Junto Boys

I saw Joe Biden on THIS WEEK and I was again impressed. Not that I think he would be the kind of President that would satisfy me, but he’s not the typical modern politician. He doesn’t center his criticism directly at Bush. He instead suggests ways in which Bush could better communicate or decide policy. It makes him seem more like a political analyst trying to help Bush rather than a Democrat that wants to defeat him.

I find this very effective, because Americans like Bush and trust him. Howard Dean, John Kerry and Bob Graham spend their time trying to knock him down, but it makes them look ambitious not Presidential. Biden’s approach seems reasoned and sober. He seems like a leader that wants to solve problems. Biden has his quirks and is considered a flake by some, and he isn’t even officially in the race, but the other candidates could learn from his behavior.

Biden’s approach could defeat a weak Bush, because it centers on the task at hand. It makes one think that Biden is on the same page as Bush, but that some things could have been done better.

Clinton couldn’t have defeated Bush 41 had he not supported everything Bush did in the first Gulf War. What are the Democrats doing? They are trying to make an issue of the weapons of mass destruction. That is an issue that won’t even be on the radar come election time, but it will give the American people an idea about how they stand on the war. People will get the idea that Democrats were willing to stop at Afghanistan.

Regardless of why or how we fought that war, Americans will support Bush because he did something about 911. No accusations or finger pointing are going to change that. It might be popular in Democratic fundraisers, but you can’t win elections on it.

Bush is about 75% safe in getting re-elected. That number goes up if the Democrats nominate someone who tries to use the war as an issue. The Democrat who can beat Bush is going to have to be a war supporter.

Bush 41 handed Clinton a gem by raising taxes in 1990, breaking his promise. And Clinton was smart not to attack Bush’s strength on the war. If Bush had kept his promise and if Clinton had attacked Bush on the war, Clinton would now be pictured with Dukakis and Mondale.