Happy Freeperversery PD. 3 years of brilliant analysis of the day's events. As MJY1288 said "you're a great asset to this forum." You have my thanks as well.
That being said let me now embarrass you with my adoration by proclaiming the ridiculous. The reason why the President doesn't respond to criticism is the drop in the President's poll numbers is advantageous to the GOP. The right fringe abandonment of Dubya ( yeah, like they ever supported him ) is giving the rats fuel to impeach. My tagline 4 months ago was "The rat 06 election platform will be a promise to impeach the President if they win." That is coming.
The base may not accept Dubya as a conservative but they will rally around him against the rats. I predict a good outcome in Nov, and at worst we will retain power.