Another Wall Street Journal poll. What a bunch of left-wing nuts.
WSJ poll: 69% hold Cheney responsible for Plame leak;
60% want public hearings
RAW STORY
According to Friday's Wall Street Journal: "Six in 10, including 43% of Republicans, say there should be a public investigation and hearings into exposure of operative Valerie Plame's identity." The statistic is published in the paper's Washington Wire.
"Fully 69% of Americans hold Cheney personally responsible for the matter; 54% hold Bush responsible.
"Republican congressional leaders don't plan to go along. Among conservatives, 60% say other administration officials aside from Libby may have acted illegally.
"Better news for the president: 55% say administration has "taken the right course" on treatment of terror-war prisoners abroad, compared with 30% who say tactics have "gone too far."
[So 55% of all Americans support torture. Oh, well.]
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And why isn't the mainstream media reporting on this discontent??? The only one who seems to be on top of this is Jack Cafferty.
As wonderful as it is to see Bush get his comeuppance, it's starting to get to that point where it's no longer funny. This is really not good for the country.
I wish criddic didn't disappear either, not at a time when Bush's empire is crumbling. But he's sometimes taken a few weeks off from the board on a regular basis. And he always comes back. You gotta give him credit for that.
New Developments II
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Sonic Youth
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Poll: Most Americans Doubt Bush's Honesty
Nov 11, 7:24 AM (ET)
By WILL LESTER
WASHINGTON (AP) - Most Americans say they aren't impressed by the ethics and honesty of the Bush administration, already under scrutiny for its justifications for an unpopular war in Iraq and its role in the leak of a covert CIA officer's identity.
Almost six in 10 - 57 percent - said they do not think the Bush administration has high ethical standards and the same portion says President Bush is not honest, an AP-Ipsos poll found. Just over four in 10 say the administration has high ethical standards and that Bush is honest. Whites, Southerners and evangelicals were most likely to believe Bush is honest.
Bush, who promised in the 2000 campaign to uphold "honor and integrity" in the White House, last week ordered White House workers, from presidential advisers to low-ranking aides, to attend ethics classes.
The president gets credit from a majority for being strong and decisive, but he's also seen by an overwhelming number of people as "stubborn," a perception reinforced by his refusal to yield on issues like the Iraq war, tax cuts and support for staffers under intense pressure.
More than eight in 10, 82 percent, described Bush as "stubborn," with almost that many Republicans agreeing to that description. That stubborn streak has served Bush well at times, but now he is being encouraged to shake up his staff and change the direction of White House policies.
Concern about the administration's ethics has been fueled by the controversy over flawed intelligence leading up to the Iraq war and the recent indictment of Vice President Dick Cheney's top aide, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice for his role in the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's name.
That loss of trust complicates Bush's efforts to rebuild his standing with the public. His job approval rating remains at his all-time low in the AP-Ipsos poll of 37 percent.
"Honesty is a huge issue because even people who disagreed with his policies respected his integrity," said Bruce Buchanan, a political scientist from the University of Texas.
The mandatory White House lectures on ethics for its employees came after the Libby indictment, and some people say they aren't impressed.
"It's like shutting the barn door after the horse escaped," said John Morrison, a Democrat who lives near Scranton, Pa.
"This week's elections were just a preview of what's going to happen," he said, referring to Tuesday's New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races, both won by Democrats. "People are just fed up."
Some Republicans are nervous about the GOP's political position.
"A lot of elected Republicans are running for the hills in the Northeast," said Connecticut GOP strategist Chris DePino after what he called "a waterfall of missteps" by Republicans. Bush and the GOP must return to their message that the United States has been safe from terrorism during his administration, DePino said.
Only 42 percent in the new poll said they approve of Bush's handling of foreign policy and terrorism, his lowest rating yet in an area that has long been his strongest issue.
The war in Iraq is at the core of the public's unrest, polling found.
In an AP-Ipsos poll in early October, almost six in 10 disapproved of the way Bush was doing his job, and Iraq was a dominant factor.
