Bush Pulls Out the Stops to Save Ratings

[tocqueville]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060323/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush

On Tuesday, Bush called a news conference with the Washington media. But he rejected the formal East Room in favor of going toe-to-toe with reporters in the cramped, casual White House briefing room that better suits his style. The president bantered with an outspoken critic, journalist Helen Thomas, saying he "semi-regretted" calling on her, and he teasingly accused other reporters of falling asleep during his speeches.

The sessions follow a December blitz by Bush that succeeded in arresting an earlier fall in his approval ratings. This time, White House advisers hope the speaking events, even when they draw the kind of difficult questions that have occasionally come Bush's way this week, will showcase a president comfortable with his message, his strategy and his facts.

"It's one of the best chances he has to be effective, to change away from the Pollyanna-ish characterizations of it being all good news," said Bruce Buchanan, a University of Texas political scientist who has long observed Bush.

However, Wayne Fields, a specialist in presidential rhetoric at Washington University in St. Louis, said, "The problem is that clearly he's doing this because of the polls and that adds a level of desperation."

By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer

[LiberalEsto]

1. Maybe he needs kittens and bunnies as props nt

[Richard Steele]

4. I don't think killing kittens and bunnies is gonna help him.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[opihimoimoi]

2. The Loser of a Boozer trying to become a Cruiser by talking his way

outta troubles....ain't gonna work this time...Murphy's Law Firm will see to that...

[Rex]

3. Bush can't be comfortable with his message - even he doesnt believe it!

nt

[Lexingtonian]

5. This time he doesn't have a fresh ideological trench

i.e. new Party Line with lowered expectations and new consolations, to draw the troops back to. Which he did in late November and early December.

His 'message' now is all attacks on his critics. That works for his hardliners but not moderates, and the moderates are the people who matter.