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Future looks gloomy for Bush and friends

Posted: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 4:52 PM by Cathy Finkler

In a new segment, "Hardball" host Chris Matthews gives his take on the day's top five political headlines. 

Bad week for Bush
Tonight, President Bush resides in a political bunker, the downfall of his party driven by every movement of the body politic.  Just 48 hours ago, he gave up his pal Alberto Gonzalez to the political wolves.  

Yesterday, he watched in awe as yet another warrior of the cultural right was caught in the spotlight of public, illegal sexual misconduct -- misconduct against which his party has mounted a chest-thumping, full-throated campaign, a campaign of words that once again has not been underwritten by actions. Even their holiest colleagues are now forced to acknowledge that the public indecency of Senator Craig has exposed the subprime Republican morality of those who have dared to rate themselves as culturally conservative. Christian Conservatives have stood by Republicans in good times and bad.  But will social conservatives desert the party in 2008? 

Fidel’s endorsement
Communist dictator Fidel Castro, who will die before he allows free elections in his own country, is offering himself up as a political pundit on elections here. Calling the 2008 horserace more than a year in advance, the Havana handicapper rates a Hillary-Obama ticket as "unbeatable." That's his word for a ticket nobody on the planet thinks will ever exist.

No more SUVs says Edwards
John Edwards, the dude with the hot-ticket haircuts, now wants the rest of us to cool it on expensive cars. "No more SUVs," he says, the minute he chugs into the presidency. Based on the latest polls, you won't have to hide your Suburban in the garage.

True ambition
Governor Bill Richardson is setting a high bar for himself in Iowa, saying, "I think that in order for me to do well, I have to beat one of the three major contenders." So let's get this straight: a third place finish and this guy's on fire!


 

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Comments

I think that Chris is wrong.  Alberto Gonzalez leaving simply takes a man that has been unfairly judged out of the Democratic Leadership's bullseye.  By the way I am a Democrat.  A Zell Miller Democrat... but still a democrat.  My party's leader in the Senate is an embarassment to the party and can't walk and chew bubblegum at the same time.
Fidel Who?
John Edwards.... A poster boy for a charity to help those that have inhaled way too much hairspray.
Chris... on your TV program... gee whiz.. let someone answer one question please before you ask ten more.
Tucker... he is the man... he give no wiggle room..

James Anderson, Shreveport, LA (Sent Friday, August 31, 2007 1:05 AM)

I resent the use of the phrase "political wolves" when talking about Gonzales. Obviously a lying and deceitful attorney general is not good for the country. Just how do you think we should go about cleaning up the mess the Bush Administration has burdened the American people with in order to obtain his goals of keeping the White House Republican? Fraudulent elections isn't enough, do we have to watch our judicial system be sold off to corruption?

Tom Clark , Peoria, Illinois (Sent Friday, August 31, 2007 11:39 AM)

what does america hope to accomplish in iraq?

croyle hevner, floresville, texas (Sent Friday, August 31, 2007 11:43 AM)

On the matter of free elections in Cuba, I would be more worried about the fact we don't have free elections here. Not only was Florida proven to be fraudulent, Ohio, thanks to the Dieboldt machines, also was at the beckoning call of the Republican party. If only we had a true free mainstream media in our country, but alas the media is controlled by the same people who own Washington. If you don't think our media has an agenda, which is mainly to bury the truth, let me know and I can help you find it and then report it......

Tom Clark , Peoria, Illinois (Sent Friday, August 31, 2007 11:50 AM)

I am very disappointed in President Bush `s
performance as our president.  He wants to keep us us  over there in the Middle East indefinitely,
but we have problems of our own here.    

amy glasscock, louisville ky (Sent Friday, August 31, 2007 12:20 PM)

I think a Hillary-Obama ticket would be unbeatable. We will have a woman president in our lifetime and a black president, also.  It would be great for the two candidates to work together and have the next 16 years as Hillary-Obama and Obama in 2016 as president.  He could learn much from being Vice-President. That will make me in the 80's as a senior and I would love to be alive to see this happen.  They are two wonderful candidates and should gives up their quarrels and work together for the sake of America.  How can they overcome, if they are so critical of each other.

Lynda Seattle Wash. (Sent Friday, August 31, 2007 12:44 PM)

I believe that Bill Richardson is a very capable presidential candidate.  If Hillary say's that it looks like rain outside, you had better check for yourself.  And Barak lives somewhere over the rainbow with his ideals and lacks the political experience and political favors to be effective in office.  I live in New Mexico and will be voting for Bill Richardson and so should you!  He has the experience and political clout, and enough friends in congress to get things done.  Hen is the only non-polarizing candidate in the race and is firm and ready to tell you what he will do in office.  So he doesn't have the speech writers that other better funded candidates do, but it would be foolish top judge a man for his grammatical challenge.

Ken, Moriarty, New Mexico (Sent Friday, August 31, 2007 12:49 PM)

Impeach Bush and Cheney .. Put them both in prison ..

