# He did it! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 9, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450 "2005-10-09T21:54:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/41 "2005-10-10T15:13:48Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > That may very well not carry over to Republicans-in-general. [For GOP, Election Anxiety Mounts](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/09/AR2005100901332.html) > [@](#): > > Republican politicians in multiple states have recently decided not to run for Senate next year, stirring anxiety among Washington operatives about the effectiveness of the party’s recruiting efforts and whether this signals a broader decline in GOP congressional prospects. > > Prominent Republicans have passed up races in North Dakota and West Virginia, both GOP-leaning states with potentially vulnerable Democratic incumbents. Earlier, Republican recruiters on Capitol Hill and at the White House failed to lure their first choices to run in Florida, Michigan and Vermont. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/42 "2005-10-10T15:19:03Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > Bush has repeatedly said that he pays no attention at all to polls. That’s why the White House has one done every single day. (_Every_ president for quite a while has paid attention to polls; it’s just silly for Bush to pretend he doesn’t.) I’m sure he’s focus grouped the question and learned that the plebes don’t want a leader who pays attention to polls. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/43 "2005-10-10T15:44:10Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Maybe he thinks it’s like golf and a lower score is better? Then why bother to play at all? By not playing, you have the lowest possible score. Thus, you win! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/44 "2005-10-10T16:20:59Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > Bush has repeatedly said that he pays no attention at all to polls. That’s why the White House has one done every single day. (_Every_ president for quite a while has paid attention to polls; it’s just silly for Bush to pretend he doesn’t.) Silly, but effective amongst the weak minded. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/45 "2005-10-10T16:30:40Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Which, by the way, yay 22nd Amendment. > > The point being though that if Shrub continues to have low approval ratings there is some hope that they will generalize to the rest of the Pubbies, in particular whatever candidate steps forward in '08 to lift up the standard that Shrub has carried so admirably for the last five years. Exactly. If there’s such a thing as Presidential coattails, there’s such a thing as a Presidential albatross. Repub candidates in '08 may have to do some heavy repudiating and 'splaining away of all those postition they took with and nice things they said about Bush. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/46 "2005-10-10T16:32:56Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > there’s such a thing as a Presidential albatross. What flavour is it? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/47 "2005-10-10T16:34:11Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > What flavour is it? Ummmm… albatross-flavored? If the president wanted to be popular, I guess he could make it a Jessica albatross … ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/48 "2005-10-10T16:37:39Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > (Seriously, how was Bush capable of _not learning anything_ from the Michael Brown disaster? He immediately sent Karl Rove, for Christ’s sake, to oversee reconstruction, and then made the Miers nomination.) I think the answer is that Bush has an attitude. He has a paranoia and a psychological need to not get pushed around, as he sees it. “So the liberal media thinks they can intimidate me into not rewarding my friends with government positions, do they? Well I’ll appoint to the Supreme Court a doofus whose only qualification is loyalty to me, _just to show them_!” ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/49 "2005-10-10T16:54:51Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > Ummmm… albatross-flavored? If the president wanted to be popular, I guess he could make it a Jessica albatross … _ **See Jessica taking it in the albatross!!** _ ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/50 "2005-10-10T16:59:29Z")
I think it’s all good. The radical religious right is turning against Bush. They are learning that maybe they don’t give the orders anymore, like they thought they did. They wanted a “evangelical” Judicial Activist of their own choosing (as opposed to someone else’s activist). Hopefully, it will be such a big and ugly blowup that these guys get sent into obscurity. Reportedly, membership and attendance and “contributions” at some of the “money pits” such as Pat Robertson’s so-called church is on the decline (YAY! YIPPY!). There are the high profile indictments and the ever present spectre of Plamegate. The hard right neocons are aghast that Miers may not be Wolfowitz or Rove in drag. If this means Bush is finally tossing away the radical hardliners, GREAT. With Bush not eligible for another term, maybe he is just showing what he thought of them all along - just useful pawns who are no longer useful. That’s how they saw him. The same people who were against using Roe vs Wade as a litmus test to be used against their friends are now demanding that it be used against Mier. Delicious. Maybe the downturn is good in so many ways. Bush is getting called on his “shining Iraq on a hill” - which is turning into a civil war of our making. He is getting called on the ineffectiveness of Homeland Security and FEMA re Katrina. He has been called repeatedly on the justifications for the Iraq war - Wilson, CIA, FBI, Powell, et al. Now his hardcore base is turning on him. I hope they implode. Coulter, ever the rabid attack dog has now turned on him as well. I wonder how soon she will brand him Enemy Of The State or Great Traitor. I wonder how long before Hannity, Limbaugh and the others join in. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/51 "2005-10-10T17:10:10Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > Exactly. If there’s such a thing as Presidential coattails, there’s such a thing as a Presidential albatross. Repub candidates in '08 may have to do some heavy repudiating and 'splaining away of all those postition they took with and nice things they said about Bush. I agree with the hope. It’s just my natural pessimism coming through. I’ve been told I’m not a glass-half-empty person, but a “the glass is broken and I’ve cut myself on the shards” person… ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/52 "2005-10-10T17:14:45Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > _ **See Jessica taking it in the albatross!!** _ Try to focus. 😛 The problem with the religious right dumping Bush is that at this point, it really doesn’t matter. They were going to have to shop a new candidate anyway, this is just a bit more time to do it with. Their disapproval of Shrub doesn’t concern me nearly as much as who they’re going to rally behind next. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/53 "2005-10-10T17:57:17Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > The problem with the religious right dumping Bush is that at this point, it really doesn’t matter. They were going to have to shop a new candidate anyway, this is just a bit more time to do it with. Their disapproval of Shrub doesn’t concern me nearly as much as who they’re going to rally behind next. Jeb’s probably available. and if possible even more pliable than George. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/54 "2005-10-10T18:10:53Z")
I’m very curious to see how disillusioned the RR is going to stay after this. They’ve come out of the woodwork in the last few elections, after a long period of disengagement from politics, at the enticement of activists who’ve told them that if they vote for Bush (and predecessor candidates), they could actually achieve their agenda here on Earth. The anti-Roe Justice who would reverse the decision has been Number One on the list, and they’ve had every reason to believe that Bush would provide it to them. Earlier, we’ve seen comments about his actually having been “anointed by God” to be our country’s leader out of the liberal wilderness. But if they couldn’t get what they wanted from this President, who could they get it from? Would they ever believe as firmly in another candidate who promised the same things? Or will they start to retreat into the churches and re-disengage from politics? ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/55 "2005-10-10T20:58:23Z")
It couldn’t have happened to a more deserving politician. Maybe now the press will start to show some cajones in challenging the administration. One can only hope. Would that some sort of hegemonistic “liberal media” actually existed! ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/56 "2005-10-10T21:57:37Z")
> [@wring](#): > > Jeb’s probably available. and if possible even more pliable than George. Forget Jeb. Anyone with the nerve and the will to do it can bury him. All it tales is a few magic phrases. “Terry Schiavo. Florida election irregularities. Bush dynasty” I don’t think he has the brains to run, without some sort of Keeper telling him what to do, and even then he’d stick both feet in his own mouth. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/57 "2005-10-10T22:07:00Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > Forget Jeb. Anyone with the nerve and the will to do it can bury him. All it tales is a few magic phrases. “Terry Schiavo. Florida election irregularities. Bush dynasty” I don’t think he has the brains to run, without some sort of Keeper telling him what to do, and even then he’d stick both feet in his own mouth. I disagree. The “magic phrases” do not hold negative connotations for that crowd. They give **me** the heebie jeebies, but then, I’m Chair of the LBNAFLS. Yes, the plurality of those polled disagreed w/ the lengths that Congress et al took wrt Terri, but Jeb, I believe would have been seen as the white knight trying against all odds to _save that poor woman’s life!!!_. and the Florida Election irregularities only are considered irregularities among some folk. the BUsh dynasty is more of a money shaking machine. and they’ve got no shortage of “keepers” to tell folks what to do. Jeb could even seem more electable, since he’s got ties to the Hispanic community and the sympathy wrt Noelle.(as long as she doesn’t try and rob a video store w/a gun or anything like that). Now, I’m not sayin’ he could **win** the election, but I’d not sell short the RR’s ability to get the vote out when they want to. remember all the faldalrall about “those lib’rul hollywood types tellin us how to vote”? ‘tweren’t nothin’ compared to the pastors and preachers. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/58 "2005-10-10T22:11:12Z")
> [@wring](#): > > I disagree. The “magic phrases” do not hold negative connotations for that crowd. They give **me** the heebie jeebies, but then, I’m Chair of the LBNAFLS… OK, I’ll bite. WTF the LBNAFLS? Am I a member? Are we a conspiracy? ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/59 "2005-10-10T22:14:47Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > But if they couldn’t get what they wanted from this President, who could they get it from? Would they ever believe as firmly in another candidate who promised the same things? Or will they start to retreat into the churches and re-disengage from politics? The Christian Right completely disenfranchised from the political process? Maybe there is a God after all! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450/60 "2005-10-10T22:15:58Z")
“Liberal But Not A FUcking LUnatic Society” we serve a nice baked brie w/fruit and a chardonney. maybe some roasted almonds next time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-did-it/325450.md?page=4)