DOUG THOMPSON > GOP Leaders to Bush: 'Your Presidency is Effectively Over'

[sabra]

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

GOP Leaders to Bush: 'Your Presidency is Effectively Over'
By DOUG THOMPSON

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."

[Catherine Vincent]

1. What's this crap about Rove apologizing?

Let me quote the words of Patrick Fitzgerald: "That talking point won't fly!"

[Dhalgren]

8. This article doesn't say that. It says that Bush should apologize...

[Catherine Vincent]

12. Oh, sorry.

I saw a couple of other reports stating that Rove should apologize. I don't think either one of them should. That wouldn't help anything, I mean come on, we're not talking about lying about some extramarital affair. We're talking about blowing the cover of a CIA agent.

[Dhalgren]

14. And murdering thousands of Iraqi and US citizens by lying us

into a pointless, illegitimate war. I agree with you 1000% on this - no apologies will be accepted! Resign your offices and turn yourselves in to the appropriate authorities! Nothing less will make the nut!

[soothsayer]

2. Bwa ha ha! As predicted---EVERYONE will hate * by the end of

his term. (astrology called it long before the first so-called election!)

Maybe there's a chance he will not finish his term---also forecast in some places.

[LynneSin]

3. Consider this with the NJ Governor's Race (11/08/2005)

For democratic contender Jon Corzine: former President Bill Clinton has made several campaign stops in the Garden State to help campaign for Corzine.

For republican contender Doug Forrester: Bush has not made one campaign stop in New Jersey even though this is actually a competetive race. In fact, Corzine has been effectively running campaign ads against Forrester linking the candidate with the unpopular Bush. I'm sure with the race still feasibly but a long shot, the last thing Forrester wants is a visit from Bush on the campaign trail

[BrklynLiberal]

4. The only scary thing about this is what will he try to do to prove them

wrong? What havoc will he wreak? What red button will he push to prove he still has the power? Too bad there is no "Henry Kissinger" to his "Nixon" to take him quietly away into a helicopter and let him wave goodbye. He is surrounded by people who are as crazy as he is.

[racaulk]

7. My thoughts exactly

An animal backed into a corner is a very dangerous thing. There is no telling what * might try to do if he feels he has nothing to lose.

[sufrommich]

5. God.I hope

every word of this is true.

[kurth]

6. Could be a ploy to lull Democrats into complacency...

[ChairmanAgnostic]

10. his ego would never permit it. - and history shows

that once you start diving in the polls AND people are convinced that you are a liar, it is virtually impossible to change their mind. Only an act of contrition (HAHAHAHAHA- from these yahoos?) might make a dent.

No, I think this article is pretty close to the truth.

What strikes me is how slowly the GOP is reacting to these stories and poll numbers. Sure, one gubernatorial candidate refuses to ask Bush for help in a campaign. (as if he would give it, in a public forum) But the average GOP congressman looking at these numbers, man, they have to be shitting bricks. I wonder how long it takes them to start criticizing him in public.

Once that happens, all bets are off.

[BonnieJW]

23. Not only a liar,

an addict and a drunk. Mix that up with desperate and it spells terror.

[indepat]

9. Jesus, it's as if all the rats bailing ship were oblivious to W's policies

and actions which had disaster written all over them from the get-go.

[unblock]

17. they're not upset with his policies

they're upset with his inability to sell them anymore.

[indepat]

20. Right on. Most Germans supported Hitler's actions until defeat was

inevitable from what I've gathered reading about the fall of Berlin and the Third Reich: to wit, we don't care what you do or how you do it as long as you are successful and keep the home folks safe.

[Dhalgren]

11. I liked this part:

'"Right now, George W. Bush is the Republican Party's chief liability," says a GOP strategist who has advised Presidential campaigns for 30 years. "The entire political future of the party and perhaps the nation now rests on the shoulders of a President that no one - Democrat or Republican - believes in or trusts."'

Man, even the Publicans have finally wised-up to what we have been saying for six years - "You can't trust Bush!"

[ewagner]

13. I don't know about Doug's sources

but most of the article has a "ring of truth" to it.

The theme of Bush* temper tantrums is still there too.

[DanCa]

15. Do the moderate repubs fear a backlash if/when chimpy overturns roe?

Can this be one cause of the possible defections?

[Skidmore]

16. That's quite a potty mouth that God's Chosen has, isn't it?

And quite a temper too.

[abluelady]

18. Hopefully, it is true

And we will see results in the two State Governor elections this year and the 2006 elections. We must capitalize on this.

[catmandu57]

19. Can you feel it?

there is a palpable fear in this article, right now the piggies are pleading softly with the moran* to dump his brain. This however, is a cretin that can't admit to ever having made a mistake, watch as the fear gives way to all out rebellion in the piggie ranks.
I get the feeling that unless he cowtows to the party now, he won't get alito on the court, hell, he may never get the opportunity to name anyone.

We may see them throw the chimp* overboard in an attempt to save the shattered remains of the piggie party.

[Buns_of_Fire]

21. "...a way out of the trouble," eh?

Maybe a Jimmy Swaggart moment?


There's always the Jim Bakker approach to remove their problems...


And self-immolation is still popular here and there, if they can sell the idea to Little Boots...

(Although, given his displayed gracefulness, * is in danger of that every time he lights a cigar while cradling his bottle of Jim Beam, anyway.)

[KharmaTrain]

22. More CapBlue Wishful Thinking

Reading Doug's stuff is like grabbing the Inquirer. It's all hearsay and you sure wish it was true. CapBlue has been on booosh's drinking think for a while and then into his mental instability...and corporate media every now and then flashes some validity into these stories.

The point is there are definite rifts developing inside the White House. Someone speculated that some of the more damaging leaks are coming from Scotty...trying to get back at being hung out to dry day in and out in those press briefings.

Also, look at the upside for some of the opportunists in this party of opportunists. booooosh can't run again and if he implodes, someone is gonna have to be there to pick up the pieces. McCain kinda feels he's "the one" by default, but if this White House ruptures...all bets are off. Few thought Ronald Raygun would ever gain much national traction during Nixon's heydays following the '72 election.

As long as investigations, indictments, trials and bad polls all but paralyize this regime (thank goodness) expect the opportunists...through annonymity of course...to take their shots and see where they land. Harriet Miers showed some who their friends really were and weren't and the on-going troubles are just bringing long-covered rifts into the open.

Hopefully Doug & Cap Blue's reports continue to amuse us...and. while I can't say any of what this site reports is "credible"...it's sure good eye candy...

:popcorn:

[UTUSN]

24. That's Their Exit Strategy: Shrub Ain't Running, Don't Talk about Him

They've started their don't-look-back/look-to-the-future/no-finger-pointing strategy, knowing that they have to cut themselves loose for their own sakes.

They started this talking point a month or more ago: "The Dems have to stop attacking Shrub because he isn't running anymore."

It's just the latest encarnation of DON'T CRITICIZE OR HOLD SHRUB RESPONSIBLE FOR *ANYTHING*! In 1999 they said we couldn't "mess" with him. From 2001 through 2005, they said it was all CLINTON's fault. Now they say we can't talk about him because he ain't running for anything anymore, he's not on the ballot, is not the issue. When the EFF *can* we talk about him?