GOP Leaders to Bush: 'Your Presidency is Effectively Over'

[kweerwolf]

(Yeah, I know ... it's from Capitol Hill Blue and some posters take issue with the legitimacy and accuracy of that publication. But it still makes from some interesting reading.)

A growing number of Republican leaders, party strategists and political professional now privately tell President George W. Bush that his presidency "is effectively over" unless he fires embattled White House advisor Karl Rove, apologizes to the American people for misleading the country into war and revamps his administration from top to bottom.

"The only show of unity we have now in the Republican Party is the belief that the President has failed the party, the American people and the presidency," says a longtime, and angry, GOP strategist.

With the public face of support for Bush eroding daily from even diehard Republicans, the President faces mounting anger from within his party over the path that may well lead to loss of control of Congress in the 2006 midterm elections and the White House in 2008.

"This presidency is in trouble," says a senior White House aide. "Even worse, I don't know if there is a way out of the trouble."

http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_7617.shtml

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

1. Apologizing Will Make It Worse...

I agree that the only possibility of salvaging this for Shrub is if he apologizes and comes completely clean. We know he's probably not going to do that anyways, but it is his only hope.

If he does apologize, he'll look like such a complete loser. The opinion polls would drop through the floor, and he would even likely lose a part of his "base," which is the only support keeping him afloat right now.

Let's face it.....only about 47% voted for him a year ago, and that # would drop below 40% now. He'd lose another 10% easily if he came out and admitted out and out fraud on the American people, although he risks dropping to the floor if he tries to ride this storm out for the next 3 years.

[MissWaverly]

6. Please explain these poll numbers

They keep saying that 85% of the Republicans surveyed support Bush,
I keep hearing Republicans saying that they are leaving the party
where are these inflated numbers coming from.

[RaleighNCDUer]

11. That's easy.

The 85% is of those Republicans who remain. Once a repub repudiates the * agenda and bails, they no longer count, instead, are classed as 'independents'. Therefore, * retains high ratings in the repub party, but the party itself is shrinking.

[iconoclastNYC]

12. You are correct

As long as the party self-identification polls show Independents increasing and Republicans decreasing and I think the last one did show this best I remember.

[MissWaverly]

14. so you are saying it would be 85% of say 3% of US population

[RaleighNCDUer]

16. I could only wish it were 85% of 3%, LOL.

But 85% of 45% does not sound so far off.

[MissWaverly]

19. I know I was exagerating but Bush is for the top 2%

I saw somewhere that the top 2% of the wealthy elite in this country
is only 130,000 people, we are suffering for the comfort of a very
small part of the population.

[gordianot]

2. There are many elements that resonate as possible.

One thing appears to be certain Bush is not yet ready to give up Rove.

[Newsjock]

3. Bush explodes again

Also from that same article:

... Bush, however, has dug his heels in on Rove. When a GOP strategist suggested last weekend that the President fire Rove, Bush exploded.

"You go to hell," he screamed at the strategist. "You can leave and you can take the rest of these lily-livered motherfuckers with you!" The President then stormed out of the room and refused to meet further with any other party leaders or strategists.

[CrispyQ]

5. I know CapitolHillBlue is a questionable source,

but that reaction from boosh fits perfectly with how I perceive him!

[katty]

22. CHB reports about bush dovetail with other reports as well

[asjr]

4. How does the puppet fire the puppet-master?

[spindrifter]

7. Apologizing for misleading

the American people would hopefully force the legislative and judicial branches to rethink their positions as checks and balances. I can't imagine how B*sh could ever recover enough political strength after an apology of this magnitude to ever govern even the choice about whether to have mustard or mayo.

[meti57b]

8. his past (and probably continuing) arrogance cant be fixed with an apology

[Skittles]

9. that's a great pic

cool cat

[meti57b]

10. Hi, hey, thanks! It sort of captures his mischievous nature.

[Tamyrlin79]

13. I wish people would quit apologizing for Capital Hill Blue

Even the New York Times has to be take with a degree of skepticism, these days. Unless they are a right-wing shill factory, like Drudge or the Moonie Times, a news story should be taken with the same degree of skepticism as you would any other.

[cassiepriam]

15. The descriptions do fit his diagnoses quite well.

And it is interesting that he is so tied emotionally to Rove.
I wonder if underneath that anger is fear.

[RaleighNCDUer]

17. Fear is underneath nearly all anger, if you think about it. nt

[cassiepriam]

21. yes most anger is about loss, which causes fear and sadness.

Bush is losing a lot these days.

[Stuckinthebush]

18. I believe everything in this article except

...Bush calling the strategists "lily-livered". Who uses that anymore? I'm sure he called them something much worse!

[Catfight]

20. but but...he's appointed a judge that will overturn Roe vs. Wade. nt

[pfitz59]

23. Forget Roe V Wade.... its a side show.

Legal or illegal desperate women will always find a way to get an abortion. What really matters is "Corporate Person-hood" and the continuation of the Fascist state!