Karl Rove has recently said that Republicans should campaign on economy and Iraq this year. As more and more Democrats advocate cutting and running, and the media's presentation of the war is far from positive, this may prove to be a controversial strategy. However, I think he's on the right track, and clearly we're starting to see Bush and the Republicans taking this issue on much more directly, between President Bush's latest surprise trip to Baghdad, and the House Republican's plan to engage in debate over Iraq and the war on terror this week, (confidential memo obtained and posted at GOP Bloggers) clearly, this is not an issue the Republican Party plans to cut and run from.
Posted by Matt at June 13, 2006 03:09 PM
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Comments
They should campaign on those two issues and the biggest one of all.
Does this country want Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi and Ted Kennedy running it? I don't care how bad the GOP is, if that doesn't scare people to the polls nothing will.
Posted by: Warriornation at June 13, 2006 03:11 PM
I think Rove and Bush are masterful campaigners and understand the electorate far more than I do.
While I have my doubts about this strategy, I trust their judgement, and I hope it'll work.
I wonder what the GOP would look like without Rove, whether elections in an age of America being split down the middle could be won.
Posted by:
ashok at June 13, 2006 03:29 PM
Perhaps Karl captured OBL and will announce his demise in early November, like drop a bunker blaster on him. Maybe allow a few Gitmo detainees to cross the Mexican border into Texas for recapture in late October. Sound strategy.
Indict Plame, Joe Wilson and the NYT. Arrest Jefferson. The Dims know nothing about timing. Karl knows. Dean, Pelosi, Kerry, Gore, Kennedy know cut and run and non science. That horse won't run very far.
Hail the chimp!
Posted by: SEW at June 13, 2006 04:38 PM
*sniff* *sniff*, sounds like someone is .......jealous.........hateful..........bitter..........S.O.L.! Feels good, eh sew!
Posted by: bearmanUSMC at June 13, 2006 05:34 PM
*sniff* *sniff*, sounds like someone is .......jealous.........hateful..........bitter..........S.O.L.! Feels good, eh sew!
Posted by: bearmanUSMC at June 13, 2006 05:38 PM
SEW - well when reality bites, just make stuff up. How long have you worked at DNC headquarters?
Posted by: Kahn at June 13, 2006 05:59 PM
Matt said: "Karl Rove has recently said that Republicans should campaign on economy and Iraq this year."
One wonders if he really is a political genius or a one-trick pony. After 2004 I thought the former. After the last 18 months I've begun to wonder. Both the Iraq war and economy issues are tenuous -- and not only tenuous but largely out of the president's control. The die has been cast.
The elections in Iraq are over. It took a while, but a permanent government has been established. What happens there is in their hands more than ever. Perhaps more importantly, there is little in the way of relatively easy accomplishments to look forward to. Don't get me wrong -- the elections, and the establishment of a complete government (finally) were good things. But it was only a first step, even though it took a very long time. Now the hard part begins -- establishing legitimacy. And in that regard there are some huge obstacles to be hurdled. How do we measure that? What easily understandable benchmarks are left?
And now that Zarqawi's gone, should we assume that al Qaeda in Iraq will simply fold? What if they don't? I'm guessing they won't. Judging from Bush's comments since his death, I'm guessing that he doesn't think so either. Unfortunately, other pundits haven't been so careful. Consequently, I suspect there may be something on the order of a major disappointment if things don't improve in Iraq fairly soon. The "stay the course" and "turning the corner" memes, which are already growing thin, will thin even more. I hope that Rove and others know more than I do. But from my perspective, that's a heck of a stack of chips to put on one single number. And it continues to pile to the tune of what, $8 billion a month? How much patience do you really think the American people have? Then again, maybe that's the only game left. I guess we'll see.
Likewise the economy. I guess it depends on how successfully one set of spinmeisters spin it, but anyone serious about the economy understands that there are some very ominous signs on the horizon. Even after all the good news about the GDP, once you factor in inflation the economy has barely kept pace. And even that ignores the looming national debt. I guess the question is... how long can we ignore the debt? That may be a very important question, because I'm inclined to believe that whoever scores the most gains in 2006 is going to be blamed for the inherent instability in 2008. But of course, by that time, Rove will be gone from government, and so will Bush. What then?
