[cake_crumb]

"I think Bush fumbled the ball on this one in terms of publicity only."

Nah...then he would have been portrayed as bending over to Kerry supporters. He doesn't LIKE these people. He has no respect for them, and their whining only earns them more derison from him. The decision not to meet with them and give them a photo op at his expense was a personal one. Much like his refusal to walk into an NAACP "I hate Bush Fest".

[FredZarguna]

It doesn't matter if he likes them, and it doesn't matter if he respects them. This is public relations, and it is based on a cold calculation: will receiving them, accepting the letter, setting the dogs on 'em, or some other alternative best influence voters who would change their minds in November.

The Bush team has done the correct calculation. This is a transparent stunt that everyone recognizes as such. Ignore it--politely--but ignore it.