GOP Frets About Bush Re-Election Chances

Jul 22, 3:56 PM EDT

By RON FOURNIER
AP Political Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- For the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, rank-and-file Republicans say they are worried about President Bush's re-election chances based on the feeble economy, the rising death toll in Iraq and questions about his credibility.

"Of course it alarms me to see his poll figures below the safe margins," said Ruth Griffin, co-chair of Bush's 2000 campaign steering committee in New Hampshire. "If he isn't concerned, and we strong believers in the Bush administration aren't concerned, we must have blinders on."

The worries emerged as Griffin and nearly two dozen other GOP stalwarts were interviewed by The Associated Press in advance of the Republican National Committee's meeting this week in New York, site of the 2004 GOP presidential convention and the starting point of Bush's wartime surge in popularity.

Bush's poll ratings skyrocketed after the attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center as he led the nation in mourning and then to war with blunt talk and a confidence that soothed an anxious nation.

more...http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/G/GOP_WORRIES?SITE=PAPHQ&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

See what happens when you deceive the people George and friends they can be ignorant clowns yet if you tell a sheep the truth and he sees it fully he can wake up. Its plain karma imo and no I am not a hindu but I do believe in Karma kinda. So GOP the instant karma is gonna get you. If you didnt know thats from a Lennon song.

I didn't realize those people would actually go on record. After all, Rove's MO is to create a sense of inevitability so I'm surprised these people are actually telling the truth. BTW, Ron Fournier is a good writer. He seems to be pretty good at not just aping WH spin.

tsk tsk. too bad. Better they should not worry but see
what an evil terrorist the resident they follow really is

for the religously confused party. Excommunicated indeed.

a confidence GAME that sucker-punched a nation goaded into letting a single attack turn into a symbol of unending fear....

you spelled it right out, partner! :thumbsup:

Once they have the touch screens and the "fixes" installed all around the country, we will see another "oooh sooo close, but WE WIN" election..

The ONLY hope we have is for our own exit polling to be in place and operational and an OVERWHELMING turnout.. We need lawyers at precints, we need paper work ready to go to CHALLENGE every "close and suspicious vote count.. In other words, we need to be READY and this time, we need to NOT FOLD UP AND GO AWAY..

This was the tactic that worked FOR them in 2000, and we must not let them do it again, or we are SUNK ..

to be a poll monitor? i'd sign up.

I think it depends on which state you're in, but some ideas are to go to http://www.democrats.org and then to your state party's page. If there is no information you could write to whoever's in charge. If that doesn't work, perhaps try your town's board of elections or similar entity.

I'm thinking about doing this as well, but I haven't done all of the research yet.

They just need to rally the troops. While the Bush supporters will be stupid drunk on baseball, apple pie and Chevrolet and deluded by the minions of flag waving zealots they may be too complacent to vote, the Democrats could take it away from them. The right-wing will freaking lose it if they get beat in 2004…Man, I hope

The 2004 election may see the end of the neocon influence in the republican party. They are losing the religious wackos now and the neocons are being shown for the fascists that they are.

This may be the sign of the return of real republicans replacing the reich wing nut cases that have taken over power since before raygun. Perhaps we can even get back to the days when politics was the art of compromise, when things actually got done in DC. A return to the discussion of issues rather than just trying to destroy your opponent with dirty tricks.

Some of us can even remember those days, and I believe that this is exactly what the country now wants. If one of the candidates on our side were to take this as a campaign issue, I think that he will win in a shoe in.

betcha that horrid joke ain't so funny now, eh :puke:

"I remember -- I remember campaigning in Chicago, and one of the reporters said, would you ever deficit spend? I said only -- only in times of war, in times of economic insecurity as a result of a recession, or in times of national emergency. Never did I dream we'd have a trifecta. (Laughter.)"
(President Discusses Importance of Homeland Security Department June 7, 2002)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/06/20020607-4.html

mp3
http://globalfreepress.com/mp3/trifecta.mp3

more...
http://globalfreepress.com/trifecta

peace

at the top of the picture, showing Sept 6. Do you have an url or site for that quote?

I'm pretty sure I read an article that said * claimed to have said that "only in the event of..." quote prior to 9-11 but the media couldn't find a record of it. He never made the "trifecta" remark before 9-11, but used it as a "joke" after the WTC disaster.

I'm not losing my mind, am I?

