Giuliani's new tune?
Rudy Giuliani has notably refrained from the Bush-bashing that is becoming commonplace among some of his fellow Republican presidential contenders, but that may be changing, based on a campaign appearance he made today.
The Associated Press leads its story on Giuliani's stop at a Flag Day rally in Wilmington, Del., by saying the former New York mayor took "an indirect swipe at President Bush" in commenting on negative attitudes about the nation's direction.
"What we’re lacking is strong, aggressive, bold leadership like we had with Ronald Reagan," Giuliani said.
This is the same Giuliani who not too long ago, at the first GOP debate, made a point of praising Bush for putting the U.S. "on the offense against terrorists." He added: "I think history will remember him for that, and I think we as Republicans should remind people of that."
Two polls released this week underscored the pervasive public pessimism that spurred Giuiliani's remarks. A Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg survey reported that 71% view the country as on the wrong track, with just 21% saying it's headed in the right direction. A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll out today came up with virtually the same numbers --- wrong track: 69%; right direction: 19%.
Based on the various poll numbers, the Journal's story focuses on what it describes as the Republican Party's "weak state heading into the 2008 election."
-- Don Frederick
Andrew Malcolm's immigrant parents repeatedly stressed the importance of active participation in a democracy. Early lessons included learning the alphabetical list of states by watching televised roll calls of national political conventions. That childhood exposure led to a lifelong fascination with politics, including 40-plus years of covering them and a brief stint practicing them as press secretary to Laura Bush in 1999-2000. A veteran foreign and national correspondent, Malcolm served on the Times Editorial Board and was a Pulitzer finalist in 2004. He is the author of 10 nonfiction books and father of four.
Johanna Neuman is a veteran Washington correspondent for both The Los Angeles Times and USA Today, having covered presidents and politics as far back as Ronald Reagan. A former president of the White House Correspondents Assn., she authored a book on media and foreign policy, “Lights, Camera, Wars.” Most recently she was co-author of the 
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Bush is a failed president. He is an arrogant moron that needs to be impeached and tried for treason. To tell Americans that he'll see us at the "bill signing" speaks volumns about his attitude.
Its time for Barbara and George to call him back to Texas for his own good, the good of the U.S. and the good of the world. They have put a really low class, good for nothing individual into our world.
Tim Legare
Amelia Island, Florida.
Posted by: Tim Legare | June 17, 2007 at 07:04 AM
I am a strong critic of the President and the Republicans, but I am more likely than two years ago to say the country is beginning to head in the right direction. I think that much of the Bush Republican machine has been defanged, although they're still dangerous. I am optimistic that the Dems can turn things around, with the help of the growing legion of anti-Bush Repubclians.
Bush Republicans THRIVE on cynicism, negative views of America's future, and the belittling of establishment authority figures. For this reason, it's important for grown-ups, Democrat and Republican, to admit that there are great things about the American people, and that we shouldn't give up hope of a future that's more energy efficient, has a lower deficit, and which works for positive change in the world, not just military destruction.
Posted by: rob | June 17, 2007 at 01:58 PM