Republicans are in the midst of the Five Stages of Grief / Loss.

[Brotherjohn]

Josh Marshall brought up this great observation a couple of weeks back, when Peggy Noonan and others were arguing that Bush may lose because he's "too exciting" and that people were looking for something more "normal". That, he said, had all the earmarks of "bargaining" stage of the Five Stages of Grief or of Loss.
(http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_07_25.php, scroll to July 27th, 3:43AM)

So they're currently settling into Stage 3, the "Bargaining" stage (although some are still stuck in Stages 1 and 2). Day after day, I see more evidence of this. Today, we see Laura Bush trying to latch the "divider" tag onto the media instead of her husband (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=595048). That's pure bargaining.

Let's make it a game! What do YOU think are some good examples, or predictions of what they'll be saying as they progress to the latter stages?

Here are some suggestions:

1) Denial - "The American people can know that every measure has been taken to avoid war" (George W. Bush, 3/17/03) (Okay, we all know that W has been, and will be, stuck in denial for a LONG time)

2) Anger - "To those who scare peace-loving people with phantoms of lost liberty, my message is this: Your tactics only aid terrorists, for they erode our national unity and diminish our resolve." (John Ashcroft, 12/6/01)

3) Bargaining - See above examples.

4) Depression - "Oh my GOD! The terrorists are winning!!" (Bill O'Reilly, 10PM EST, 11/2/04)

5) Acceptance - "Oh well, we'll run Arnie in 2008." (Ed Gillespie, 8AM EST, 11/3/04)

Any more?

[TrustingDog]

1. they never get past the Anger stage... n/t

[Brotherjohn]

2. Test.