more than anything else, an unpopular President who is fighting an unpopular war. Iraq could make a vulnerability of the Republicans’ greatest asset, the security issue.

Iraq is driving nearly all the big indicators the wrong way for Republicans. In a TIME poll conducted last week, Bush’s job approval rating was mired at 39%; 3 in 5 Americans said the country is headed in the wrong direction, and when those surveyed were given the choice between a generic Republican and a generic Democrat for Congress, the nameless Democrat won, 50% to 41%. The signs suggest an anti-Republican wave is building, says nonpartisan electoral handicapper Stuart Rothenberg, whose Rothenberg Political Report is closely followed in Washington. “The only question is how high, how big, how much force it will have. I think it will be considerable.”

Few strategists in either party think a Democratic takeover of the Senate is likely, but many agree that the party’s playing offense rather than defense is a remarkable turnaround, given that Democrats have more incumbents (18) fighting to keep their seats than Republicans do (15). But the G.O.P. failed to recruit strong challengers for the North Dakota, Nebraska and Florida seats that had been considered their best opportunities. “There was a chance for us to get damn close to [a filibuster-proof] 60 votes,” says G.O.P. activist Grover Norquist. “We gave away three sure things.”

If there’s any good news for Republicans, it’s that the elections are still seven months off. There is time in which any number of possible events--the capture of Osama bin Laden, for instance, or positive developments out of Iraq--could sweeten the nation’s mood. Gingrich says Republicans badly need accomplishments to tell voters about. “The country actually expects the majority to implement,” he says. “They hire you to govern, not just to tell them why you are right.”

- Dearly Beloved, you may gather at TIME to read the rest of the eulogy and obituary ...

Posted by The Skipper     on 03/27/2006 at 01:46 PM   
Filed Under: • Politics •  
• Comments (18) • Trackbacks(1)  Permalink •  

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Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:

1. Keep a firm grasp of Right and Wrong
2. Stay involved with government on every level and don't let those bastards get away with a thing
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4. Keep talking to each other, whether here or elsewhere

It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.

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