When those who disapproved of Bush were asked in an open-ended question the top reason, they most frequently mentioned the war far ahead of the second issue, the economy.
"To use an unfortunate metaphor, Iraq is a roadside bomb in American politics," said Rich Bond, a former national Republican chairman.
Many of those who approve of Bush's job performance cited his Christian beliefs and strong values, the second biggest reason for support after backing his policies.
"I know he is a man of integrity and strong faith," said Fran Blaney, a Republican and an evangelical who lives near Hartford, Conn. "I've read that he prays every morning asking for God's guidance. He certainly is trying to do what he thinks he is supposed to do."
The poll of 1,000 adults was conducted Nov. 7-9 by Ipsos, an international polling firm, and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Nov 11, 7:24 AM (ET)
By WILL LESTER
WASHINGTON (AP) - Most Americans say they aren't impressed by the ethics and honesty of the Bush administration, already under scrutiny for its justifications for an unpopular war in Iraq and its role in the leak of a covert CIA officer's identity.
Almost six in 10 - 57 percent - said they do not think the Bush administration has high ethical standards and the same portion says President Bush is not honest, an AP-Ipsos poll found. Just over four in 10 say the administration has high ethical standards and that Bush is honest. Whites, Southerners and evangelicals were most likely to believe Bush is honest.
Bush, who promised in the 2000 campaign to uphold "honor and integrity" in the White House, last week ordered White House workers, from presidential advisers to low-ranking aides, to attend ethics classes.
The president gets credit from a majority for being strong and decisive, but he's also seen by an overwhelming number of people as "stubborn," a perception reinforced by his refusal to yield on issues like the Iraq war, tax cuts and support for staffers under intense pressure.
More than eight in 10, 82 percent, described Bush as "stubborn," with almost that many Republicans agreeing to that description. That stubborn streak has served Bush well at times, but now he is being encouraged to shake up his staff and change the direction of White House policies.
Concern about the administration's ethics has been fueled by the controversy over flawed intelligence leading up to the Iraq war and the recent indictment of Vice President Dick Cheney's top aide, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice for his role in the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's name.
That loss of trust complicates Bush's efforts to rebuild his standing with the public. His job approval rating remains at his all-time low in the AP-Ipsos poll of 37 percent.
"Honesty is a huge issue because even people who disagreed with his policies respected his integrity," said Bruce Buchanan, a political scientist from the University of Texas.
The mandatory White House lectures on ethics for its employees came after the Libby indictment, and some people say they aren't impressed.
"It's like shutting the barn door after the horse escaped," said John Morrison, a Democrat who lives near Scranton, Pa.
"This week's elections were just a preview of what's going to happen," he said, referring to Tuesday's New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races, both won by Democrats. "People are just fed up."
Some Republicans are nervous about the GOP's political position.
"A lot of elected Republicans are running for the hills in the Northeast," said Connecticut GOP strategist Chris DePino after what he called "a waterfall of missteps" by Republicans. Bush and the GOP must return to their message that the United States has been safe from terrorism during his administration, DePino said.
Only 42 percent in the new poll said they approve of Bush's handling of foreign policy and terrorism, his lowest rating yet in an area that has long been his strongest issue.
The war in Iraq is at the core of the public's unrest, polling found.
In an AP-Ipsos poll in early October, almost six in 10 disapproved of the way Bush was doing his job, and Iraq was a dominant factor.
When those who disapproved of Bush were asked in an open-ended question the top reason, they most frequently mentioned the war far ahead of the second issue, the economy.
"To use an unfortunate metaphor, Iraq is a roadside bomb in American politics," said Rich Bond, a former national Republican chairman.
Many of those who approve of Bush's job performance cited his Christian beliefs and strong values, the second biggest reason for support after backing his policies.
"I know he is a man of integrity and strong faith," said Fran Blaney, a Republican and an evangelical who lives near Hartford, Conn. "I've read that he prays every morning asking for God's guidance. He certainly is trying to do what he thinks he is supposed to do."
The poll of 1,000 adults was conducted Nov. 7-9 by Ipsos, an international polling firm, and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
"What the hell?"
