January 13, 2004

WIDEN THE FISSURE:

The Bush Democrats (DAVID BROOKS, 1/13/04, NY Times)

Ninety-one percent of Republicans approve of the job President Bush is doing. In 1992, Bush's father didn't have anything like that level of support, and even the Reagan administration was split between so-called pragmatists and ideologues.

Today's Republicans not only like Bush personally, they also overwhelmingly support his policies. According to a Pew Center study, 85 percent of Republicans support the war in Iraq, 82 percent believe that pre-emptive war is justified, and 72 percent believe the U.S. is justified in holding terror suspects without trial.

The Democrats, meanwhile, are divided on all these issues. According to the same Pew survey, 54 percent of Democrats oppose the war in Iraq, but 39 percent support it. Forty-four percent of Democrats oppose the pre-emptive war doctrine, but 52 percent support it. Forty-seven percent of Democrats oppose holding terror suspects without trial, but 46 percent are in favor.

Liberals have all the passion these days. They dominate campaign events in Iowa and New Hampshire, but they have not won over half the voters in their own party.


For such a sharply divided party to choose such a divisive nominee truly does seem the acting out of a death wish.

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 13, 2004 12:02 AM
Comments

The poll results are a good way to see what percentage of Democrats hate Bush so much it clouds their view of everything else, including potentially terrorism threats to their own lives. A party where half the people view Bush as a bigger threat than al-Qaida is not one likely to connect with the bulk of the population in November, even if they do come to their senses before the primaries are over and go for someone more in the mainstream like Gephardt.

Posted by: John at January 13, 2004 12:33 AM

Indeed, criticizing Bush over practically everything, shrilly, hysterically, reflexively, and with abandon--howler monkeys comie to mind, actually--is exceedingly poor political strategy.

So that even the less-than-content ideologue Republicans are mostly forced to stand up for their president in the face of such indignities
(their backs arching, as the "S factor"--Sympathy, for their attacked and assailed president--is invoked.)

On the other hand, if the Dems would agree with practically everything Bush does, it might give several millions of Republicans pause:

"You mean he's doing things they agree with? Hold on there pardner..."

Posted by: Barry Meislin at January 13, 2004 02:16 AM

Barry,
Exactly. Katie Couric's rabid attack on Bush this AM attempting to inspire former Secretary O'Neil to join her attack by confirming her positions forced O'Neil into a forcefull and credible defense of Bush and the party. First time O'Neil has impressed me favorably in years.

Posted by: genecis at January 13, 2004 08:55 AM

Genecis --

Why do you watch the perky elf? Ain't it a it masochistic, if not completely a waste of time.

Posted by: MG at January 13, 2004 09:14 AM

Ann Coulter pegged Couric right: an affable Eva Braun. Of course, it begs the question about who the male half of the equation is.

Posted by: jim hamlen at January 13, 2004 10:00 AM

Comparing Eva Braun to Katie is an insult... to Eva Braun. Katie's more like Tokyo Rose.

Posted by: MarkD at January 14, 2004 12:04 AM
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