Is Bush's appeal overstated?

[jobycom]

What has Bush actually done to demonstrate that he can win in November?

Despite many polls showing Bush winning the national vote in 2000 on the eve of the election, he lost by half a million. Despite polls showing he would win Florida, he lost by tens of thousands, as no one can dispute that more people went to the polls to vote for Gore, no matter how the actual ballots were counted.

Just before 9-11, Bush's "approval" numbers were in the mid forties--hardly popular. After 9-11 we were told his approval shot to the 90s, but how much of that high number was a false unity against terrorism, like all the car flags we no longer see? How much of that love was really Bush's, and how much was just for the office of the presidency in a trying time?

The protests leading up the Iraqi invasion were supposed to be small, yet millions took to the streets, and the media had to hem and haw to pretend we weren't there. The size of the protests even staggered Bush, and he began to falter, until he remembered he was god and went on with his plans. The media told us that most people supported the war, but the protests show that the most passionate feelings were on our side.

The media in the last few years have given up the pretext of objectivity, as each network has moved towards Fox to gain market share, claiming that liberal programs like Donahue didn't sell. Did they? Hard to say-- Donahue was intelligent, but far past his prime, and his style was not current. Were any actual liberals with current credentials and modern styles given shows? Carville and Begala are doing well on CNN, even though initially we were assured they were failing (who remembers the Roger Ailes email wars here on DU?) How much of the failure of "liberal" broadcasting was really a (perhaps deliberate) failure of the networks to find decent broadcasters?

We are told people are more conservative, and yet book after liberal book attacking Bush or defending our own top the charts, never sating the liberal market's cravings. That's not just a few wild-eyed liberals pumping up numbers, that's a marketing trend.

We were told Moore's film would break records but not be THAT big. Only wild-eyed liberals would go see it, because most people supported the war. Now all the headlines say the experts underestimated the interest in this film. How much have they overestimated the support for the invasion?

Time and again, the liberal viewpoint, the liberal buying power, and the liberal outrage is underestimated. We are told we are the fringe, despite winning more votes in the last presidential election, despite our radio shows drawing a bigger audience than Rush Limbaugh, despite us shattering book sales and box office records with our viewpoints, despite us flooding the streets with millions of protestors, despite our poor selves breaking all campaign contribution records for our political candidate, despite us uniting behind a man whom some question just to defeat Bush, despite our green automobiles becoming the hottest car in America, despite us proving wrong every pundit, movie reviewer, politician and pollster who steps in our way for the last four years.

I no longer believe Bush can win. I no longer believe he is popular. I no longer believe most Americans would want to drink a beer with him or trust him with their daughters or believe he is honest and moral. I no longer believe the invasion is popular. I no longer believe the world has really turned Republican. I do believe the Republicans are better at cheating, but I don't believe that will stop us this time. I don't believe ANYTHING will stop us this time. We are right, we are the majority, and the Republicans need to start making retirement plans.

Thank you for your time. Now, back on your heads.