Win Butler
Win Butler
Even Fox News is getting in on the act. You know the routine by now: Another new poll, another new low.
's up, criddic?
FOX Poll: President Bush's Ratings Continue to Suffer
Thursday, November 10, 2005
By Dana Blanton
NEW YORK — As investigations and accusations surround the White House, the latest FOX News poll finds President George W. Bush's approval rating at a record low for the second time in as many months.
Today, 36 percent of Americans approve and 53 percent disapprove of the job Bush is doing as president. For comparison, two weeks ago 41 percent said they approved and 51 percent disapproved, and at the beginning of his second term 50 percent approved and 40 percent disapproved (January 25-26).
Until this week, Bush's approval rating had been at 40 percent or above — buoyed in large part by consistent strong support among Republicans; however, in mid-October approval among Republicans fell below 80 percent for the first time of his presidency and now sits at 72 percent.
In addition, Bush's approval rating is down by double digits among other demographic groups. Since the beginning of his second term, his approval is down 26 percentage points among independents, 16 points among women, 15 points among whites and 11 points among men.
Opinion Dynamics Corporation conducted the national telephone poll of 900 registered voters for FOX News on November 8-9.
"The key to understanding Bush's rating is not the fact that 84 percent of Democrats disapprove or that 72 percent of Republicans still approve — they’ve been polarized for a long time," comments Opinion Dynamics Chairman John Gorman. "The real problem for the president is that self-described independents now disapprove by a 58 percent to 26 percent margin. The 'rally-the-base' strategies that have worked so well for the administration are not likely to win back the independents the Republicans need to return to parity. The question is whether they can develop an approach that wins back independents."
Sentiment toward the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue is also negative. Nearly half of Americans (47 percent) disapprove of the job Democrats in Congress are doing and half (50 percent) disapprove of Republicans' job performance.
It's a close call, but by 34 percent to 30 percent voters say they are more fed up with Republicans than Democrats on Capitol Hill, with a quarter (25 percent) voluntarily offering they are fed up with both parties.
Similarly, slightly more think Democrats (35 percent) rather than Republicans (30 percent) have the most ideas for solving the country’s problems, though one in five (22 percent) thinks neither is offering solutions.
Investigations
Last week Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-N.V., used an obscure parliamentary rule that closed the Senate doors for a secret session to talk about an investigation of pre-Iraq war intelligence. A 42 percent plurality thinks the move was a "political stunt," while 30 percent think it was a "serious inquiry."
Democrats (42 percent) are more than two and a half times as likely as Republicans (16 percent) to think the matter was serious, but on the flip side almost a third of Democrats consider it a stunt (31 percent) as do a majority of Republicans (57 percent).
On the CIA leak investigation, opinion is split on what will happen to former White House staffer Lewis "Scooter" Libby. An almost equal number thinks Libby’s indictment will end with him being found guilty (22 percent) as found innocent (21 percent), but the largest group thinks it won’t come to that and a plea agreement will be reached (32 percent).
Iraq and the War on Terrorism
Almost four in 10 Americans think the United States is winning the war in Iraq: [Notice the slanted way this paragraph is written] 38 percent think the U.S. is winning, 27 percent think the Iraqi insurgents are winning and 23 percent think neither side is.
Over half of Americans (55 percent) want U.S. troops to stay in Iraq and finish the job, while over one third (36 percent) think troops should come home now. There are huge partisan differences on this issue: fully 80 percent of Republicans want the troops to stay and finish the job, but that drops to 54 percent among independents and drops even further to 35 percent among Democrats.
Are we getting both sides of the story? A slim 52 percent majority thinks news coverage of Iraq focuses too much on the negative, compared to 11 percent that think the focus is too much on the positive. Almost a quarter of Americans (23 percent) think recent news reports have given a balanced description of the situation there.
The poll finds opinion is divided on how to describe the current situation in Iraq. Though 45 percent think "slow but steady progress" is being made, almost as many — 41 percent — think "bogged down" is more accurate.
