Schiavo is likely the biggest hit the GOP has taken in Bush's tenure.

[TwilightZone]

Does that annoy the hell out of anyone else?

Don't get me wrong. I think the Schiavo fiasco and its ramifications are a huge deal. The underlying issues, the distractions, and the forthcoming attack on "activist" judges and filibusters are all scary business. We're getting a glimpse into the near future, and it is not a pleasant sight.

HOWEVER, this is the same administration that blew $200 billion (and counting) in Iraq over weapons THAT AREN'T THERE!

This is the same administration that blew off intelligence reports that could have prevented the attacks on 9/11.

This is the same administration that slashed taxes for the rich, while cutting off social programs.

This is the same administration that made overt and obvious attacks on gays and lesbians and used them as the centerpiece of election 2004.

I could go on and on and on, but you get the point.

So, what did it take to bring them down a notch? Terri Schiavo.

Unbelievable.

[katsy]

1. Not Terri...

The privacy rights of all Americans.

[Zuni]

3. also, the SS scheme

that happened at just the right time to make him less popular

[FreedomAngel82]

18. Right

It's all about divide and conquer but it backfired since these people are poor "war" planners.

[Zuni]

2. His approval rating is down almost 50% from post 9-11 high

Iraq, the economy, social security etc were all bigger hits

It is this that might drive the nail into the coffin

[babsbunny]

4. Don't worry

Karl Rove will, if he hasn't already, make this work to their advantage.

[classof56]

5. Let us hope and pray it is so!

I'd like to live long enough to see Bush and crowd bear the shame of what they have done and be held accountable. I'm sure I won't but it would be a red letter day in my life. Hope shines!

Tired Old Cynic

[_TJ_]

11. But what's gonna drive the stake thru his heart?

5000 or 10,000 dead soldiers?

[ginnyinWI]

17. Bush approval rating is down to 45% now!

According to the front page of USA Today, 3-25-05. It is the lowest of his presidency. When things affect people directly, it matters. Their Social Security is threatened, and now he is seen trying to interfere with a family's right to decide its own medical decisions. Hit's everyone right where they live.

[slackmaster]

6. Whatever it takes is OK with me

Now that Bush is in his second term he's put the pedal to the metal, pushing the extreme RW social agenda without fear of not getting re-elected.

He's going to fracture his party. That's what always happens when conservatives get too much power - The right breaks up into two or three large distinct chunks and lose their ability to form a majority. As contrasted to liberals, who become hopelessly disorganized and unable to come to a consensus. It's a natural cycle.

[OneBlueSky]

7. blew $200 billion? . . . hell, the LOST 3 trillion! . . . n/t

.

[deadparrot]

8. For better or worse...

Americans only tend to notice what directly and obviously affects them.

They can see each other in the Schiavo situation. They freak.

[TwilightZone]

12. True. It's a personal issue vs. a political one.

Good point.

[pdxmom]

9. Look at the media coverage difference

The media toed the party line on all of these things, assisting with the spinning until the world was dizzy. They pushed the march to war against Iraq until it was too late, the tax cuts were spun to the Bushie tunes, they never acurately covered the intelligence reports. Terri Schiavo was a miscalculation on the Repugs part. They thought that after the gay marriage issue, whatever they said was "moral" was what everyone would support.

What they've found out is that trampling on state and personal rights isn't going to go over too well with many people. And trying to crush the judiciary went way too far.

I don't care what the tipping point issue is, as long as people start removing the blinders.

[MrBenchley]

10. By the way

anytime anything even mildly important pops up and Chimpy's on vacation, let's make a stink unless he flies back to Washington in the middle of the night....

Just to keep people reminded about what the GOP considers a priority...

Hope those of you who write letters to the editor and call talk radio will follow me on this...

[rodeodance]

13. this is an issue that affects many/all--the gay and abortion issues affect

ed a smaller group of people--it was an 'everyday' kitchen table issue-a family issue. it is an issue that the majority can coonect with/to.

[MrBenchley]

16. The right wing's cynicism and hypocrisy

is apparent for all to see as well.....

[Catchawave]

14. Makes that "stain on the blue dress" pale in comparison.......

nobody died and we had a pretty great kick-ass economy going.

I certainly do get your point, thanks

:D

[ginnyinWI]

19. I guess that's the difference between

Having a Rhodes Scholar as president, and a C-student party boy. Not to mention a Dem vs. a Repub.

[TwilightZone]

26. No kidding.

I've thought that many times over the past few years - that all of Clinton's "scandals" are so meaningless in comparison to Bush's REAL failures and screw-ups.

