It's about frickin' time

Big Bad John finally takes the gloves off and goes with Rule #1 of political campaigning: Attack your opponent's strengths:

George Bush’s record speaks for itself. 1.6 million lost jobs. The first president in 72 years to actually lose jobs on his watch. 8 million Americans are now looking for work. 45 million have no health insurance – 5 million more than the day he took office. 4.3 million Americans have slipped into poverty over the last four years – 1.3 million are children. The average family saw their income fall $1,500, while they saw the cost of health care, child care, gasoline, and tuition rise faster than ever before. 220,000 more Americans did not attend college last year for the simple reason that they could not afford it. This President turned a $5.6 trillion surplus into trillions of debt for our children. George Bush accomplished all this in only four years. Imagine what he could do in another four. I want to be clear: I’m not saying that president wanted these consequences. But I am saying that by his judgments, by his priorities, he has caused these things to happen. And he can’t see the error of his ways.

Good. Point out that Bush's much-vaunted "consistency" means he'll drive right off a cliff if he finds that the road ends, just because he's decided to take that road.

At that convention in New York the other week, President Bush talked about his ownership society. Well Mr. President, when it comes to your record, we agree – you own it.

Good again. Throw Bush's own cliches back in his face.

Of course, the President would have us believe that his record is the result of bad luck, not bad decisions. That he’s faced the wrong circumstances, not made the wrong choices. In fact, this President has created more excuses than jobs. His is the Excuse Presidency: Never wrong, Never Responsible, Never to Blame. President Bush’s desk isn’t where the buck stops – it’s where the blame begins. He’s blamed just about everyone but himself and his administration for America’s economic problems. And if he’s missed you, don’t worry – he’s still got 48 days left until the election.

Great. Except I'd take it a step further and point out all of Bush's speeches where he talks about accountability and taking responsibility for your actions.

Our opponents see an America where more of the tax burden is paid by those who work the hardest and not those who have the most – where a fireman who works overtime to save lives pays higher tax rates than a billionaire who just inherited a fortune. We believe in an America that rewards work with lower taxes and higher incomes.

Doesn't go far enough. Bush is trying to convert the entire income tax system into a tax on wages only, which means that the poor and working people will pay ALL of the taxes, and the rich will pay NONE, even though they benefit from government.



All in all, it's a really good speech. Loaded with content, loaded with real plans for real issues -- but of course the whore media won't cover it that way; they'll just say he's "attacking the president."



But the point is well-taken. Here is a guy (Bush) who has never had to take responsibility for anything in his life. And here he is, responsible for thousands, arguably tens of thousands of deaths, the destruction of the livelihood of many people, and the complete annihiliation of our standing in the world. But it's all Clinton's fault. Or the liberal media's fault. Or George Tenet's fault. Anyone's fault but his.



THAT should be hammered away until all the morons who think you elect a president based on who you'd want to drink beer with get it. I mean, Barney Gumble may be a funny character on THE SIMPSONS, but I don't want him as president.