Views are also split on the long-term value of the Iraq war. When asked to think five years down the road, 39 percent say the war will have been worth it, but nearly half disagree (48 percent). These results show a slight increase in pessimism since last summer when 40 percent said the war would ultimately be worth it and 43 percent [ ahem, 5 percent is not "slight"]said not worth it (August 2004).
Another way to assess if Iraq has been worthwhile is whether it has prevented attacks in the United States. One quarter of Americans (24 percent) think homeland security measures have prevented new Al Qaeda attacks from happening since Sept. 11, and about one in seven (16 percent) think the military action in Iraq has prevented them. [ no mention of the 76 and 84 percent, respectively, who feel differently. Fair and balanced indeed] Another 19 percent think it is because no new attacks were planned and 26 percent think it is a combination of factors.
Finally, even though military action continues in Iraq and the war on terrorism will presumably continue for the foreseeable future, one third of Americans say it doesn’t feel like the country is at war.
's up, criddic?
FOX Poll: President Bush's Ratings Continue to Suffer
Thursday, November 10, 2005
By Dana Blanton
NEW YORK — As investigations and accusations surround the White House, the latest FOX News poll finds President George W. Bush's approval rating at a record low for the second time in as many months.
Today, 36 percent of Americans approve and 53 percent disapprove of the job Bush is doing as president. For comparison, two weeks ago 41 percent said they approved and 51 percent disapproved, and at the beginning of his second term 50 percent approved and 40 percent disapproved (January 25-26).
Until this week, Bush's approval rating had been at 40 percent or above — buoyed in large part by consistent strong support among Republicans; however, in mid-October approval among Republicans fell below 80 percent for the first time of his presidency and now sits at 72 percent.
In addition, Bush's approval rating is down by double digits among other demographic groups. Since the beginning of his second term, his approval is down 26 percentage points among independents, 16 points among women, 15 points among whites and 11 points among men.
Opinion Dynamics Corporation conducted the national telephone poll of 900 registered voters for FOX News on November 8-9.
"The key to understanding Bush's rating is not the fact that 84 percent of Democrats disapprove or that 72 percent of Republicans still approve — they’ve been polarized for a long time," comments Opinion Dynamics Chairman John Gorman. "The real problem for the president is that self-described independents now disapprove by a 58 percent to 26 percent margin. The 'rally-the-base' strategies that have worked so well for the administration are not likely to win back the independents the Republicans need to return to parity. The question is whether they can develop an approach that wins back independents."
Sentiment toward the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue is also negative. Nearly half of Americans (47 percent) disapprove of the job Democrats in Congress are doing and half (50 percent) disapprove of Republicans' job performance.
It's a close call, but by 34 percent to 30 percent voters say they are more fed up with Republicans than Democrats on Capitol Hill, with a quarter (25 percent) voluntarily offering they are fed up with both parties.
Similarly, slightly more think Democrats (35 percent) rather than Republicans (30 percent) have the most ideas for solving the country’s problems, though one in five (22 percent) thinks neither is offering solutions.
Investigations
Last week Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-N.V., used an obscure parliamentary rule that closed the Senate doors for a secret session to talk about an investigation of pre-Iraq war intelligence. A 42 percent plurality thinks the move was a "political stunt," while 30 percent think it was a "serious inquiry."
Democrats (42 percent) are more than two and a half times as likely as Republicans (16 percent) to think the matter was serious, but on the flip side almost a third of Democrats consider it a stunt (31 percent) as do a majority of Republicans (57 percent).
On the CIA leak investigation, opinion is split on what will happen to former White House staffer Lewis "Scooter" Libby. An almost equal number thinks Libby’s indictment will end with him being found guilty (22 percent) as found innocent (21 percent), but the largest group thinks it won’t come to that and a plea agreement will be reached (32 percent).
Iraq and the War on Terrorism
Almost four in 10 Americans think the United States is winning the war in Iraq: [Notice the slanted way this paragraph is written] 38 percent think the U.S. is winning, 27 percent think the Iraqi insurgents are winning and 23 percent think neither side is.