[Mark E. Smith]

15. Can't Beat The Timing

Georgie's Schiavo thumping will be closely followed by an even larger whipping on Social Security. $3 gas this summer, the growing realization that we just handed Iraq over to a bunch of pro-Iran Shi'ite zealots, exponential nat'l debt increases, rising interest rates puncturing the housing bubble and the devastating effect that will have on hard working middle class citizens such as myself, why it's a perfect karmic storm swirling in for the worst president this country has ever seen.

And already it is taking a toll on Chimp's approval #s:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7295338/

[ginnyinWI]

21. It's all good, if--

If the media gets a clue and stops covering *'s butt all the time!

[Mark E. Smith]

23. Schiavo Case Is Different

This time he offended the right.

[Lerkfish]

24. In fairness to the "right", he offended the EXTREME wingnuts here...

not everyone on the right is that whacked out.

oh, on second thought, maybe you meant by SIDING WITH the wingnuts, he offended the right.

in that case, I agree.

[Swede Atlanta]

27. It is the Clenis' fault

RovesinGluckert, Insanity, Coulterdykedevil and company will all find a way to blame all of Chimpy McFuckUps miserable shortcomings on the Clenis. You watch.

[El Fuego]

20. I'm hoping it's the start of a downward spiral.

He's so out of touch with reality, I'm sure he thought he would be a big cowboy hero in all this. The fact that he fell flat on his face delights me to no end.

You are right, I hadn't thought of it that way--with all the failures and outrageous behavior of this administration, why does Terri Schiavo cause them to stumble?

I'm thinking this is the first real religious right power grab, and that's why we're finally seeing a backlash.

[rniel]

22. I don't understand the general public

Even catching a little of the news talking about this schiavo thing and I have to run into the bathroom and heave until I have nothing left.

Do people actually enjoy this kind of one-sided news reporting. I mean I know we all can't stand it, but I wonder what the average joe thinks of todays media??

I can't see how this plays well for bush, but I've said that about everything that's happened in the last 5 years.

[OneTwentyoNine]

25. Would a big Fat Terra alert be to obvious about now??

Isn't it amazing how we were going to die if Kerry was elected President and Terra alerts were nearly a daily thing up till the election. Now over five months after the election nary a one.

[Cha]

28. And I would think that the

fucking desire to rape SS would get his numbers way down below his intelligence level!

[TwilightZone]

30. As I've said elsewhere today, it's very possible that the decline in

Bush's approval ratings is due to the SS mess.

The Schiavo situation, however, is negatively affecting both the administration and the Republican Congress. The extent of the backlash won't be known for a while.

[Chomp]

29. I'd bet you anything...

...that Bush's decision to intervene in the Schiavo case was one of those rare occasions when the great man actually made the decision himself. That would certainly explain the utter political stupidity of the intervention.

99.999999999% of the "decisions" he "makes" are, of course, nothing of the sort. All the important decisions he makes are faits acompli: carefully presented and explained so that monkeyboy does what he's supposed to. And no doubt the dumb asshole is made think he is making the decsions (which in fairness, probably broadly correspond to the decisions he WOULD have made anyway if he had been smart enough. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day).

By not (being allowed to) make politically dumbass calls most of the time means he ends up being a viciously effective poltician.

But the complete and utter (political) stupidity of nailing his colours to the Schiavo mast makes me think he actually made the decision himself. The likes of Rove and these guys would have smelt the danger a mile off, and would have known it would end badly.

But MonkeyBoy probably refused to take no for an answer. He probably said - out of the blue(ish) - "Get me back to Washington, I'm going to sign this bill" (even HE could get that far on his own). From that moment - that burning moment of theological certainty - no amount of reasoning from the backroom boys and girls could shake him. No reasonable reason, not even popular disapprolval, - could dissuade him from fighting the good fight.

Hence, one of the worst political decisions of the administration.

[A Brand New World]

31. Yes it pisses me off to no end - considering we're approaching

2000 dead American service people, probably 10,000 injured and 100,000+ dead Iraqis and God knows how many injured Iraqis. Pisses me off to no end that everyone is in such a snit over one woman who has been dead for 15 years. She is not dying this weekend, she's been dead for 15 years. She has just been existing, not living.

[shance]

32. Exactly. When I think of all the troops that have died for a LIE??

It's heartbreaking, outrageous and dispicable all at the same time.

[jmcon007]

33. the Schiavo story is part of it....

But, I believe America began to wake up to GW and his band of pirates with Social Security. People could finally smell a rat when Bush cried wolf too many times about the imminent demise of a program not in trouble while ignoring the deficit, the debt, medicare, medicade and the war at the same time.

They'll not be able to do anything anymore without close scrutiny and that spells the end of this lame duck president and the Bush dynasty in general. Jeb can forget it. The country has had its complete fill of these war profiteering theives.

[Geek_Girl]

34. I think Privatization of SS

and soaring fuel cost have something to do with Bush tumbling poll numbers. But pandering to the zealots won't help him with moderates and non fundie conservatives.