George Will: GOP’s election success is above all an affirmation of the Bush Presidency

Union Leader ^ | 11/07/02 | George Will

[kattracks]

ON ELECTION NIGHT 2002, election night 2000 ended. The affirmation of the President on Tuesday must be especially sweet because it was so delayed.

Understanding better than his father did the iron law of political capital — use it or lose it — George W. Bush invested his high public standing in party-building. His success gives Republicans protracted control of a unified government for the first time since 1954.

[econprof]

You gotta like the choice of words - the Democrats "promiscuous opposition to the President's judicial nominees" and the "vulgarity of the politicized memorial service for Paul Wellstone."

[boomop1]

Lott has to go, this good cop bad cop crap is for the birds, we need strong leadership in the senate and President Bush has to get out of the appeasement mode. The Rats do not compromise are total extreme partisans and I suspect will go ape shi* as usual as they are not in control.

[Deep_6]

re:
"....The affirmation of the President on Tuesday.....
......His success gives Republicans protracted control....."

Yada, yada, yada...

I'm always amazed at how quickly a win can go to some people's heads.

The Republicans didn't win, the democraps lost. There's a vast, big difference. 

Many, many democrats crossed party lines for this event. But they didn't
so so for the "party platform", or for the uniqueness of the Bush presidency. 
They voted Republican because the democrat party has not changed from 
their tax and spend course. As they said not too long ago: "it's the economy, stupid".

Both democrat and republican voters are alike in one respect, they don't
want their money spent on other people's useless endeavors.

The democrap party had nothing to offer...... THIS TIME.   I wouldn't
let a "win" go to my head quite so easily.....

 

[kitkat]

I don't believe that the average voter is as sophisticated as George Will.

They voted Republican because:

1. They are tired of "tax and spend."

2. They support the war against Iraq.

3. With even minimum exposure by the liberal media, Bush has won them over with his honesty.

Think what a TOTAL rout this past election would have been if President Bush had been given as much exposure on TV as XXXClinton was when he was president.

[trebb]

Don't sell the voters too short - I believe they are finally picking up on the nuances if the true Dem agenda and, while they like a lot of the "theories" espoused by Dems, they are finally waking up to the agenda buried within the agenda - the absolute subjugation and control of the public - and believe enough of it to start the slow sticky move away from them and towards the truth.

[mombonn]

It was a wholesome rejection of contemporary liberalism’s belief that because government should be everything, politics should be everywhere.

What a great line. I LOVE George Will!

[randita]

Although economic acumen is sorely lacking in this nation, at least most voters do not buy into the notion that a President personally breaks or fixes the economy, as the Democrats claimed.

[capt. norm]

Maybe this will help wipe that perpetual smirk off Leahy's face now that he is no longer chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

Everytime I see that face I find myself wishing I had a basket of ripe, throwing-size tomotoes.

[Lou L]

I wouldn't let a "win" go to my head quite so easily.....

Ok, Mr/Ms. Cynic--when should one let a "win go to [their] head?" How can you say with certainty, why people voted Republican and not Democratic during this election? How can you deny that perhaps all along, that the GOP strategy was to minimize what the Dems could campaign on?

[Deep_6]

re:
"....Ok, Mr/Ms. Cynic--when should one let a "win go to [their] head?"......"

It's "Mr", but you can call me "Sir".....

Oh, I'm not being cynical at all, just realistic. You [as a "conservative"],
can claim victory when you see those same voters voting for an actual
conservative's agenda, not the politician that claims he'll represent one.

The people of Florida voted for Jeb Bush, but voted for class size reduction
[that was something Jeb was fighting against]. So it wasn't a "win" for
"conservatism" or "conservative Republicans", it was a just win for Jeb.

In essence, they voted for a democrat policy but a republican face. Now,
if you can call that "victory", go ahead. But the next election may yield
a democrat instead of a familiar face.

Letting this "win" bring some distorted belief that all of America believes
the "conservative agenda" is best for them, is not only foolish, it's absurd.

