GOP Urge Bush to Turn Attention From Iraq

[Barrett808]

GOP Urge Bush to Turn Attention From Iraq
By RON FOURNIER, AP Political Writer

NEW YORK - Nervous Republicans are urging President Bush to unveil a robust second-term agenda at his convention next week to shift voters' focus from the unpopular war in Iraq and other issues that are a distraction to his re-election drive. Some contend the party should ditch the GOP-fueled controversy over rival John Kerry's combat record in Vietnam.

"If he gets on the future and effectively talks about the challenges that are ahead that only he can meet, then he'll be fine," said Joe Gaylord, a Republican strategist from Washington. "But if this campaign continues to be about Vietnam and the past, I don't think he's going to do so fine. I think it's a little dicey."

As they packed their bags for the trip to New York, several convention delegates and GOP operatives said they had hoped Bush would be comfortably ahead of the Democratic challenger by now. They still like Bush's chances against Kerry, the party faithful said, but only if Bush takes full advantage of the convention spotlight. They offered a wide range of advice, including:

_ Condemn Kerry's 19-year record in the Senate, and perhaps even his stint as lieutenant governor and prosecutor in Massachusetts.

_ Remind voters of Bush's performance after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, which produced the highest approval ratings of his presidency.

_ Reach beyond his conservative base to appeal to independent-minded undecided voters.

_ Defend his first-term record, but not so much that it overshadows his vision for a second term.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040827/ap_on_el_pr/republican_jitters&cid=694&ncid=1480

[gratuitous]

1. Turn his attention FROM Iraq?

Stupidhead hasn't given a flying Cheney about Iraq for 17 months now. What are they talking about?

[Kierkegaard]

2. Yeah, that should work...

"If he gets on the future and effectively talks about the challenges that are ahead..."

Maybe he can explain why he CAUSED so many of those challenges we're facing in the first place! Assbag :grr:

[cthrumatrix]

3. in other words....run from eveything you have touched and screwed up

[freeminder]

19. you can say it even shorter

"in other words...run from everything you have touched"


the "and screwed up" is saying the same thing twice

:P

[THUNDER HANDS]

4. here's my advice

1. Apologize
2. Resign
3. Turn yourself in for prosecution.

[MadcityRock]

7. Exactly, for his own salvation

Accepting punishment on earth for his crimes is his best chance to avoid the special place in hell reserved for someone responsible for turning kids into torturers.

[sofa king]

5. Swift Boat Flip Flop Absent Kept Man Gay Marriage....

Yeah George, it's time to turn your attention from Iraq.

[Nambe]

6. Thank our stars for Agence France-Presse.

About a year ago, AFP reporters were being turned away by INS at customs. Now we know why. AP sued the WH for bush's National Guard records and when the missing records were finally found, AP went silent and Reuters ran the press release. Then Reuters went silent. Since that time neither have challenged bush. But on cue, AFP picked up the slack. IMO the agencies predicted all of this and made a plan. Apparently, the neo-cons can't intimidate AFP and they are in the US in force.

Just had to get that off my chest.

It's difficult not to blast AP but I do think they are taking care of business via AFP.

Je suis desole que mon president soit un idiot.

[Cocoa]

8. Bush's first term record couldn't "overshadow" an ant

who are they kidding?

Anyway, he's not going to share his second-term agenda publicly. No way would anyone willingly vote for that nightmare scenario.

[leftchick]

9. Do you HEAR that all of you brainwashed Vets for bush*?!?

"The unpopular war in Iraq and other issues that are a distraction to his re-election drive"...

He does not give a fuck about the Military, it is ALL ABOUT HIM!!!

:grr:

[sandraj]

17. exactly

What an unfortunate (though unsurprising) choice of words.

I'm so sorry that civilian and military deaths are such a bothersome distraction from his f*cking re-election drive.

[Rebellious Republican]

20. Amen to that LC, and hey there are alot of us Vets that are still of .....

sound mind. :hi:

[leftchick]

29. I know there are many like you RR!

I actually saw a "Veteran Against bush*" bumpersticker in NC yesterday! Gotta love it!
.... and thank you for your service!

:)

[mbperrin]

31. I saw one in Odessa, Texas yesterday!

Looked pretty good lined up beside my "nothing accomplished"!

BTW, I have seen exactly ONE W04 sticker here, and that was in Midland, 20 miles away!

[olddem43]

10. Their only hope is to throw up enough smoke to confuse -

the sheeple. Our hope is that enough of them realize the truth.

[edbermac]

11. Sure, why not? "Move along, move along...nothing to see here..."

:kick:

[Disturbed]

12. Accomplishments?

What has this Dumbass and his Neo Fascists accomplished?

What can Amerika expect from these Neo Fascists is they were re-selected?

[Bluebear]

13. Maybe he can have Colin Powell perform "YMCA" again

Good diversions.

[kskiska]

14. Does that mean he can't wear his flight suit

in Madison Square Garden?

[mac56]

15. Too little, too late.

The horses have escaped - secure the barn door.

[freeminder]

16. Remind voters of Bush's performance after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks???

- Remind voters of Bush's performance after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, which produced the highest approval ratings of his presidency


great strategerizing. Make an ad with Pet Goat Bush YEAH! Oh and the Carrier Landing! Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy woo-hoo!

[CarolynEC]

18. "... the challenges that are ahead that only he (Bush) can meet..."

Well, the list just got whittled down to zero, didn't it?

[Barrett808]

26. LOL!

[leesa]

21. Has 'Vietnam' become a euphemism for 'Iraq' in their oh so tiny brains

So their game plan is as usual. Tell a bunch of lies and ignore reality.

[TEXASYANKEE]

22. Good grief!

Gawd forbid he talk about OSAMA BIN LADEN!!! And sure let's talk about 9/11 ... and the fact that he sat like a deer caught in the headlights for 7 minutes while the buildings burned. And then took 20 minutes for a photo op before he even left the school. Sure, let's talk about it.

[pinniped]

23. Does that mean the situation is not FUBAR?

Maybe only in his little pea-brain.

[hatrack]

24. And what do they propose to use as props?

The past - cooked intelligence, lies about WMD, withdrawals from treaties on arms, on toxins, on public health, on the environment, on international law, tax cuts (the high point, I suppose), massive public debt, record deficits, millions of jobs lost, millions more jobs going overseas, burgeoning trade deficits, more bigger and better tax writeoffs and special interest tax deductions and credits and giveaways, more snowmobiles in Yellowstone, fewer cops on the street . . .

The future - More tax cuts (that was fairly easy to predict), more wars, more "security" at home, mandatory mental health screening and SSRI administration (I'm not making this up), a mission to Mars, hydrogen cars, nipping and tucking the Constitution to enshrine gay-bashing, fewer abortions, more guns, fewer public services, lots and lots more God and fear, fear, fear, fear and FEAR.

And this will convince people to vote for him because . . . . ?

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

25. Robust 2nd term agenda = Community College Minimum Wage Job Training

"Defend his first-term record, but not so much that it overshadows his vision for a second term?"

Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

:evilgrin:

[Citizen Daryl]

27. Be Sure To Bring Up Iraq To Your GOP Acquaintances Frequently.

Keep asking them questions that force them to think about it, or at least force them to talk about it.

[Geo55]

28. "talks about the challenges that are ahead that only he can meet"

Yep....he's gonna ride that damn bike ALL the way back to the ranch house THIS TIME !!!

[cornfedyank]

30. tell shrub to emphasis nbc's new fall season

i hate the phrase "everything changed on 9/11". I was not suprised we were targeted. I did not know the day, but even a stupid farmer can look up and see a storm on the way.

enough BU** SH**