Poll: George Bush will win re-election

George Bush will win re-election

  • Yes

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • No

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Too close to call

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Only if he gets the dimpled chads

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0

Lurker

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Nov 6, 2002
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The South
The surge in support for the president that accompanies a war will have subsided long before the election. Then Bush as a candidate is left with only these assets:

- He fought an unpopular war.
- The economy has been weak during his presidency.
- He does not seem to be the brightest bulb in the chandalier.

That does not add up to an election victory in my view. The Democratic challengers will have to tear each other apart to make him look good.
 

pedalinbob

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Dec 7, 2002
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Michigan
i have some predictions:

the war in iraq will turn out well.

the economy will recover nicely...it is cyclic, after all--there will always be peaks and valleys.

Bush will be re-elected.

the left will whine incessantly.

i will enjoy it all.

have a happy and joyful day!

Bob
 

Darkaway

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Joined
Nov 26, 2002
Messages
242
Location
Valencia, Calif.
I seem to recall another President Bush whose popularity soared after a different Iraq War. It subsequently plummeted and he was defeated by a Democrat in the next election.

I would like to see George W. serve another term but it's way too early to predict anything.
 

Joe Talmadge

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Silicon Valley, CA
I agree with Lurker that it's likely the war will be behind us by re-election time. I'll note, though, that this was an extremely popular war among the American public, with up to 75% support by the Americans, who are the ones who get to vote. But, by election time, the war will be old news and the economy will be what has everyone's attention. Bush's handling of the economy has be less-than-adequate, in my opinion, and the economy will not have picked up by the next election (a guess), which means that the Demos have a chance unless they put up someone particularly bad.

Joe
 

DieselDave

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Joined
Sep 3, 2002
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FL panhandle
I agree the war with Iraq will be yesterday's news but I believe terrorism will still be front page news along with the economy. If Bush 2 makes the same mistake as his father and tries to rest on his laurels he could be in trouble. The economy will play an important role but so will terrorism. The Democrats chances hinge once again on bad things happening to the country. I would hate to think my only realistic chance of election rest on a poor economy and tragic events. Perhaps the Democratic platform will change and move closer to the middle ground where most of America really wants to be. Courting the far left wing fringe voters, which vote Dem. regardless while pandering to and scaring seniors and minorities proved ineffective in the last election. If the truth be known I think it would be a great idea for the dems. to try the same approach at least one more time so they can verify the results. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

During the 2000 election the difference between Gore and Bush was blurry. They were both playing to the middle of the road. In 2002 the Republicans moved slightly right and the Democrats moved slightly left, we saw the result. A legitimate 2 party system has worked well for us. I hope the Democrats move a little to the right and turn it back into the blurry area where most of America really lives.
 

MichiganMan

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Joined
Aug 31, 2002
Messages
589
Location
Saginaw, MI, USA
[ QUOTE ]
Darkaway said:
I seem to recall another President Bush whose popularity soared after a different Iraq War. It subsequently plummeted and he was defeated by a Democrat in the next election.

I would like to see George W. serve another term but it's way too early to predict anything.



[/ QUOTE ]

That was a different time with different dynamics, specifically Bush I was essentially serving out the end of the Reagan term. By the time the election came around people were ready to move on. Throw in the (sorry but it was rather small) recession and the "Golly, he cares about ME!!!!" warm fuzzy perception of Clinton and George SR. didn't have a chance.

Bush II on the other hand has these dynamics working for him, his presidency is following Bill Clinton. Given the younger Bush's rising to the challenges a terrified America faced on 9-11, this positions him favorably in comparisons with the trivial self-indulgent sycophantic culture of the later Clinton term. People perceive that the Clinton presidency was chiefly about Bill Clinton and what it could do for him. Because of this atmosphere around the White House hard decisions were put off for fear they might prove "unpopular" (see above) IOW Osama Bin Laden, the dot-com bust, the accounting scandals personified by Enron, Iraq's WMD program, and Korea's nuclear program weren't Clintons fault, he just did nothing about them while he was president. GW on the other hand appears to many to be doing what he is doing, despite political heat, because he thinks it is right for the country.

Additionally the current Bush team appears to be triple-contingency planning things out to minimize politically exploitable mistakes. Hence when the congressional Dems think they have an issue to jump on it usually backfires making them look both foolish and ridiculously partisan.

