This is another one of those posts where I try to crystallize some thoughts I've expressed here and there in Eschaton comments. I initially lumped it in with some post-VA/NJ election musings, but it didn't really fit there, plus it ended up being long enough to rate its own post.
As Bush's approval rating drills resolutely towards the Earth's core, one of the interesting trends has been the erosion of his support among his own party. While still inexplicably high, it has dropped noticeably, from 89% to 77% since the start of the year, according to Pew.
So, assuming more Republican voters manage to piss the remaining Bush Kool-Aid out of their systems, is the backlash against him going to be worse than it would be for, say, George The First? Bush has achieved a truly scary level of trust from those who believe him to be a righteous, religious man - will their disappointment be magnified into anger by this added layer of deception?
Bush has not only lied about his policies, but he has lied about WHO HE IS. If they ever pierce the veil of lies, I think the evangelicals who still have some shred of sanity left may well react like jilted, deceived lovers, rather than just constituents whose elected representatives have let them down yet again (I mean, what can you expect from politicians, right?).
Again, of course, the key to all this is to connect a discredited Bush to Republican candidates in 2006 & 2008. Remind the voters of every time they stood by him and vouched for his sincerity and character while he smirked and lied about everything. Remind them that the Republicans are accomplices.
And if some primary challengers want to use this same strategy against, say, Joe Biden and/or Joe Lieberman, well, I'd be willing to look the other way. Hell, I might even be persuaded to slip them a few bucks on the down-low.
1 comment:
Accomplices, enablers, facilitators, liars, profiteers, warmongers, killers of their own people. In short, just remind the votes that THESE ARE REPUBLICANS!
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