From MSNBC
Thursday, June 27, 2002
Excerpts: This is its basic telling: “You know, when I was running for president, in Chicago, somebody said, would you ever have deficit spending? I said, only if we were at war, or only if we had a recession, or only if we had a national emergency. Never did I dream we’d get the trifecta.” ...So far, the president has told the joke on the record at least 14 times. It originated, evidently, as an anecdote he told to business leaders Oct. 3 — three weeks after the terrorist attacks — when he explained his three-part reasoning for going into deficit spending...However, the real problem with the joke is that it is a complete falsehood...Bush never told any audience, or any reporter, in Chicago that he could foresee three conditions under which deficit spending might be necessary. In fact, throughout the entire campaign, Bush had been insistent that budget surpluses would continue...

It's not online anymore. That was on my newspage back in the days when I had time to excerpt.
:^(

Dumbya never said that during the campaign. Gore said it.

The media started catching wind of that and began looking for evidence, then this "quote" was dropped from Dumbya's scripts like a hot potato.

I would love someone in the 2004 campaign to bring this fact up and ask Dumbya why he used a quote that he never made.

hammer on the fact that Bush lies about everything all the time. If the American people think Bush is untrusworthy he is toast.

Do you have a link for Bush not having said it?

but of course (like everything else), since it sheds Gore in a good light as an intelligent, savy politician, and makes Bush out to be the unimaginative cretin he is, it was ignored.

From the article, "Other Republicans said the polls reflected voter concerns with Bush's staff, not the president himself." Bye, bye, Condi? And who else????

Looks like Jeb's political career is over. Poor Jebbie's fortunes are tied to Junior's.

is that George is simply a brainless puppet controlled by evil people. Jeb is an extremely cunning and evil person, who controls brainless puppets!

:grr:

I believe originally it was JEB that was expected to take the White House first but events didn't quite work out.

And second, maybe they should start worrying if he'll even make it to 2004...

BWAH hahahahhahahahahaha!!!

why they want California and Texas so bad..

Is this what the California recall movement is really about? If a republican siezes control of the state before 2004 do they have plans to highjack the electoral system like Jeb did here in Florida?

If I were a Republican today.....
I would resign and start a new career, maybe in garbage management.

Bush's "Re"-election numbers are looking dimmer by the moment though his "Re-selection" numbers are at 99.99%!

GOP fretting. And I even agree with them! :party:

Uncle Karl may have some harsh words for those with captured quotes. Watch for reassignments?

These "GOP stalwarts" are telling the media to lay off the legally elected President, and Republican contributors to dig, dig deep.

Never trust these folks. You're right Smokescreen; it's just a ploy.

:dem:

that the country could fall back into the hands of those evil pinko-commie liberals. They'd be saying this even if the little bastard WASN'T in trouble.

going down the TUBES with their unelected, draft-dodging, AWOL from the NATIONAL GUARD, aircraft carrier landing, codpiece wearing, English language mangling, brush-clearing, Pickles loving, SEGWAY falling, stem cell saving, warmaking, lying, cheating, stealing, responbibility abdicating, failed CEOing, deficit loving, big spending, child leaving, 911 sleeping, subordinate blaming, free speech hating, focus group using, cheerleading, drug abusing, Rumsfeld loving XANAX COWBOY!

I'm sure Bob Woodward could compose a much better rant that the above, but I'm tired.

I must of seen someone else. I saw confused rhetoric and a littany of contradictions.

"For the first time since September 11, 2001...." Why not come out say that that attack was a political boon for Bush? Those pricks have polticized that national tragedy.. and now they talk openly about it. I hope he loses by 20%.. So he can't steal it again. Jerk.

:dem:

... I'm sure *BushCo. will participate in the political forum with upmost integrity, taking the good with the bad - thinking about the best for our people and our land and our future ... the ol' 'how you play the game' sense of sportsmanship ... give it the ol' college try ... may the best team win ..........

... yeah, right ... and, monkeys will fly ...