Over half of Americans (55 percent) want U.S. troops to stay in Iraq and finish the job, while over one third (36 percent) think troops should come home now. There are huge partisan differences on this issue: fully 80 percent of Republicans want the troops to stay and finish the job, but that drops to 54 percent among independents and drops even further to 35 percent among Democrats.
Are we getting both sides of the story? A slim 52 percent majority thinks news coverage of Iraq focuses too much on the negative, compared to 11 percent that think the focus is too much on the positive. Almost a quarter of Americans (23 percent) think recent news reports have given a balanced description of the situation there.
The poll finds opinion is divided on how to describe the current situation in Iraq. Though 45 percent think "slow but steady progress" is being made, almost as many — 41 percent — think "bogged down" is more accurate.
Views are also split on the long-term value of the Iraq war. When asked to think five years down the road, 39 percent say the war will have been worth it, but nearly half disagree (48 percent). These results show a slight increase in pessimism since last summer when 40 percent said the war would ultimately be worth it and 43 percent [ ahem, 5 percent is not "slight"]said not worth it (August 2004).
Another way to assess if Iraq has been worthwhile is whether it has prevented attacks in the United States. One quarter of Americans (24 percent) think homeland security measures have prevented new Al Qaeda attacks from happening since Sept. 11, and about one in seven (16 percent) think the military action in Iraq has prevented them. [ no mention of the 76 and 84 percent, respectively, who feel differently. Fair and balanced indeed] Another 19 percent think it is because no new attacks were planned and 26 percent think it is a combination of factors.
Finally, even though military action continues in Iraq and the war on terrorism will presumably continue for the foreseeable future, one third of Americans say it doesn’t feel like the country is at war.
"Y'know, that's one of the things I like about Mitt Romney. He's been consistent since he changed his mind." -- Christine O'Donnell
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Big Magilla
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Or better yet, open their eyes to what is plainly obvious in the first place.OscarGuy wrote:America's finally seeing what the rest of us have been saying since the faulty claims came to light prompting us into the Iraq War. I believe at least 80% of the people on this board thought the intel was bogus. Perhaps more people should listen to us.
Hate to be repetitious, but another new poll, another new low:
From the Wall Street Journal:
BUSH'S APPROVAL IS SLIPPING AMID SECOND-TERM SETBACKS
By JOHN HARWOOD
WASHINGTON -- The CIA leak investigation has deepened President George W. Bush's political problems, driving his approval rating to its lowest-ever point in the new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.
Just 38% of Americans now approve Bush's job performance, while 57% disapprove, the poll shows. The telephone survey of 1,003 adults, conducted Nov. 4-7, carries a margin for error of 3.1 percentage points.
The CIA leak case, in which former vice presidential aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby was recently indicted on felony charges, has made a strong impression on the public. Fully 79% of respondents call the case "a serious matter." Americans now view Vice President Dick Cheney negatively 49%-27%, his worst-ever showing and a significant deterioration since January.
The case, by compounding doubts about the administration's pre-war claims about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, appears to have also taken a toll on public regard for Bush's credibility. Some 33% now give the president high marks for "being honest and straightforward," while 47% rate him poorly on that score. In January, he was rated positively on this score by 50%-36%
Nor do Americans consider Bush's second-term challenges -- which have ranged from Iraq to Hurricane Katrina to the failed Harriet Miers Supreme Court nomination -- to be temporary. Some 53% of Americans overall, including 23% of Republicans, say he is facing a longer-term setback "from which things are unlikely to get better."
The poll points to Iraq as an especially acute source of public discontent. Nearly six in 10 Americans say they believe President Bush "deliberately misled people" about the case for war to oust Saddam Hussein from power. A comparable number say it's time to reduce the level of U.S. troops there.
Underlying those sentiments is increasing pessimism about the course of the war. By 58%-32%, Americans say they have grown less confident about prospects for a successful conclusion, not more confident. After Iraqi elections in January, Americans had said they were more confident in a successful outcome by a 47%-43% margin
From the Wall Street Journal:
BUSH'S APPROVAL IS SLIPPING AMID SECOND-TERM SETBACKS
By JOHN HARWOOD
WASHINGTON -- The CIA leak investigation has deepened President George W. Bush's political problems, driving his approval rating to its lowest-ever point in the new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.
