Rate the damage to Chimpy on a 1 to 10 scale, 10 being the worst

[democrat in Tallahassee]

I put him at about 5.5 right now, but I think it will get worse

[ShaneGR]

1. 7

It's a big crack in his armor. And just like you said, it will get worse.

[FlashHarry]

2. 3.5 now...

But growing by the day.

[grasswire]

3. hmm

....if the press would start looking into all his lies (AWOL, insider Harken trading, Enron, etc. etc. etc.) he'd be about a 15.

Right now I'd say 4.5

[acmavm]

4. 4.5 - The country is now about evenly split. But soon...

the walls will come tumbling down. Especially in a few months when the effects of the economy worsen, and it becomes readily apparent to even the dumbest of the dumb what effect the policies of President UnElected have had on this country. Because things can only get worse before they get better. We haven't hit the bottom of the Bush barrel yet. But it's coming, and then the smug morons that think the war in Iraq were about WMDs are going to get a very rude awakening.

[caledesi]

5. I would agree on the 5.5 but getting worse especially if

we keep losing troops on a daily basis. And if we have one big slaughter where 20+ troops die....he's gone. A big 10!

[Eloriel]

6. Not sure. But what's interesting to me

is that there aren't any really good ways out of this mess for them.

Sure, they can talk up the humanitarian "gift" to Iraq of getting rid of Saddam and Bushbots will buy it, but then they're not all that prone to ditch Bush anyway and it won't silence Bush's critics -- as long as the media keeps up their pressure.

They can't do a bleepin' thing about Iraq. It is what it is and they have NO control over it. It's going to simmer and fester for years. The only thing they COULD do, they're not likely to do: go to the U.N. and beg for help. They're not likely to do this because it would mean sacrificing some control over what goes on in Iraq and probably esp. re the oil.

They can't, probably, plant WMD. The whole world has been expecting just that and has wondered about it aloud in the international press. Even some of that in the U.S. Plus, there's that pesky little thing about sourcing it -- it's my understanding they all have traceable provenance, certainly the biological stuff (maybe not chemical, but how are they going to get "tons and tons of sarin, etc." into Iraq? And put it where? Logistical nightmare).

They can't shift the focus to "WMD programs" because that's not what was so threatening -- it was actual WMDs, not WMD hopes and dreams.

They've stiffed the CIA but good, and can likely count on more blowback (hehe) because of it. Tenet isn't going to be doing them any favors, and yet they can't touch him, really, because he knows EVERYTHING.

The Niger Uranium story just keeps offering up new revelations, and that ain't going away anytime soon. Plus, their duplicity on this opens up frankly everything they ever said, anywhere, anytime, whether about Iraq or not but esp. about Iraq which we all know was a crock of lies anyway.

Etc.

This isn't like a little burglary and cover-up that they COULD HAVE just admitted to and gone on with their lives. This is way, way different. And it's a stew of their own making. Isn't it delicious?

So I don't know where Bush&Co. is on the scale right now, but there's no "up" from here -- not on any permanent basis.

Eloriel

[rasputin1952]

10. You make a good case, ...

and have obviously been following this well. You are also doing a great job of bumping one up on the admin., by seeing what they are most likely up to next.

I have to give this a 7.5 though. I think that there is a great upswelling of distrust for this admin; far greater than we are being told by in the media. I can see it here, everyday; and I am in GOP heaven out here in Nebraska. When these people start bad mouthing bush, I can figure the rest of the country is sharpening their pitchforks and lighting their torches.

I might add, that watching the 'news conference' today with bush and Blair in a mutual butt-kissing frenzy, I noticed that bush was readily 'spooked' by the question tying him to the SOTU address. I would figure he was briefed on this for hours, and practiced his 'cowboy' stance and demeanor, but he had the look of a deer caught in the headlights. He knows he's cooked.

Anyway......thanks again for the insights of your post.

[osaMABUSh]

7. 6 - even Leno is making * jokes

I think a 6 - considering all the 'lost' scandals this one has staying power and is in the mainstream news daily.

I don't watch Jay Leno much but I heard two of his jokes from last night on the radio this morning:

"Bush blamed CIA director Tenet for the false WMD statement in the SOTU. Now if he could only find someone to blame the economy on - he'd be home free"

"Good news, they found the Weapons of Mass Destruction - they're in North Korea"

[FDRLincoln]

8. My rating: 4

Current damage rating is 4: Bush's image is slipping among independents and non-insane Republicans, although he still has some slack. Dems already hate him, but this emboldens more attacks from Dems with guts.

Potential Damage rating: 10. This COULD, if they don't figure out a better way to spin it, destroy the remaining credibility of his presidency.

My guess is that this ends up about a 6. Significant damage, but not the complete disaster that it could be.

[StopThief]

9. 4 now - 2 later

This will blow over as far as the mushy middle is concerned.

[jab105]

11. 2

wish I could say higher, but it already seems to be blowing over....

[jpgray]

12. From this? 2. Cumulative since January? 7

He's had a potload of bad press and innuendo--covering it up sometimes doesn't help it. You know that smarmy feeling you get when the media cover for Bush? Everyone gets that feeling--it's not just us.

[opihimoimoi]

13. Its about 7.4

Credibility shot to hell

Respect: down about 6 notches

Concern for the troops welfare: He has already revealed himself as unconcerned.

The Man is toast

[NewYorkerfromMass]

14. 5...whatever

I still want to :puke: at the thought of him STILL winning in '04.