Thanks.

 

[agunther]

Your ideas/ASSessment fit your username. Deep six it for pete sakes.

[Crusher138]

If what you say is true, it is more important than ever to take advantage of this opportunity and implement those programs and initiatives we know America needs - i.e. Private Social Security Accounts, a Conservative Judiciary, Tax relief, etc.

Don't let it go to our heads? Crap on that! Full steam ahead!

[PMCarey]

Mid-term elections are more about getting out your base than anything else. The Republican base was totally on fire for the following reasons:

• 9-11
• Affection for GW Bush
• Anger at the Senate Judiciary committee
• Anger at the Senate for stalling homeland security
• Anger at the NJ Dems for the Lautenberg switch
• Anger at the Dem party for the Wellstone Memorial/Rally
• Add your own ...

In contrast the Dems were NOT fired up for this election. The Dems had no coherent message:

• The economy? We hate those tax cuts, but errr no, we're not going to repeal them, um ...
• Iraq? Peace Now! oh wait, no, um, on the other hand let's support the president, just, uh, just check with the UN first, um ...

In the end, the Dems tried to fire up their base using the following issues:

• Win it for Paul Wellstone!!!
• Get revenge for the 2000 election!!!
• Republicans want to kill old people and the blacks!!

Those issues could not overcome the malaise that came with the Dems lack of resolve on the issues. So while you crow about the great Republican victory (as is is a great victory) remember that if the black vote had come out in Missouri, Carnahan would've won and maybe even Max Cleland. If the Dems hadn't screwed the pooch with the Memorial/Rally, Mondale would've won. We could now be looking at the LA run-off, hoping to win in order to get a divided Senate again.

So it was a near thing. The really good news is that the Dems don't have a lot of good options now. If they try to fire up their base by going farther to the left, they are going to get HAMMERED in 2004. The Dems, far more than the Republicans, are a coalition party. Increasingly, they no longer have a true base. Thanks to Clintonism, the only things they stand for now are:

• Abortion
• Gay rights
• Winning Elections

Everything else is negotiable. That's not a great base to build a majority party on.

[Texagirl4W]

A win is a win is a win. And obviously, "it's the economy, stupid" didn't make a difference this time. It's that we have responsible adults in the administration now that counts.

[NELSON111]

You know...the "strategery" was VERY good. We...the GOP...have been wondering for months why the President did not use his political capital to shut the mouths of the dems. Now we see why. If he would have used it up...or a lot of it...then the outcome of this may (probably) have been different.

However, he used it at the most effective time. Not to soon so the dems "he's a war president and campaigning" rhetoric would stick...but not late enough so as to be of no effect.

Now...he has two things going for him and the conservative agenda. 1) He has the Senate to push it through. 2) All the fence sitting leftists in the GOP and the moderate democrats see that this guy has coattails in an off year election...and if you want his support or you don't want him out there compaigning against you in '04...you better play nice.

Strategery!

[McGavin999]

As far as governors go the rule is something like this. You vote republican, then if the guy is good you vote him in again. After 8 years you vote in a democrat, if the guy is good you vote him in again and then elect a republican, if he's good you vote him in again and then you elect a democrat.

It's really quite simple when it comes to governors.

[mgstarr]

"For over a thousand years, Roman conquerors returning from the wars enjoyed the honor of a triumph -- a tumultuous parade. In the procession came trumpeters and musicians and strange animals from the conquered territories, together with carts laden with treasure and captured armaments. The conqueror rode in a triumphal chariot, the dazed prisoners walking in chains before him. Sometimes his children, robed in white, stood with him in the chariot, or rode the trace horses. A slave stood behind the conqueror, holding a golden crown, and whispering in his ear a warning: that all glory is fleeting."

Patton

[Leto]

Your party lost... deal with it.

BTW it you thought this was bad just wait till Nov 2004m

[RangerVetNam]

Excellent analysis, you are right on the money.