Bush: It's Worse Than the Numbers

One of the interesting features of my visit back to my hometown was the revulsion for President Bush among my basically conservative relatives. My Aunt Donna, age 74 and high school educated, was especially emphatic. When I said mentioned writing something against the Bush administration every day, she replied that she said something critical against the Bush administration every day. And she put a lot of determination into that reply. My father, who probably hasn't voted in forty years, casually mentioned talking about Bush with one of his neighbors. Given that my dad and his girlfriend are strongly opposed to the war, I'm sure he wasn't saying nice things about our president either.

Bush is at 31.1% in the latest RCP average. But if non-political people like my older relatives are criticizing Bush on an everyday basis, that means that people not only disapprove of Bush but are feeling strong about it. For Democrats, that means that the obvious strategy for candidates is to tie their Republican opponents to the failing president.

Obviously, Republican candidates are going to have a much harder road in any but the safest districts and states. Maybe Susan Collins and Gordon Smith should start thinking about ritual suicide techniques.