Bush is officially a lame duck, well at least that's what the Big Three network morning shows would have you believe. This morning White House spokesman Tony Snow appeared on NBC's Today, ABC's Good Morning America and CBS' The Early Show and was hit with one common question: is Bush a "lame duck?"
First up on NBC's Today show, co-host Matt Lauer threw the following questions at Snow:
Lauer: "Tony if he, if he can't convince the skeptics, if he can't accomplish this, if he can't get immigration reform passed, you know what they're saying, is it time for him to concentrate full-time on his presidential library?"
...
Lauer: "So what you're telling me Tony, is this in no way the start of an official term of lame duck presidency?"
And right before the Snow interview, in her set-up piece, NBC's Andrea Mitchell repeated the "lame duck" refrain twice:
Mitchell: "The President's lame duck status was most noticeable during last week's Republican debate."
...
Mitchell: "The President's last ditch effort today, to save immigration reform is a critical test of whether this lame duck president can still pass a major domestic priority for his administration. Matt."
Over on CBS's The Early Show, co-host Harry Smith also asked Snow if Bush's inability to get immigration reform passed meant he was headed towards political irrelevancy:
Harry Smith: "The other thing that comes up then is that the President can't get this done, in which he has placed so much of his own prestige and will and everything else. Does this not show that he's a lame duck?"
On ABC's Good Morning America, co-host Robin Roberts bluntly asked Snow: "So let me ask you, is George Bush a lame duck president?"
In the set-up piece to the Snow interview, GMA's David Wright also threw out the "lame duck" charge.
Robin Roberts: "We gonna go back now to our top story. This morning, President Bush is a man on a mission trying to drum up support for his battered immigration bill, even making a rare trip to Capitol Hill to further his cause, a cause some say is already lost, sparking questions about whether the President is already a lame duck. Our David Wright is following the story for us this morning. Good morning, David."
David Wright: "Good morning, Robin. Lame duck, that's the phrase that every president dreads because it is the moment in any presidency when people finally acknowledge that the emperor has no clothes. But that phrase, lame duck, is likely to follow President Bush every step of the way the Capitol Hill. Today, the President heads into the lion's den, vowing to sort out his much hyped immigration bill, emboldened by the hero's welcome he received in Albania."
—Geoffrey Dickens is the senior news analyst at the Media Research Center.















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No president has ever been a
June 12, 2007 - 14:54 ET by TruthMongerNo president has ever been a lame duck before - Bush really is the worst ever...!
Worst what? Worst how? As com
June 12, 2007 - 15:41 ET by BeowulfWorst what? Worst how? As compared to who?
The Closed Mind Erects Strong Barriers
GWBest ever?
June 12, 2007 - 15:50 ET by TruthMongerJust ask any moonbat and they'll talk your ear off for an hour...
Basically Bush is the worst left-wing radical ever...no wonder he's very popular and successful...
I don't listen to moonbats, I
June 13, 2007 - 08:56 ET by BeowulfI don't listen to moonbats, I laugh at moonbats. And I would have to agree that Bush doesn't make a very good left-wing radical. Why anyone would want to be a "good" left-wing radical is beyond me.
The Closed Mind Erects Strong Barriers
"Lauer: "Tony if
June 12, 2007 - 14:58 ET by ckc1227"Lauer: "Tony if he, if he can't convince the skeptics, if he can't
accomplish this, if he can't get immigration reform passed, you know
what they're saying, is it time for him to concentrate full-time on his
presidential library?"
He's not having trouble getting immigration reform passed, he's having trouble getting bad immigration reform passed. Come up with a decent plan and it will pass with flying colors.
And who is this "they&qu
June 12, 2007 - 15:51 ET by BeowulfAnd who is this "they" that are saying GW should concentrate on his library?
The Closed Mind Erects Strong Barriers
"some say" they! MS
June 12, 2007 - 16:07 ET by TruthMonger"some say" they! MSM 101...
Bush may be a lame duck at th
June 12, 2007 - 15:49 ET by bassndudeBush may be a lame duck at the moment, but he will never reach the lame level of the morning shows. Now there! are some lame ducks.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
What Timing
June 12, 2007 - 15:49 ET by allanfFunny how the networks all decided to use the term "lame duck" at the same time. I wonder where that came from. Certainly not a democrat operative?
As a matter of fact it's righ
June 12, 2007 - 15:53 ET by TruthMongerAs a matter of fact it's right here on today's stolen DNC fax...!
Actually, the MSM has been ra
June 12, 2007 - 16:00 ET by GalvanicActually, the MSM has been raising the lame duck flag over the White House since the Dems took over the House and Senate in the '06 Election.
