American Politics Journal -- Tamara's Fourth of July Picnic Smorgasbord!



Home • Latest • Archive • Search

Guest Editorial
George's Hissy Fit -- What It Really Means
by Eileen Smith

Saturday, Sept. 9, 2000 (AmpolNS) -- George W. Bush's recent balk-and-switch tactics employed to avoid potentially killer presidential debates with Al Gore reveal deeper problems than the GOP has admitted -- problems that could bring a hellish four years for the country if Bush becomes president.

In news accounts of the debate debacle and Bush's wild flailings of the past two weeks, we learn three new things: Bush is out of control, he's fighting with his own party (even compiling an enemies list of Republicans) and he's laying groundwork for a feud with the press that will ensure an administration under bitter attack.

When Bush was sold to GOP leadership as the winnable candidate, party heads ignored his Nixonian personality traits; his distrustful spirit-cum-paranoia, his arrogant, cold mien when under criticism, and his penchant for revenge.

Now, as poll numbers tank, those personality traits -- which Bush employs for self-preservation -- have resulted in the Austin campaign stiff-arming those in the party who seek to prevent the perfect storm awaiting them at the ballot box.

As news stories pour in of GOP leaders in panic, Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer, says "We're all working together to win in November."

The evidence suggests otherwise. The evidence suggests chaos.

Austin refused to let the GOP match Gore's advertising during the summer months. The RNC wanted to attack Gore immediately after the Democratic Convention, but Austin nixed it, and Gore's bounce is now legend. The RNC offered up ads that Bush vetoed, while Bush was thrown off message. Austin even instructed party officials to stop staging events and putting out news releases intended to throw Gore off stride (reported in the New York Times today).

The man is flushing the hopes and dreams of those who only seek to protect their investments, their reputations, and their party. And now he's taking their names for revenge.

New York Times reporter Richard Berke wrote Thursday:

It is not unusual for such tensions to arise at a time when a candidate is watching his poll numbers sag, as Mr. Bush is. But many officials on both sides said the strains are deeper than usual, prompting one party official to say that Bush aides would likely investigate sources for this article. "There will be witch hunts," he said. "There will be victims.

Brrrrrrr.

Do the words "bunker mentality" ring a familiar bell?

It is paranoia that sets Bush against his own party, just as it is paranoia that sets him against the media in a way that guarantees four years of angst and embattlement for his administration and all Republicans. Until last week, Bush has held the media in line with pet nicknames and chatter and threats of denial of White House access to those who dare to criticize. But Bush's recent vulgar epithet against New York Times writer Adam Clymer is a bump in a freezing media sea -- in this instance, Bush is the Titanic.

We all know what's ahead for us should this Nixonian personality become POTUS. Sturm und Drang. Thunder and Blitzen. Hell.

There is nothing the American people deserve and desire more at this moment than to have a president who is not going nuclear on his party and the press while only pretending to be a uniter, not a divider. Lordy, Lordy. Is there no peace for the people?