I just got done watching Bush on TV. It was clear to me that this was planned as part of his "Plan for Victory" tour. He didn't mention the domestic spying at all. Instead he talked about the election in Iraq and how great things are going there. He made vague allusions to intelligence failures as if people were still trying to make up their minds about what to think about that (talk about " a day late a dollar short?").
He also wrongly characterized all calls for withdrawal as defeatist (an easy charge to make with Howard Dean being so defeatist). He ignored the more damning criticism that we can only begin to improve the political situation in Iraq by getting out of the way of domestic politics there. I understand why he ignored the hard argument but that doesn't mean I'll give him a pass on it.
Overall, I found this to be an above average version of his regular talking points stump speech. But it was still just his regular dog and pony show. I doubt it will go down in history as a turning point. Like most of his efforts to reach out, it was not designed to convince opponents or fence sitters so much as provide talking points to his supporters and use the bully pulpit to define the debate. I doubt it will shift poll numbers this time.
The news on Monday will still be the domestic spying issue rather than the election in Iraq and that's bad for Bush. Bush's people have set up the last several weeks worth of public events etc to lead up to a triumphal weekend of cheering about the election in Iraq. But he's now having to at least share headlines with accusations of outright tyranny and abuse of power. This weekend was supposed to be the first bit of good news for the Bushies in nearly a year but ...it hasn't worked out so well for them.
Did anyone else see the TV spot tonight?
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Bush TV Spot From Oval Office
Posted by Raised By Republicans at 6:22 PM
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12 comments:
No, I didn't see it. I was watching my West Wing videos with the fictious President Bartlett maning the helm instead.
I can't stand watching the man and besides, he never says anything useful. Jon Stewart will tell me all I need to know tomorrw.
// posted by USwest
I wish I could see Jon Stewart... torrentspy is letting me down. Moreover, if anyone had the balls to do the same sort of thing in Australia, we could add an "a" and move to simply apathetic.
// posted by Koala Boy
I'm surprised there isn't an Australian Jon Stewart! His irreverant humor seems well suited to you guys.
What about that show that was going around tricking stupid Americans into saying they wanted to invade Australia?
// posted by Raised By Republicans
Try logging on to Comedy Central, Kola Boy. You can stream the whole show in segments from the Daily Show website.
// posted by USWest
I didn't watch Bush for the same reason I don't watch infomercials. I get tired of being lied to. I get tired of being sold a bill of goods. Bush must be impeached.
// posted by LTG
I haven't been able to watch Bush speak for a couple of years now. The news reports everything he says, and besides, it's all lies anyhow.
I found Comedy Central unreliable. Anyway, I was the most popular kid at work for a while, distributing copies of the full shows ("It's a gay radar. We call it a homometer"). I think The Daily Show works so well because of the personalities on the show. Maybe we haven't found someone with the right personality.
I don't know why CNNNN didn't continue, beyond lack of funding and that it takes a lot of effort to do a complete spoof of CNN. They come out at every election at least. The Chaser was an attempt at the local version of the Onion. You also have to remember we only have five television stations: two government and three private. Cable never got laid down in any great quantity, and less than one in a hundred have cable of any form.
Oops, digression. You'll be happy to know W is lead story on the radio this (Tuesday) morning. World famous...
// posted by Koala Boy
Oh, Koala Boy, the Daily Show is on their two week "Jesus Break" right now. So it will be a while before Jon Stewart gives an account of the powers our Tyrrant in Chief has usurped.
// posted by Raised By Republicans
What I am more worried about is that Bush et al are completely teflon-coated, and none of the shite flying about will stick until November next year. And the press has lost all critical capability to the point that we're worried when a comedy program goes off the air.
Why should I worry? Apart from Bush's environmental policies that have more in common with rape and pillage? Let's face it, Australia is the 51st state under John Howard...
// posted by Koala Boy
Don't despair, Koala Boy. 11 months to go until the next congressional election. And Bush remains as unpopular as ever, with very low approval ratings. The teflon has been corroding for some time. Republicans are starting to join Democrats in opposing some of Bush's policies, and it only takes a few to thwart him (witness the bipartisan filibuster of the Patriot Act renewal.)
I think we've finally turned the corner on Bush.
You mean Bush has "jumped the shark"?
Kola Boy, we aren't worried that a comedy show isn't on. It should worry you that the most honest News show in the U.S. at the moment is a comedy show that bills itself as "fake news".
You may also try watching the Colbert Report on Comedy Central.
// posted by USWest
Colbert Report may be too US specific to really take off Down Under. It's all inside jokes about Bill O'Riley - the FAUX News Sturmbanfuhrer in charge of misinformation.
Do you all get the O'Reiley Factor down there?
// posted by Raised By Republicans
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