Ah, that unmistakable style. I'd gone two whole days without it. Thanks for thinking of me. I read that Bush was in a snit over "Well, [McCain] didn't change my views...." Sounded priggish and spoiled--as in "how dare I have to contest someone for the coronation?" Didn't change your views? Oh really? Gee, George, after New Hampshire you sure changed your views but quick. All of a sudden you were the "real reformer"....
As far as the direction in which apologies travel, look who's looking for forgiveness:
Joe Klein, in The New Yorker, March 20, 2000, p. 50, on an exchange between Bush and McCain moments before their SC debate:
<< Bush had just unleashed his astonishing post-New Hampshire assault;
surrogates were already accusing McCain of abandoning his fellow Vietnam
veterans, of favoring the "union bosses" and waffling on abortion, and of other assorted acts of personal depravity, "George," McCain greeted his opponent softly, reproachfully, shaking his head.
"John," Bush responded, with apparent sorrow, "it's politics."
"George," McCain said quietly, jaw taut, "everything isn't politics."...
And [for Bush and Gore] anything you can get away with is permissible....(Bush later admitted that his ads accusing McCain of cutting funds for breast-cancer research were misleading.)...it is likely that the next six months will be as depressing as the last six were exhilarating....George Bush will be at a distinct disadvantage in such a contest. Al Gore has proved himself brilliant at this game....>>
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Also of interest:
March 17, 2000, New York Times
PUBLIC INTERESTS / By GAIL COLLINS
The Prodigal Senator
nytimes.com
<<There had been some signs during the primaries that Mr. Bush is a sore
loser -- after New Hampshire, according to the McCain camp, he tried
to concede through an aide. But lately it's been looking as if the Texas
governor is not all that charming as a winner either. He told The New
York Times that he regrets nothing, has changed his mind about nothing,
and plans to do nothing in response to all those weeks of listening to Mr.
McCain talk about reform. He did, however, genially give his former
opponent credit for having "forced me to play to my strength better."
There's nothing so dispiriting, really, as presidential candidates who
absolutely insist on sticking to stereotype. But here we have George W.,
back from his first two months of hand-to-hand combat on a national
stage, and you ask him what he's learned, and he stares at the ground
and moves some dirt with his foot and mutters, "Nuttin'."
The boy never did take to schooling.
But on the other hand, gosh, did Al Gore ever learn stuff. He took notes!
Which he has already, of course, transcribed on his Thinkpad 600 and
filed in color-coordinated folders. (All references to Bush tax proposals
can be found under R for "risky.") Mr. Gore hardly ever gives a speech
now without reverently quoting John McCain. Some people are
wondering whether the vacationing senator has heard he's become the
vice president's new role model. "That'd be hard to miss even in
Bora-Bora," said a McCain aide. >>
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And you won't want to miss this:
March 17, 2000 (TIME.com)
Lance Morrow: Measuring a president's brainpower
cnn.com
<<A lot of dinner table talk these days -- among Americans of either party -- centers on whether George W. Bush is a little too dumb for the job. Then comes the afterthought: Gore isn't any prize either. These intuitions will sift and alter in the months ahead. Bush's hope lies in persuading people that he might have (as Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes said after meeting Franklin Roosevelt) "a second-class intellect, but a first-class temperament." >>
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Dubya, a "first-class temperament"?? Even in the same breath with FDR?(!) So now where are we? I hear the trend lines don't look so good for Junior. If he goes head to head with Al Gore, Gore will rip him up. Junior's not up to it. The only one more programmed than Bush is Al Gore. You seem to think the people on this board are representative of the electorate. I have news for you. This is not the Republican primary anymore. It's going to be a depressing spectacle. Maybe he can eek it out, since Gore is so distasteful. But I would't want to have my money on this colt.
McCain doesn't matter? Not what I hear. I hear the Republican poobahs are thinking that come November, although neither man wants it, a shotgun marriage with McCain as VP may be necessary to rescue Junior, the $60 million dollar man. With Clinton/Gore so distasteful, this ought to have been an easy slam-dunk for the Republicans. This is a fine mess you've gotten us into now, Stanley... |