Just 38% of Americans now approve Bush's job performance, while 57% disapprove, the poll shows. The telephone survey of 1,003 adults, conducted Nov. 4-7, carries a margin for error of 3.1 percentage points.
The CIA leak case, in which former vice presidential aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby was recently indicted on felony charges, has made a strong impression on the public. Fully 79% of respondents call the case "a serious matter." Americans now view Vice President Dick Cheney negatively 49%-27%, his worst-ever showing and a significant deterioration since January.
The case, by compounding doubts about the administration's pre-war claims about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, appears to have also taken a toll on public regard for Bush's credibility. Some 33% now give the president high marks for "being honest and straightforward," while 47% rate him poorly on that score. In January, he was rated positively on this score by 50%-36%
Nor do Americans consider Bush's second-term challenges -- which have ranged from Iraq to Hurricane Katrina to the failed Harriet Miers Supreme Court nomination -- to be temporary. Some 53% of Americans overall, including 23% of Republicans, say he is facing a longer-term setback "from which things are unlikely to get better."
The poll points to Iraq as an especially acute source of public discontent. Nearly six in 10 Americans say they believe President Bush "deliberately misled people" about the case for war to oust Saddam Hussein from power. A comparable number say it's time to reduce the level of U.S. troops there.
Underlying those sentiments is increasing pessimism about the course of the war. By 58%-32%, Americans say they have grown less confident about prospects for a successful conclusion, not more confident. After Iraqi elections in January, Americans had said they were more confident in a successful outcome by a 47%-43% margin
"Y'know, that's one of the things I like about Mitt Romney. He's been consistent since he changed his mind." -- Christine O'Donnell
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Big Magilla
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Well, I was being facetious. Imagine how many starving kids could've been fed, how many schools could've gotten new textbooks, how many seniors could've gotten prescription drug discounts, etc., for the money. The sad thing is if the money wasn't spent on this assinine special election it wouldn't have been spent. I say change the tax laws to tax political contributions 100% instead of making them exempt and maybe we'll get somewhere.Sonic Youth wrote:$7 million? Zowee! In other words, the taxpayers only picked up $73 million of the bill. Be still my beating heart! It's as if 73,000 Californians each gave up $1000 of their taxes in order for it to be ultimately flushed down the toilet. Money well spent, although I guess it's better than using taxpayer money for a successful political gambit.."
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Sonic Youth
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Bush finally does something good.
Too bad the photo makes it look as if he's an Abu Graib security guard putting the hood over a prisoner before electrocuting him.
Too bad the photo makes it look as if he's an Abu Graib security guard putting the hood over a prisoner before electrocuting him.
"What the hell?"
Win Butler
Win Butler
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Sonic Youth
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$7 million? Zowee! In other words, the taxpayers only picked up $73 million of the bill. Be still my beating heart! It's as if 73,000 Californians each gave up $1000 of their taxes in order for it to be ultimately flushed down the toilet. Money well spent, although I guess it's better than using taxpayer money for a successful political gambit.
And one of those propositions was about the budget, eh? Oh, irony...
Warren Beatty has said he's not running so many times, that I'm now convinced that he IS running. On the other hand, he does have four little kids, so who knows? And while we're on the subject, this is a pretty funny tidbit from Roger Friedman:
"Beatty was kind of amused when he heard a local legislator try to deride his acting career in order to negate his politics.
“'He said something like, "Dick Tracy" wasn’t a very good movie,' Beatty recalled. 'He called me an out-of-work actor.'
"In fact, San Diego County Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring told a crowd: 'We have an A-rated actor in here while they have a B-rated actor out there.'
"For the record, Beatty has 14 different Oscar nominations in writing, directing, acting and producing."
"He won the Oscar for directing one of the great epics of all time, 'Reds,' in 1981."