Remember how Thom Daschle was "Deeply Troubled" (tm) by the president's planning of a (cue dramatic music) Shadow Government without telling congress? Obviously everyone in America was supposed to turn their gaze to the White House and be "deeply troubled" by this sinister secretive president. 'Course then it came out that not only was Daschle himself briefed about the contingency plans in case federal leadership was taken out, but that he had actually BEEN IN the facility in which it was to be housed! Guess he "forgot" that little tour. Funny how the story dropped off the presses after that...

Example two: Sen. Daschle was recently "Deeply Saddened" (tm) by the "miserable failure of foreign diplomacy" that led us to war with Iraq and how it was going to wipe out our credibilty and influence in the world. 'Course since then, the Iraqi public welcomed us with tearful hugs in the streets of Baghdad, Syria agreed to close its borders to Iraqi officials and military resources, Kim Jong Il dropped his demand to negotiate directly with Washington and now agrees to negotiate in any fashion Washington sees fit, Israeli Prime Minister Sharon acknowledged the formerly inconceivable possibility that Israel may have to give up some of its West Bank settlements for peace, and France and Germany are trying desperately to kiss and make up with the U.S. so that they can have a "vital" part in the rebuilding of Iraq. No comment on if these were the post war developments that "Deeply Saddened" (tm) Sen. Daschle.
 

Wylie

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Joined
Oct 2, 2002
Messages
997
Location
Shoshone Idaho
I didn't get really informed on this issue but I know if the majority of the voters find out about what is going on with Bush, Chaney and this no bid government contract issue they have going, Bush will not have a prayer in hell of ever being reelected. If I can dig up something on this I will edit this post later and maybe start a new thread.

Here is the link to the other thread I started. Does this smell fishy or what?
 

pedalinbob

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Dec 7, 2002
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Michigan
yes, tha Halliburton thing...i havent researched it yet, but i am very curious about what is up.

my observation with the democrats are that they have no real platform, and are scrambling to find one.

i think that their strategy will be an attempt to deface Bush, rather than highlight their own agenda.

the democratic party appears to be in major disarray.

Bob
 

James S

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Aug 27, 2002
Messages
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on an island surrounded by reality
As if bothering to bid would help anyway. It gives the appearance of making a difference, but it's just as corrupt.

Unfortunately, I only control 1 vote so they don't care about what I think /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif Now, if I had a large constituency, perhaps if I could sway the vote of all 75 million CPF members, now that would be a force to be reckoned with. I might get interviewed on TV to get my opinion on things I knew nothing about! Now that would be fun.

I say we start our own political party. We can print up cards and have a secret handshake and everything.

CPF America, illuminating the darkest dealings of government. Reducing the roll of government in your everyday lives, but not lowering taxes because we need to pay for all the CR123's for the MrBulk NexNeedles that are now standard government issue... (Oops, forgot to get bids on that, there goes my re-election)

heh, I'm really rambling this morning. Comes from being up all night with a sick 2 year old. Even my second cup of coffee isn't helping any.
 

Bill.H

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Joined
Nov 25, 2002
Messages
630
Location
Maine USA
If it stays peaceful and the economy is good for 6 months prior to the election, Bush will win. By then this war will be a memory and the Haliburton thing forgotten (as if there really is a story there). Very many of those who vote in this country have short memories.
OTOH, if the economy is bad, the dems have a chance. Since Clinton is already a (bad) memory, they can do it unless they let Hilary run.

Could you see a Dem Primary of Hilary vs. Sharpton? LOL
 

MichiganMan

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Joined
Aug 31, 2002
Messages
589
Location
Saginaw, MI, USA
Yeah, Sharpton is to the Dems what Perot was to the Repubs back in '92. I forgot to mention the United We Stand phenomena that undeniably took more votes from Bush then Clinton.

But I don't see Sharpton bolting from the party once he loses the primaries, which would be the only way he would have a truly significant effect on the general election, ala Ralph Nader. It is entertaining though to watch these Democrats flail miserably at him for being a spoiler while simultaneously tapdancing around him for fear of the "racist" label by party members that they know by personal knowledge are hair-trigger quick to invoke it.
 
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