The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : When Bush Bashing Gets Old

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The other day I speculated on how effective Bush bashing could prove for Democrats in 2010, and basically concluded that it depends on how successful Obama is perceived. However, I also think there is a danger of Bush-bashing sounding old, and via Jim Geraghty, I see that Jon Corzine gave us a perfect example last night as he kicked off his post-primary reelection campaign in New Jersey:

Incumbent Democratic Governor Jon Corzine is kicking off his campaign tonight, and he's decided that he will ignore whoever wins the Republican primary tonight and pretend that he's running against former President Bush.

"My opponents won't tell you who they're going to cut — they'll have to check with George W. Bush on that! ...I won't entrust our state's future to the same people who gave us George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, John Ashcroft, skyrocketing unemployment, a housing crisis and the war in Iraq! New Jersey cannot afford to get Bushwhacked again!"

Jon Corzine's current approval rating is 36 percent, which is lower than former President Bush's approval rating of 41 percent.

Resorting to the same, worn out anti-Bush rhetoric in a desperate attempt to distract attention from his own failed term as governor does not strike me as a winning strategy, even in a heavily Democratic state.

View all comments (7) | Leave a comment

Stan redmond| 6.3.09 @ 12:35PM

Bush bashing will never get old to the liberals. It DID work in 2006 and even more so in 2008. Why give up a good thing. Eventually though, people will expect results from the democrats and when they do the dems will lose big time. There are only so many times "it's Bush's fault" will work when you're late on your rent and have no job.

Pete| 6.3.09 @ 1:02PM

When the media is in your pocket, you don't need substance, just a good marketing ploy that resonates with the uninformed. The polls must be telling them that this message still resonates (and why wouldn't it, the Messiah himself is still using it as an excuse), so I am sure that is the chosen strategy going forward. Recently, they have tried a few other tag lines having to do with Rush or Cheney, but those must not poll as well as the old fallback.

Daisy| 6.3.09 @ 1:08PM

Skyrocketing unemployment is Bush's fault? How many jobs have we hemorrhaged since Obama's Inauguration--about 500,000 to 800,000 jobs a month?

Corzine looks ridiculous.

Bush's approvals are 41%? That's an improvement: I guess absence makes the heart grow fonder.

JP| 6.3.09 @ 1:57PM

Stan,
Unlike 2006, and 2008 Bush isn't running the party. The Dems can still attempt to use Bush43 as a wedge, but they do so at thier own risk. Obama and the Dems have been pretty up front in their radicalism concerning the economy and how to fix it.

Corzine is desperate, and his handlers figure that using Bush43 as a weapon is better than nothing.

ACynic| 6.3.09 @ 3:31PM

Bush bashing will always work as long as the media is merely the propaganda arm of the left wing of the demokratic party.
The media is still singing the praises of FDR, despite prolonging the depression, despite his attempts to circumvent the US Constitution, despite his cozying up to Uncle Joe Stalin and despite his contempt for the average citizen and love of power, force, coercion and , yes, socialism.
As a result, most Americans think that the bolshevik, power hungry FDR was a good president.
The media can promote the "truthfulness" of a lie forever.

megapotamus| 6.3.09 @ 4:46PM

Bush bashing may be a possibility and Cheney is at least a public figure as yet but... John Ashcroft??? When was he AG? Four years ago? More? None of these geniuses Corzine expects to sway with this stuff remembers last week with any clarity. I feel strangely optimistic about my old home state. Corzine is a tumour, even by NJ standards.

Mary| 6.3.09 @ 7:34PM

Dick Morris (I know, he's not the best diviner we've got) said that Obama's numbers are tied to public agreement on current problems being Bush's fault. And those numbers do mirror his approval rating.

Morris also said that when that can't be really be denied anymore his implosion will come.

At first I thought his overexposure would be a problem for him. But I was wrong. Just the opposite. That could change if Morris' take on things is accurate. I do think Obama's statement yesterday that didn't ask for sacrifice but dictated it will come back to haunt him. His tone of voice was imperious. If the look on his face matched his tone that should be worth many a rewind.