Questions from the election
Will the long lag time diminish Allen's momentum? A recount can't be officially requested until after the Nov. 27 certification. (And does a Tester/Burns win alter the dynamic?)
Are they wearing black arm bands at FoxNews today?
After the revelation that the NYTimes held the eavesdropping story through the 2004 election, and the very reasonable expectation that the administration probably held some bad news through election day as well, what's coming?
Did the window for an attack on Iran get shortened through the lame duck session?
One more: Any chance Bush will take questions at his 1PM statement? (A boy can dream, can't he?)
Are they wearing black arm bands at FoxNews today?
After the revelation that the NYTimes held the eavesdropping story through the 2004 election, and the very reasonable expectation that the administration probably held some bad news through election day as well, what's coming?
Did the window for an attack on Iran get shortened through the lame duck session?
One more: Any chance Bush will take questions at his 1PM statement? (A boy can dream, can't he?)
posted by mikevotes at
9:52 AM
9 Comments:
RE: the VA recount and the time it takes...
I think I read here (in another post) that the lengthy timeframe with the VA recount simply give the FBI more time to investigate GOP voter supression dirty tricks. Jumping forward to an extreme... Allen could find himself "winning" the vote, but forced to resign under a cloud (or behind bars) and Gov. Kaine appoints Webb as senator.
OK this is a little kooky, but the point is the FBI will not be sitting on their hands until 27 Nov and beyond and the GOP tactics will remain in the headlines.
By
-epm, at 10:50 AM
And will it get through Bush's thick skull exactly what happened on election day? And will Cheney try to deny that anything happened at all?
By
NEWSGUY, at 10:52 AM
EPM you're exactly right about the investigation. If they're going to find at least a starting target, it would certainly happen in weeks. And, if something does develop it will put alot of pressure on the recount calls.
(I wouldn't expect Allen to take the fall. If it is brought back to the campaign, I would expect a firewall at a staffer. If they're smart, Allen was never explicitly told.)
Newsguy, waiting to see on that one. Bush has a statement at 1PM. I'm assuming there's not a chance he'll take questions.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 11:19 AM
Bush, as usual, will speak out of both sides of his mouth. He will start out being magnanimous and congratulate the Dems on their gains and speak glowingly of the democratic process... Then he'll slip into his guts and glory rhetoric of War on Terror® and perservering with his blood-soaked course in Iraq, insinuating the Dems better get behind him or be counted as America-hating terrorist sympathizers.
He'll use different words, of course, but the point will be clear: for him, nothing has changed.
By
-epm, at 11:29 AM
Honestly, he looked pretty cowed most of the time. And he really went to great pains to avoid the war on terror rhetoric.
We'll have to wait and see.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 1:44 PM
I thought he was mad and defensive for lack of better descriptions at his press conference. But when he started to answer questions...he lightened up...even though they didn't let him off the hook...he is most comfortable I think...when he is establishing his own rhetoric. Like...if he says it...it must be true...and it sounds really plausible.
By
sumo, at 4:53 PM
Well, I think he likes the Q&A because he feels like he's outsmarting people, and with his personality, that seems to be gratifying.
He always looks bored on a script.
I think he lightened up because he realized that they weren't all that much harder on him than before. Once he handled the first "Dems are terrorists/we're going to work bipartisan" question, he relaxed.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 5:43 PM
I wonder...
Now that Bush is going to face actual hard work with actual congressman and senators, will he just decide it's no fun playing president and he'll lose interest in his crusade and begin to daydream of clearing brush at the ranch, drinking iced tea, and other post-WH stuff.
I remember back in '99 when Bush was being peppered with questions regarding whether he was going to run or not, he said, "I don't know if I have the fire in my belly to run." Here's a man that 18 months before becoming president, didn't know whether or not he even wanted the job. He may talk a good game when surrounded by yes-men and invitation-only rally-goers, but I don't know... I'm still trying to figure out if the man is truly interested in the job, or if he's just playing the part Cheney and the rest of the cabal have convinced him to play.
His history is not one of stick-to-it-iveness. In fact, in the years prior to 2000, when the going got really tough, he was the one to cut and run.
By
-epm, at 8:01 PM
No, I think he'll stick around to try and craft his "legacy." As much as this White House has talked about this, it is a real focus.
And, as bad as it's been so far, If he left office as he appears today, he would become a generational drag that would have political carryover. (Similar to the way Jimmy Carter's presidency is referenced in the mainstream.)
He will try to do things that make him look historically good because nopw that the political future no longer is guaranteed to his party, he will not want to leave his legacy to whoever will be in power.
I don't know how this will take shape, but that'd be my guess.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 8:22 PM
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