Bush-Rove Goes with Economy as Security Message Disintegrates

[BurtWorm]

Of course, with stagnation in wages and a larger and larger portion of the debt going toward repaying foreign lenders, they're quickly running out of even apparent "strengths" to brag about.


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=akwb41dNaJ20&refer=politics

Bush Emphasizes Economy as Security Message Weakens (Update1)

By Matthew Benjamin and Brendan Murray

Oct. 6 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush is intensifying his bid to win his party credit for an improving economy, a move given new urgency by Republicans' difficulty in making moral values and the war on terror central issues in the mid-term elections.

Today, Bush will visit a FedEx Corp. facility in the Washington area to talk up his economic achievements. In remarks to workers, he'll trumpet progress in trimming the federal budget deficit, the millions of new jobs created on his watch, and a pro-growth business environment that he attributes to tax cuts.

Bush has given only one speech on the economy in the past six weeks, an event at Meyer Tool Inc., in Cincinnati, in which he extolled his record as a champion of small business. Experts said that a new push on the economy is timely now thanks to lower gasoline prices, a rebounding stock market, and renewed hope about interest-rate cuts from the Federal Reserve.

``You go with what you've got, and right now the economy is the best thing they've got going,'' said Philip Klinkner, professor of government at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York.

White House political strategist Karl Rove originally envisioned a three-pronged strategy for retaining Republicans' congressional majority. The plan cast Republicans as tougher than Democrats on fighting terrorism, more attuned to Americans' values on moral issues and more likely to keep the economy humming thanks to the party's commitment to tax cuts.

Troubled Plan

With just over a month to go before the election, Rove's plan has crashed into some daunting political realities. A best- selling book by Washington Post editor Bob Woodward has sown doubts about the Bush war cabinet's veracity and its vigilance over the terror threat posed by al-Qaeda.

...

[SammyWinstonJack]

1. If the economy is the best thing they've got going for them, then they're

screwed.

[leveymg]

3. Unfortunately, so are we.

Gawd help us when the balloon payments kick in.

[INdemo]

9. I've said this since the summer of 2004......

these numbers we are geting about the unemployment,the new job starts,the retail spending,thw whole economic package are doctored reports.Just as soon as the Democrats take over all reports will show that everything is going downwhill.(the truth)

[stopbush]

2. 51,000 jobs in Sept! Only 100,000 short of breaking even!

Stock market up = Bill Gates walks into a room and we're suddenly (on average) all millionaires!

[Ksec]

4. 30 million in poverty, world record deficit spending , wages at 70s ...yea

The economy isnt a real strong point for them if ya ask me.

[Hubert Flottz]

5. Now boy that's a Real freakin' winner!

This is really gettin' fun to watch.

[Robbien]

6. But they already have the rich elite vote. The economy sucks for

the rest of us. Trying to tell us that the economy is doing great will be as believable a message as trying to tell us that Iraq is doing great.

[AnneD]

7. OOOOOHHHHH

Bad move. If that is the best they have they ARE in sorry shape. The economy is great for the top 1% only.

[magellan]

8. Oh yeah, that'll help them

72% increase in CEO wages since Bush** took office while middle income families have seen a 1% drop. Saw that on the news last night. Well, at least the Repugs are guaranteed the wealthy will vote to keep them.