"His body of work as a director and writer — including 'Shampoo,' 'Heaven Can Wait,' 'Bonnie & Clyde,' 'McCabe & Mrs. Miller,' 'Bugsy,' 'The Parallax View,' 'Splendor in the Grass' and most recently 'Bulworth' — puts him among Hollywood’s artistic elite.
"No matter what you think of Schwarzenegger as a governor, 'legendary filmmaker' or 'award-winning actor' are not sobriquets that will ever be associated with him."
And one of those propositions was about the budget, eh? Oh, irony...
Warren Beatty has said he's not running so many times, that I'm now convinced that he IS running. On the other hand, he does have four little kids, so who knows? And while we're on the subject, this is a pretty funny tidbit from Roger Friedman:
"Beatty was kind of amused when he heard a local legislator try to deride his acting career in order to negate his politics.
“'He said something like, "Dick Tracy" wasn’t a very good movie,' Beatty recalled. 'He called me an out-of-work actor.'
"In fact, San Diego County Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring told a crowd: 'We have an A-rated actor in here while they have a B-rated actor out there.'
"For the record, Beatty has 14 different Oscar nominations in writing, directing, acting and producing."
"He won the Oscar for directing one of the great epics of all time, 'Reds,' in 1981."
"His body of work as a director and writer — including 'Shampoo,' 'Heaven Can Wait,' 'Bonnie & Clyde,' 'McCabe & Mrs. Miller,' 'Bugsy,' 'The Parallax View,' 'Splendor in the Grass' and most recently 'Bulworth' — puts him among Hollywood’s artistic elite.
"No matter what you think of Schwarzenegger as a governor, 'legendary filmmaker' or 'award-winning actor' are not sobriquets that will ever be associated with him."
"What the hell?"
Win Butler
Win Butler
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Big Magilla
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To be fair, $7 million of it was his own money. Arnold basically is a moderate, unduly influenced by the wrong Republican strategists. Maria needs to shake him good. Whatever he does from now on, though, will probably be too little too late, especially if the Dems run a movie star of their own. Despite his protestations, I'm convinced Warren Beatty will run if coaxed.Sonic Youth wrote:California, on the other hand, is a whole other story. A whole other LIBRARY! That was DEFINITELY a rebuke to both Schwarzengger and right-wing politics. That was fantastic. California is practically a bankrupt state, and this jerk spends something like $80 million dollars of the tax-payers money to hold this special election and run all over the state campaigning. What a crash and burn.
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Sonic Youth
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As fabulous as these elections were, I think we should be careful not to read too much into them. This may just be my usual pessimism, but much as I hate to admit it, the Republicans have a point. This may not necessarily mean that voters are going to reject the Republicans in next year's elections. I know it's a cliche, but it's true: anything can happen in a year. Who knew this time last year that Bush would be polling down at Nixon's level? (Besides me?) And the candidates who lost ran far nastier campaigns than the winners did. Maybe it was a reaction to that. (Not that Corzine wasn't nasty himself.) And Jersey's a blue state anyway, so I wouldn't draw too many far-reaching conclusions.
California, on the other hand, is a whole other story. A whole other LIBRARY! That was DEFINITELY a rebuke to both Schwarzengger and right-wing politics. That was fantastic. California is practically a bankrupt state, and this jerk spends something like $80 million dollars of the tax-payers money to hold this special election and run all over the state campaigning. What a crash and burn. It's just like Terminator I! And by the way, wasn't he supposed to be a MODERATE? Remember that conversation we had a few years ago, that he was a CENTRIST? Yet he's trying to increase teacher tenure, regulate contributions from unions and redistrict the state so that the Democrats power is weakened. And did he mention these positions when he was campaigning? Not that I can recall. Didn't I say that this "moderate" Ahnold was a big lie? And I was correct. He's no different from Tom DeLay.
Prediction: Between now and next year, Ahnold's going announce he wants to spend more time with his family. He's not going to run again. He is a failure.