And while I rarely agree with the likes of Mitchell and company, I would have to agree that Bush is acting like a lame duck. There's no more steam in the locomotive, and most of the crew that started the trip have jumped off or been pushed off the train.
He's still capable of minor victories in his battles with the Congress, but for the most part, it's game over.
I hope this is true if he con
June 12, 2007 - 16:29 ET by kwI hope this is true if he continues to push the immigration bill with his buddy Kennedy. I think history will prove that GWB has done a very good job with the country...IF the immigration bill dies on the vine!
I don't think he's a bad Pres
June 12, 2007 - 17:25 ET by GalvanicI don't think he's a bad President. At least he was bold enough to change the status quo and fight back against the terrorists, and the economy appears to be solid for now.
But he is fiscally irresponsible when it comes to the Federal budget, and his stance on illegal immigration is just plain wrong. He's no conservative, compassionate or not.
I give him a grade of C+, but that could drop to a D or F depending on how the situation in Iraq turns out.
I think most of the "bad
June 13, 2007 - 09:13 ET by BeowulfI think most of the "bad" rap has been artificially generated by the left and the MSM. If they had supported our president instead of forcing him to battle for every initiative, every day, he would probably go down in history as one of the most accomplished presidents of all time.
As for being "fiscally irresponsible", how so? We have one of the lowest unemployment rates in our history, the strongest economy in decades, and a vastly shrinking deficit (which has been dropping significanty for several years, not that this factiod had gained much publicity). His tax cuts have generated increased government revenue despite increased spending. And why is democrat spending fat not being factored into government spending (i.e. the "bridge to nowhere and so many other fat amendments to spending)? The president does not control most of the money spent by congress. Congress controls most of the money spent by congress.
While I totally disagree with his immigration philosophy, I contend that the majority of the trouble with Iraq is due to the encouragment of the radical Islamists by our own leftist politicians and our biased MSM. US elected officials and American media constantly deriding and challenging the commander in chief during a time of was can't help but encourage our enemies. They see division and obstruction as a weakness, which they are more than happy to exploit. And additional consequenses of this confrontational policy with the sitting president are the actions of Iran and Venezuela, to name a few. They see this situation as allowing them to do and say whatever they want since the appearance is that we not only can't decide to do anything, we're unable to do anything.
Personally, I give Bush a B-, not counting immigration. If he continues his push (which it appears he will) he will drop to a C+ (but for the reasons I stated above). I think a B-, or even a C+, is still a pretty good grade considering all he has has to deal with.
The Closed Mind Erects Strong Barriers
Bush never curbed the pork-ba
June 13, 2007 - 13:34 ET by GalvanicBush never curbed the pork-barrel spending of the Republican Congress, despite that fact that we've been at war during most of his Administration. His veto would've snapped the Reps on the Hill back into some semblance of fiscal discipline, but he declined. Consequently, the deficit widened.
While I still support going to war in Iraq for a number of reasons beyond WMD hunting, I must concede that Bush and his people grossly underestimated just what it would take, and now its apparent that they really don't have any alternative plans.
And he's been negligent in the handling of illegal immigration, and his 'fix it' bill will only make it worse.
Ironically, we appear to both grade him about the same.
There's really no irony here
June 13, 2007 - 15:53 ET by BeowulfThere's really no irony here Galvanic. We appear to see eye-to-eye on the most substantive issues, so logically the grade would be similar. I only disagree concerning the deficit. It has been steadily declining for the last several years, despite the pork and the combat associated spending. The pork comes from both sides of the aisle (I'd really like to say the Dems have more pork than the Repubs, but I have no facts to back it up, just a gut feeling). The problem with the deficit is that the MSM hasn't been reporting on it, except to spout the party line about how big it is. Unfortunately for the MSM, it's not the trillion dollar deficit it once was, and for which they derided Bush. Since it was good for a Bush-Bashing-Bullet, they keep it going, either through misreporting or non-reporting. If people don't hear about the significantly shrinking deficit, they won't know about it, will they?
FYI, the deficit is down to $148.5 billion, down 34.6% from this time last year. A pretty far cry from the $1 trillion deficit the Dems have spent years beating Bush on the head with.
The Closed Mind Erects Strong Barriers
This blog makes a great point
June 12, 2007 - 19:14 ET by j. frank wilsonThis blog makes a great point. After all, during the recent debates didn't all those Republican presidential candidates go out of their way to praise George Bush and the great job he's done?
Oh - they didn't? You mean the Democratic candidates mentioned him by name more than the Republican ones? Are you sure...?
The morning news shows are la
June 12, 2007 - 21:04 ET by sembyThe morning news shows are lame ______ (care to fill in the blank?)!