Bush in Baghdad: Media is Ga-Ga, Country Yawns

by DemFromCT

Turkee, anyone? Bush zips in and zips out, showing his complete command of Air Force One (and nowhere else in Iraq). the media replays the Thanksgiving vist, and talks in terms of 'bold' and 'Iraq offensive'. Meanwhile, Americans have seen it before and the violence goes on. First Read, touting tonights new WSJ/NBC poll:

Playing offense on national security and casting the war on terror (into which they fold the war in Iraq) in stark terms worked for the GOP in the 2002 and 2004 elections.  High-profile Democrats like the party's Hill leaders and Sens. John Kerry and Russ Feingold are providing fodder for their efforts this week by appearing before a liberal confab calling for a timetable for the US troops to come home.  In the GOP leadership's worldview, that is now "the" measure of weakness on national security.

The question is whether public opinion on Iraq has shifted enough since 2004 that the debate has become too gray for such black-and-white terms.  On cue, a new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll conducted over the weekend will be released tonight on NBC Nightly News at 6:30 pm ET.

They're so manly and hunky, how can Dems stand against them? What bullshit. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. This is "all hat and no cattle poltics", and everyone knows it, including the media. Even NBC juxtaposed turkee and mission accomplished woth yesterday's trip. This is a losing Iraq policy, with violence escalating as I write. It'll take more than a media event to change the view of the American people. Iraq was the biggest foreign policy mistake in a generation, and providing media footage to the Nightly News about a bullshit excursion to heavily fortified territory won't change that.

After too many photo-ops, Americans hunger more than ever for a realistic game plan for Iraq and some real progress.

Preach it, brother.

Comments

[Mimikatz]

William Arkin has an interesting take on what it says about Iraq's ability to "stand up" that this did not in any way resemble a "state visit" because it was totally planned, controlled and executed by the Americans and the Iraqis (who thought they were having a teleconference call with Bush) were told at the very last minute. He also wonders (tongue in cheek) whether this is intended to irritate the Iraqis into asking us to leave.

His comment that we are now in Iraq not to bring "freedom" but only to figure out how to leave is dead on. This is why the Dems need to call firmly for troop withdrawals and NO BASES to preempt the inevitable withdrawal announcement.

[Kagro X]

How 'bout that very manly new offensive in Afghanistan?

Did they really decide to call it "Operation Mountain Thrust?"

Say that slowly. Then wash your mouth out with soap.

[Redshift]

Juan Cole has a good take on it as well. The thing I found most galling was the spin about how Bush was able to fly in a helicopter over the city, because things are going so well (I don't have a link for that, but I know I read it in a news story), when in fact he had to fly in from the airport by helicopter because it's not safe to convoy in on the road.

[Steve M.]

Hey RNC, wake me when Bush isn't afraid to announce a trip like this a week in advance.

[emptywheel]

Kagro

It's their new sex appeal. Apparently Wankette is moonlighting as a consultant.

[ArthurKC]

Apparently his mother did not teach George that it is impolite to show up at a friend's house without calling first.

Bush would not just drop in unannounced on the prime minister of Germany. This just goes to show what a sham it is to claim that we are helping a people stand up as a free and independent nation. Instead it proves the General correct: it is a glorious campaign to subjugate brown people so we can get our oil from under their sand. Did you hear Ted Kopple, NPR's new senior political commentator this morning say that our being in Iraq is all about oil?

[Sally]

The photos I've seen of Bush and his entourage with smiles all around make it look as if their great Iraqi adventure was merely a fun-filled class outing. We have come to expect--and worse, to accept--these shameful antics but a country weary and war-torn because of Bush and his war-mongers should be exempt from these outrageous political showboatings. Sadly for our democracy, too many voters will no doubt see this stunt as something admirable. It has not "taken more than a media event to change the view of the American people." Perhaps we deserve the worst government money could buy.

[DemFromCT]

Sally, seen the polls? This is an unpopular war by a failed president. i don't know what you're referring to.

Strong Democratic sentiment pushes President George W. Bush to the top of the list when American voters pick the worst U.S. President in the last 61 years. Bush is named by 34 percent of voters, followed by Richard Nixon at 17 percent and Bill Clinton at 16 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today. Leading the list for best President since 1945 is Ronald Reagan with 28 percent, and Clinton with 25 percent.

President Bush is ranked worst by 56 percent of Democrats, 35 percent of independent voters and 7 percent of Republicans, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. Best ranking for Reagan comes from 56 percent of Republicans, 7 percent of Democrats and 25 percent of independent voters. Among American voters 18 - 29 years old, Clinton leads the "best" list with 40 percent.

Among young voters, 42 percent list Bush as worst. Clinton tops the "worst" list among white Protestants - 24 percent, and white evangelical Christians - 29 percent.

[Sally]

The polls should make me an optimist about the defeat of the Republicans in 2006 and 2008 but they don't. There is no consequence for what people tell pollsters but there is a consequence when they vote which I'm afraid will translate into voters holding their nose and voting for their Party in spite of all the reasons they shouldn't. Believe me, I hope I am unduly pessimistic and completely wrong.

[DemFromCT]

Ah, you are separating 'how people vote' from 'how people think'. You are right to do so, as that is a different issue.

[Sally]

DemFromCt, I respectfully submit the difference between voting and thinking (polling) is one and the same issue--how elections are won and lost.

[DemFromCT]

LOL.

Yes.

[americanforliberty]

I saw W's trip diaried on another blog and thought it was a diary by "Dood Abides". You know the person who is always photoshopping..W and Cheney. Because, W is now O so brave to goto Baghdad, but too much of a wimp to watch Baghdad ER on Tv. I'm just wondering if there was another "BA pilot" who radio..is that Air Force One?..because W he needs all the drama he can get.

[DemFromCT]

NBC/WSJ: Bush still unpooppular, the war still a mistake.

The magic number is 40. below that Bush, is a drag on 2006. In the poll he is at 37%.

This is all PR bullshit to convince the R base to come home. But they ain't buying. From WSJ:

Americans are slightly more optimistic about Iraq since Zarqawi's death, but that hasn't yet provided much benefit for Bush or his party, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows. (See the results) 6:52 p.m.

The telephone survey of 1,002 adults, conducted June 9-12 after Mr. Zarqawi's demise, showed 38% feeling more confident that the war will reach a successful conclusion, up from 33% in April. Some 53% say Mr. Zarqawi's death will improve the situation in Iraq at least a little. The poll has a margin for error of 3.1 percentage points.

But that hasn't translated into a substantial political bounce for Mr. Bush or his party five months before the 2006 mid-term elections. The president's overall approval rating has ticked up one percentage point to 37% since April, but so has the proportion disapproving his performance, which now stands at 58%

[Davis X. Machina]

Re press ga-ga over Bush in Baghdad....

Everyone likes a field trip.

[DemFromCT]

Everyone likes a field trip.

The marines I know can think of places they'd rather be.