AP: GOP Urge Bush to Turn Attention From Iraq

[DrFunkenstein]

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.

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.

Many voters have soured on the war in Iraq, and their discontent has hurt Bush's approval ratings. With the death toll of U.S. troops nearing 1,000, several of the Republicans said Bush's political team doesn't realize how angry and anxious Americans are over Iraq. Each death dominates local news, often in a battleground state. Bush acknowledged Thursday in an interview that he miscalculated the postwar scenario in Iraq.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&e=1&u=/ap/20040827/ap_on_el_pr/republican_jitters

[mistertrickster]

1. Hahaha, that would be funny if it weren't so damn tragic. . . .

nt

[City Lights]

2. Who wants to see Kerry stare down bush in the debates and ask:

"Mr. President, how do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"

[Skidmore]

3. Me, me, me, me..... nt

[ibegurpard]

4. Did everyone notice this line?

"Some contend the party should ditch the GOP-FUELED CONTROVERSY over rival John Kerry's combat record in Vietnam."

Notice the part I capped.
We are gradually winning the spin on this.