Posted by: Ricorun at June 13, 2006 11:28 PM
Karl said a lot about everything except the one thing the GOP top brass is dead wrong on and that is illegal immigration and the selling of this country's sovereignity for votes. This will cost them bdg-time -they could have mnade it the noose around the Dems neck, because they want it worse -poor politics -not genius Mr. Rove
Posted by: DL at June 14, 2006 07:29 AM
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They should campaign on those two issues and the biggest one of all.
Does this country want Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi and Ted Kennedy running it? I don't care how bad the GOP is, if that doesn't scare people to the polls nothing will.
I think Rove and Bush are masterful campaigners and understand the electorate far more than I do.
While I have my doubts about this strategy, I trust their judgement, and I hope it'll work.
I wonder what the GOP would look like without Rove, whether elections in an age of America being split down the middle could be won.
Perhaps Karl captured OBL and will announce his demise in early November, like drop a bunker blaster on him. Maybe allow a few Gitmo detainees to cross the Mexican border into Texas for recapture in late October. Sound strategy.
Indict Plame, Joe Wilson and the NYT. Arrest Jefferson. The Dims know nothing about timing. Karl knows. Dean, Pelosi, Kerry, Gore, Kennedy know cut and run and non science. That horse won't run very far.
Hail the chimp!
*sniff* *sniff*, sounds like someone is .......jealous.........hateful..........bitter..........S.O.L.! Feels good, eh sew!
*sniff* *sniff*, sounds like someone is .......jealous.........hateful..........bitter..........S.O.L.! Feels good, eh sew!
SEW - well when reality bites, just make stuff up. How long have you worked at DNC headquarters?
Matt said: "Karl Rove has recently said that Republicans should campaign on economy and Iraq this year."
One wonders if he really is a political genius or a one-trick pony. After 2004 I thought the former. After the last 18 months I've begun to wonder. Both the Iraq war and economy issues are tenuous -- and not only tenuous but largely out of the president's control. The die has been cast.
The elections in Iraq are over. It took a while, but a permanent government has been established. What happens there is in their hands more than ever. Perhaps more importantly, there is little in the way of relatively easy accomplishments to look forward to. Don't get me wrong -- the elections, and the establishment of a complete government (finally) were good things. But it was only a first step, even though it took a very long time. Now the hard part begins -- establishing legitimacy. And in that regard there are some huge obstacles to be hurdled. How do we measure that? What easily understandable benchmarks are left?
And now that Zarqawi's gone, should we assume that al Qaeda in Iraq will simply fold? What if they don't? I'm guessing they won't. Judging from Bush's comments since his death, I'm guessing that he doesn't think so either. Unfortunately, other pundits haven't been so careful. Consequently, I suspect there may be something on the order of a major disappointment if things don't improve in Iraq fairly soon. The "stay the course" and "turning the corner" memes, which are already growing thin, will thin even more. I hope that Rove and others know more than I do. But from my perspective, that's a heck of a stack of chips to put on one single number. And it continues to pile to the tune of what, $8 billion a month? How much patience do you really think the American people have? Then again, maybe that's the only game left. I guess we'll see.
Likewise the economy. I guess it depends on how successfully one set of spinmeisters spin it, but anyone serious about the economy understands that there are some very ominous signs on the horizon. Even after all the good news about the GDP, once you factor in inflation the economy has barely kept pace. And even that ignores the looming national debt. I guess the question is... how long can we ignore the debt? That may be a very important question, because I'm inclined to believe that whoever scores the most gains in 2006 is going to be blamed for the inherent instability in 2008. But of course, by that time, Rove will be gone from government, and so will Bush. What then?
Karl said a lot about everything except the one thing the GOP top brass is dead wrong on and that is illegal immigration and the selling of this country's sovereignity for votes. This will cost them bdg-time -they could have mnade it the noose around the Dems neck, because they want it worse -poor politics -not genius Mr. Rove