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
Then why bother to play at all? By not playing, you have the lowest possible score. Thus, you win! 
Silly, but effective amongst the weak minded.
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.
What flavour is it?
Ummmm… albatross-flavored? If the president wanted to be popular, I guess he could make it a Jessica albatross …
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!”
See Jessica taking it in the albatross!!
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.
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…
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.
Jeb’s probably available. and if possible even more pliable than George.
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?
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!
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.
OK, I’ll bite. WTF the LBNAFLS? Am I a member? Are we a conspiracy?
The Christian Right completely disenfranchised from the political process? Maybe there is a God after all! 
“Liberal But Not A FUcking LUnatic Society”
we serve a nice baked brie w/fruit and a chardonney. maybe some roasted almonds next time.