If you were Bush what would you say to the nation tomorrow night? What can he say? The public is so sick of him that he is polling at Nixonian levels. The most respected Republican Senator on military affairs, John Warner, is introducing a non-binding resolution that opposes his strategy. John McCain, the ranking member on the Armed Services committee, is opposing his appointment for Army chief-of-staff. Yesterday was one of the bloodiest days of our whole occupation of Iraq. Today has been no better.
I suppose the President can talk about the strength of the stock market, but he cannot deny that his administration is in full crisis and that the state of the nation is atrocious.
Nothing short of announcing his resignation and the resignation of his Vice-President is likely to get a warm reception. Dire warnings about the intentions of Iran are likely to spook the nation and increase the cratering of support for his administration. No one wants to hear about more sacrifice. Bush can’t even claim the support of his own caucus on Capitol Hill. His entire Presidency has come to a point of complete failure. It’s kaput.
CNN’s Ed Henry is reporting that Bush is going to speak for about 40 minutes. He says Bush is going to try to be ‘big and bold’ and will tackle health care (a tax deduction), immigration reform and higher fuel efficiency standards.
I don’t think the American people want to hear about domestic policies. Insofar as they do, they support the Democratic agenda. Bush will win some points for declaring his willingness to sign the minimum wage hike into law and any talk of energy independence will be well received. But the American people would greatly prefer to see the President fall on his sword.
He’s a grostesque failure and a complete embarrassment to our great nation. The American people just want him to go away.
I can’t even muster any positive advice. Can you?
To his PNAC friends in the audience he can brag that the destruction of the middle class is well under way. Mission accomplished.
Remember the original Zero Mostel/Gene Wilder version of The Producers? The scene where the curtain comes up in the theater and the audience sits stunned as they watch the monument to bad taste that is “Springtime For Hitler” unfold?
You remember the silence at the end of the number, broken only by the standing and applause of one guy?
That’s how I imagine the State of the Union tomorrow. With the role of The Guy Who Stands And Applauds played by Joe Lieberman.
I can’t think of any advice to give him.
However, I just got a message from Howard Dean soliciting advice on what Jim Webb should say in the response. So if you can think of anything to tell Senator Webb, you can send it here.
What I wrote to Sen. Webb (I tried to keep it short):
This is what I sent:
State of the Union? There is NO “union”!
It is the oil-fat oligarchs and anwarranted war-profiteers versus everyone else.
Our rights, our jobs, our health, our moral standing, our blood, and our very planet have all been sacrificed so that the very rich can get even richer.
It is short and brutally honest… which should make a refreshing change from Bush’s aimless bloviating. With luck, Bush’ll stray from his speech again and lose his place. Permanently.
It will be a change to get a politician who can write his own speeches, from his heart and mind and perceptions, rathe than having a committee of operatives filter every last word.
here’s mine:
yeah, I’m startin to turn into a one trick pony
ITMFA
John McCain: The truth.
he’s going to put through this new “health care” plan — it does nothing to address the fact that most people can’t afford their own insurance (if they can find a company that will insure them if they have “pre-existing” conditions), and that it screws the middle class even more by making people pay taxes on employer-paid health insurance.
Better to work with employers (coughWal-Martcough) to provide insurance for their employees…how many employers are going to just drop offering health insurance because of the extra paperwork of figuring out the taxes?
I agree w/ you Boo, he should resort to his default solution and QUIT.
worked for the National Guard, worked for Arbustco, worked w/ the Texas Rangers…hell, it’s worked for him his whole life…maybe it would work for the country…ya think.
never happen
gives new definition to the word “loser*
ITMFA
John McCain: The truth.
My fellow Americans, my speech will be brief. I’ve read the polls, let me correct that. Karl Rove read me the Polls and I got the message. So at 11:55 AM tonight, the Office of The President and the Office of The Vice President will be vacated and Speaker Nancy Pelosi will be your new President. I can’t take this anymore. I want to do more brush-cutting and bike riding.
In my last few hours, a little truth. I’ve ordered a two-fer one and I’m not telling. You’ll see soon enough.
Well, for starters, he could let us know when to drink. Of course, that does coincide with most of the times he’ll opening his mouth…
As far as the health care/insurance thing, isn’t this just MSA’s again? Haven’t heard too much about what he’s supposed to be saying, but what I have just sounds like the same old sell job.
What I would most like to hear:
Advice?
To Butch?
“Get outta town before you get tarred, feathered and ridden out on a rail.”
Of course…he doesn’t TAKE advice from plebes.
OR from old-line aristocrat/hustlers.
Only long-time sycophants like Rove have HIS ear.
“Let’s start heatin’ up that there tar, boys…”
AG
I think he ought to do something really different like oh I don’t know, tell the truth.
He could walk in with his arms raised up showing the Victory sign ala Tricky Dicky and take the podium saying ‘I am not a Crook’…heh heh then say he just thought he’d start off with a bit of humor.
He could go on to say that he was going to lay out the truth of his warmongering, war profiteering administration because hell he’s got his multi-billions out of the whole deal so what are you gonna do to me anyway? After that he gives everyone the finger and walks out and gets on a plane and goes to Paraguay
I should have added that before he can get on that plane he gets arrested, thrown in jail, has a very public trial that brings down him and his whole rotten family who all end up in jail for the rest of their sorry lives….and ‘tortured’ with pictures of dead and maimed american troops and Iraqi’s projected 24/7 on their cell walls. The only one who goes free is Barney.
I don’t know what he CAN say at this point. Nothing would be good. There is only one reason to tune in and that is to see Nancy Pelosi sitting behind him. Now what would really top that off would be for her to remain sitting if others stand up for an ovation.
I’m looking forward to watching the scowl on “The Dick’s” face because he has to sit next to Nancy.
Here’s a political cartoon that about says it all.
sorry…..
and the next 39 minutes describing the various atonements he will publically perform to prove contrition….
such as: crawling all the way to baghdad on his belly and then working in a hospital morgue unpaid for the rest of his days.
turning in his dad would be ok too!
uh-uh scuuuze me my felluh Amuricans, but I’ve really fucked up, and I”m gonna leave now ; )
(slapp’n myself) dayum, that was a brief, but dayumed good day dream…
peace
was when ross perot dropped his presidential run, ending the announcement with waltzing (with his wife, I presume) to “Crazy.” You could just sit there and think-“appreciate the honesty and I’m glad you’re going.”
I think bush ought to bring in the acoustic guitar that he played at a fundraiser while New Orleans drowned in 2005, and try to conflate it with a Jimi Hendrix moment of setting a guitar on fire, singing “Purple Finger Haze” and then throwing gasoline on it.
because that would reflect what he does best.
A 4 for giving me the biggest laugh of my day, Miss Devore!
thanks sweets.
It may have been the best thing I ever did today.
Budd. Dwyer.
NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART OR STOMACH.
Two more words:
Dear.God.
You did warn me…..
I’m so sorry.
If he’s smart, he’d announce “I quit.” The next 18 months will sorely try the chImperator. I suspect he’ll be concluding by this summer (if he decides to try to tough it out) that the grief just isn’t worth the power trip and money anymore/