Scarborough's appearance with Matt Lauer on this morning's Today show capped a long segment themed "Has Bush Lost His Clout?" The answer was a resounding 'yes' in NBC's mind.
Today outlined a litany of presidential woe:
- Being forced to accept changes to the Patriot Act to win its approval.
- Action by Republicans in Congress to block the UAE ports deal.
- Erosion of the president's "once ardent base."
- Possibly being "forced to bend" on NSA surveillance.
- A gloomy forecast for Iraq.
- Dismal poll ratings.
Speaking of polls, NBC White House reporter Kelly O'Donnell only featured the results of polls showing Pres. Bush's approval ratings at or below 40%, ignoring major polls such as this one by the Washington Post/ABC that has the president above 40%.
When Scarborough appeared, he asserted that the flap over the ports has created "the biggest outpouring of anything since impeachment," then added this grim assessement for the GOP:
"The mid-term elections are coming up and, for the first time in eight years, Republicans I am talking to think they will lose the House."
Lauer, sounding a currently popular theme, asked:
"Even with all of the troubles that the President is facing and the Republican party is facing, why aren't the Democrats elevating themselves in the midst of this chaos?"
Scarborough unloaded on the Dems:
"Because they are stupid. I say to my Democratic friends: What are you doing? This is too easy. You have people like Howard Dean and Kennedy being the face of the Democrat party. You won't take back the House doing that. They need to get moderates out there."
Continued the former congressman from the Florida panhandle:
"Were I a Democrat I would run on the ports deal and Iran. I would say [Bush] went after Iraq while the greatest threat to American security in the future [was Iran which] is now getting a nuclear weapon and we can't do anything about it. In 1994 a general told me it was obvious: the next 15 year's greatest threat to America is Iran. This has been coming a long time. You will hear about it on the campaign trail."
A pox on both their houses in Joe's book this morning.
Finkelstein lives in Ithaca, NY. 'Right Angle', the TV show he hosts, was recently named 'Best of the Best' among public-access shows in his area. Contact him at: mark@gunhill.net
