Batfink's Beep -- 12-5-05

Archive: The Left Overplays Its Hand Again

December 5, 2005

George Bush gave another major address today, this time on the Economy. Yet another is planned for next week, and another after that. Starting from Veteran's Day, this makes, what, 4 in 4 weeks? That's more than he's given in the last year. Probably the last 2 years. It's working, too; his approval numbers are up 5 points in that period, and Rasmussen has them at 48%, knocking on the magic 1-in-2 range, so there's no reason for him to stop now. This bodes well for the nation generally, and the Iraq war effort in particular, of course. It also warms the heart of every loyal American, who has had to watch our image both here and abroad battered by this concerted media effort to win the war for the terrorists, who can't win it on the battlefield. It's about time, and one definitely senses that it's the way it's going to be from here on out.

Frankly, this is a huge departure for Republicans generally, and GWB in particular; As a rule, the GOP does not blow its own horn, and for a President with as many manifest achievements as Bush, he has epitomized this "let the results speak for themselves" mindset.

So why did he do it? What exactly did it take?

He did it because the Left made it necessary. Put simply, the brazen disinformation and false accusations of various types of malfeasance against him had gotten so thick, that there was no other way to go. The Press wasn't going to help get out the truth; they're leading the charge for the false accusers. Even then, Bush proved over the last several months, that his inclination was to ignore it, and trust the people to see the truth that was right under their noses. But there was just too much of it, and too well-organized. It became clear that it might cost us success at war, which was of course the whole point.

Now, obviously, as a conservative, I'm pleased at the change. I'm sure that a great many Americans would agree that it's about time. But let's not lose sight of the fact that it does represent a dramatic change, and has the feel of a watershed event in that it feels like it was resisted by Bush to the bitter end, and is a lesson finally learned at enormous cost. I can't help thinking that it didn't have to happen.

The Democrats had a massive institutional advantage, in that the MSM is their baby. It has been supposed by experts that this advantage is probably worth 10-15 points in every national election. The fact that, historically, Republicans trust (in my opinion overmuch) in the people to see through all the smoke to what's really going on, and generally won't bother to argue any but the most scandalous false charges, has also no doubt served the Democrats well. They could have rode that wave indefinitely had they just shown the slightest bit of restraint. But the rise of the New Media, so called, has gone a long way to reduce the former advantage. The leftist elite media no longer has a monopoly on American eyes and ears. Perhaps it was in part reaction to this reduction of advantage that caused the anti-American party to so badly overplay its hand in its anti-Bush propaganda, and in goading its opposition to finally adapt a strategy of full-throated advocacy and defense of its policies, throw away a structural advantage that might just have won their way back to power someday.

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