Don Howard, Palestine Tx. (Sent Friday, August 31, 2007 1:18 PM)

Hello America, The question isn't "Should Sen. Craig resign?" - he should and will. He should, not nessarily because of his indiscretion(s) but because of his lying. The real question is "Should Pres. Bush resign because of all his indisputable lies?"  Tell me, how/why they should be treated differently?  

Dan Kraak Trmansburg, New York (Sent Friday, August 31, 2007 1:34 PM)

What's with the piling on about John Edward's haircut?  Would you have me believe that none of the other candidates spends any money on appearance?  How much did Ronald Reagan spend (of our money) on make-up?  Doesn't context matter?  Or is it the job of politcal pundits just to repeat attack adds?  In this day and age when how much of a war hero one candidate was is more controversial in the eyes the press than the likelyhood another candidate was a draft dodger what are we to think?  Doesn't truth matter.  Doesn't it matter if the pot is black too?  Or as in the original telling the kettle was shiny clean and the pot was only seeing its reflection?

Greg Gilbert (Sent Friday, August 31, 2007 2:16 PM)

I'm just curios about Bush's "spin-telligence" assesment of the pentagon, GAO and patreus reports will be orchestrated to be in perfect harmony with  his and Dick's world view, and how an completely invertibrate democratic party will ultimately ask "How much do you need for this disaster in Iraq?" and cordially supply it.
Hey... what's a trillion dollar deficit amongst friends, anyway?

Franco, Boca Raton, Florida (Sent Friday, August 31, 2007 2:55 PM)

well you see i think FIDEL has a great idea it would be very  interesting to have this combination  at the next election , between the 2  we might get back at being a a great power again instead of a joke that we are now and while at it either CHRIS MATTHEWS OR MITT ROMNEY to bring back the good values  we need .... lets think about all this not bad ........

claudette rivard cornish me. (Sent Friday, August 31, 2007 3:18 PM)

The President was shown on the show tonight as he spoke in New Orleans.  It sickens me that he repeatedly refers to our fellow Americans and citizens of Louisiana as "you people in this part of the world."  He shames the office of President

Roger Frydrychowski, Richmond, VA (Sent Friday, August 31, 2007 5:17 PM)

Bush is an embarrassment. Edwards is a rich guy with no connection to the average American.  Look Chris, if a family of four is grinding out a typical two household income of $50,000 a year or less, even if they need a more fuel efficient vehicle, most can't afford it in the present economy.  Perhaps Edwards should take some of his billions and buy fuel efficient autos for low income families.  It's all rhetoric that smells of an upcoming election.

Michael Harris, Tampa, FL (Sent Sunday, September 02, 2007 4:59 PM)

File this one under: Further Bad News for Bush; Chris just had Ron Christie on as a guest and his comments don't even pass the laugh test. It is unseemly that a sitting President would talk with obvious relish about the monster paydays he is anticipating when out of office. How about all of the returning Vets (and I am largely speaking about reservists) or should I say, still serving , as not a whole lot are returning. Given the fact that many are on their 3rd, 4th and as much as their 5th deployments, who have had to file for bankruptcy protection. Ron Christie could have sat in a thousand meetings with Mr. Bush and he would still be the most situationaly unware individual around, (take your pick, you can assume Ron or the President) everything the President has said he would do or what he was feeling, his actions have been the exact opposite. His word and his credibility mean nothing, again take your pick, Ron or the President. In fact it was this President that said during one of the election cycles that he was really only running for President to burnish his resume for a shot at the job as Commissioner of Baseball. On the face of it, it would seem that he must have been kidding, but six and a half years later it is obviously proven that he really wasn't much interested in actually leading all of the people of the United States and his statements regarding the Commissioners job were probably the only true thing he said. Put Ron Christie down as just another shill for an asministration that has to go down in History as the worst ever. It almost makes one nostaglic for Tricky Dick, if that's even possible.

K.D.Tobin, Sarasota, FL (Sent Tuesday, September 04, 2007 6:45 PM)

Why does it surprise Chris Mathhews that Bush is preoccupied with making money after the White House ? That's what Rove and Tony Snow said they're doing !!

Mel Lanoma, Orlando, FL (Sent Tuesday, September 04, 2007 7:17 PM)

If you're looking for an Arlen Specter motive in suggesting that Larry Craig withdraw his guilty plea and fight his case, try this- imagine Craig becoming a libertarian/civil liberties poster child, fighting alongside an ACLU amicus filing, to overturn police "entrapment" of gays. Maybe while Stan Brand represents Craig before Congress, Bob Barr will take up the Minnesota challenge...

Niels Erich, San Francisco, CA (Sent Tuesday, September 04, 2007 8:08 PM)

My guess is that only a Hillary candidacy will bring social conservatives out to the polls in the same numbers as 2004.

Bob Betzen, Fair Oaks, CA (Sent Tuesday, September 04, 2007 8:24 PM)



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