:scared: :scared: :scared:

TRIFECTA QUOTES

October 16, 2001
REMARKS BY OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET DIRECTOR MITCHELL E. DANIELS, JR. AT CONFERENCE BOARD ANNUAL MEETING
He had always listed, throughout his campaign and since, the reasons why the nation might depart from this policy, reasons he had given as acceptable for running fiscal deficits: for war, recession, or emergency. As he said to me in mid-September, "Lucky me. I hit the trifecta."
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/pubpress/daniels_conference_board_speech10-16-01.html

November 28, 2001
Mitch Daniels Delivers Remarks To The National Press Club
DANIELS: Have not set a target figure. The president had said, throughout his campaign and long before these events were visible to us, that he hoped to always operate in the black and, in fact, at levels beyond the Social Security surplus, but that there were three conditions under which a deficit would be acceptable. Those being war, recession or emergency. And as he said to me, shortly after the 11th, "Lucky me, I hit the trifecta."
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/pubpress/2001-61.html

February 27, 2002
President's Remarks at GOP Luncheon
And we've got a job to do at home, as well. You know, I was campaigning in Chicago and somebody asked me, is there ever any time where the budget might have to go into deficit? I said only if we were at war or had a national emergency or were in recession. (Laughter.) Little did I realize we'd get the trifecta. (Laughter.) But we're fine.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/02/20020227-6.html
"You know, I..I was campaigning in Chicago, and, somebody asked me wha...is there ever any time when the budget might have to go into deficit. I said, 'Only...if we were at war, or had a national emergency, or were in a recession.' <pause for smirky laughter> Little did I realize we'd get the trifecta."

March 1, 2002
President's Remarks at Iowa Republican Dinner
You know, I remember campaigning in Chicago and somebody said, would you ever spend a deficit? And I said, only if we're at war or we had a recession or there was a national emergency. Little did I realize we'd get the trifecta. (Laughter.)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020301-6.html

March 27, 2002
Remarks by the President at the Graham for Senate Luncheon - Greenville, SC
Now, we've got a lot to do. We've got a lot to do. There's a lot to do at home. As you know -- let me put it to you this way. I was campaigning in Chicago one time and a fellow said, would you ever allow for deficit spending, would that ever enter your vocabulary?
I said, well, under certain circumstances: only if we're at war or there was a national emergency or there was a recession. Little did I realize we'd draw the trifecta. (Laughter.)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020327-5.html

March 27, 2002
Remarks by the President at Saxby Chambliss for Senate Dinner - Atlanta, GA
I'll never forget one time in Chicago when a reporter said, would you ever deficit spend? And I said, well, only -- only if we were at war, only if there were a national emergency, or only if there is a recession. Never did I believe we'd get the trifecta. (Laughter.) But we're dealing with it.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020327-10.html

March 29, 2002
President's Remarks at Victory 2002 Event
You know, when I was campaigning in Chicago, in the general election, somebody said, would you ever deficit spend? I said, well, only if we were at war, or there was a national emergency, or we were in a recession. Little did I realize we'd get the trifecta. (Laughter.)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020328.html

April 3, 2002
Remarks by the President at Fisher for Governor Reception
I remember campaigning in Chicago one time, and the guy said, would you ever deficit spend? I said, well, only if we were at war, or the country was in recession, or there was a national emergency. (Laughter.) I didn't realize we were going to get the trifecta. (Laughter.)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/04/20020403-1.html

April 16, 2002
President Calls on Congress to Show Fiscal Responsibility
The recession -- no question, I remember when I was campaigning, I said, would you ever deficit spend? And I said, yes, only if there were a time of war, or recession, or a national emergency. Never thought we'd get -- (laughter and applause.) And so we have a temporary deficit in our budget, because we are at war, we're recovering, our economy is recovering, and we've had a national emergency. Never did I dream we'd have the trifecta. (Laughter.)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/04/20020416-8.html

April 29, 2002
Remarks by the President at Heather Wilson for Congress Luncheon
You know, when I was campaigning in Chicago one time, they said, would you ever have a deficit? I said, I hope not. I said, I think it's important for us to make -- to work hard to have a balanced budget. But I said, yes, I'd have a deficit if I were the President only if we were at war, or in a recession, or in times of emergency. I didn't think I was going to draw the trifecta. (Laughter.)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/04/20020429-4.html

May 1, 2002
Remarks by the President at Simon for Governor Luncheon
I remember in Chicago they said to me, would you ever have deficit spending. I said, only if there was a war, or a national emergency, or a recession. Never did I realize we'd get the trifecta. (Laughter.)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/05/20020501-2.html

May 10, 2002
Remarks by the President at Taft for Governor Luncheon
Obviously, we've got budget matters. You know, when I was running for President, in Chicago, somebody said, would you ever have deficit spending? I said, only if we were at war, or only if we had a recession, or only if we had a national emergency. Never did I dream we'd get the trifecta.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/05/20020510-3.html