California, on the other hand, is a whole other story. A whole other LIBRARY! That was DEFINITELY a rebuke to both Schwarzengger and right-wing politics. That was fantastic. California is practically a bankrupt state, and this jerk spends something like $80 million dollars of the tax-payers money to hold this special election and run all over the state campaigning. What a crash and burn. It's just like Terminator I! And by the way, wasn't he supposed to be a MODERATE? Remember that conversation we had a few years ago, that he was a CENTRIST? Yet he's trying to increase teacher tenure, regulate contributions from unions and redistrict the state so that the Democrats power is weakened. And did he mention these positions when he was campaigning? Not that I can recall. Didn't I say that this "moderate" Ahnold was a big lie? And I was correct. He's no different from Tom DeLay.
Prediction: Between now and next year, Ahnold's going announce he wants to spend more time with his family. He's not going to run again. He is a failure.
"What the hell?"
Win Butler
Win Butler
The California voters said "Asta, la vista, baby!" to all four intiatives the Governator backed.
. . .Sensing defeat, the Republican governor made the tactical decision to give his election night speech to supporters in a Beverly Hills hotel long before the final results were tallied. “In a couple of days victories or losses will be behind us,” he said, and then got off the stage fast before the real bad news became official. Unlike in Hollywood, there was no chance to make up for the flop with DVD sales. . .
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1127699,00.html
. . .Sensing defeat, the Republican governor made the tactical decision to give his election night speech to supporters in a Beverly Hills hotel long before the final results were tallied. “In a couple of days victories or losses will be behind us,” he said, and then got off the stage fast before the real bad news became official. Unlike in Hollywood, there was no chance to make up for the flop with DVD sales. . .
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1127699,00.html
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OscarGuy
- Site Admin
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America's finally seeing what the rest of us have been saying since the faulty claims came to light prompting us into the Iraq War. I believe at least 80% of the people on this board thought the intel was bogus. Perhaps more people should listen to us. 
Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
First Bush polls for the new thread, but happily it's business as usual: new record lows.
From the Pew Research Centre:
BUSH RATINGS FALL FURTHER
Released: November 8, 2005
Summary of Findings
President George W. Bush's approval ratings have fallen to another new low, amid a growing focus on alleged ethical lapses in his administration. Just 36% now believe that Bush has lived up to his campaign pledge to restore integrity to the White House.
In contrast, fully 79% of Americans say the recent indictment of I. Lewis Libby, formerly a top aide to Vice President Cheney, on perjury and other charges is a matter of at least some importance to the nation; that is greater than the percentage who said that in 1998 about charges that former President Clinton lied under oath about a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky (65%).
A plurality of Americans (42%) think that Libby is guilty of the charges brought against him. Moreover, an increasing number of Americans think that U.S. and British leaders were mostly lying when they claimed prior to the Iraq war that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction; 43% express that opinion now, up from 31% in February 2004.
Despite mounting criticisms of the president, Bush's latest nominee for the Supreme Court Judge Samuel Alito Jr. has received favorable initial reviews from the public. By nearly two-to-one (40%-23%), Americans say the Senate should confirm Alito to the court. This is similar to the public's response to Judge John Roberts in mid-September, nearly two months after his nomination, and is a greater vote of confidence than failed nominee Harriet Miers received in early October.
Unfortunately for the administration, the positive glimmers from Alito's nomination are being overshadowed by negative developments elsewhere. When asked to name the first current news story that comes to mind, Americans most frequently cite the war and troop deaths in Iraq (19%), recent hurricanes and their aftermath (14%), and the Libby case (11%); far fewer mention Bush's appointments to the Supreme Court (5%).
The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center, conducted Nov. 3-6 among 1,201 Americans, finds that the public also continues to view the war in Iraq as the most important problem facing the country. About three-in-ten (29%) volunteer the war as the biggest national problem, up from 24% in May, while 11% mention the economy.
The survey also shows that just a third of Americans approve of the job performance of Republican congressional leaders, while only slightly more (36%) give positive marks to Democratic leaders. Democratic leaders have gained a bit since last month (from 32%), but still a plurality of Americans continue to disapprove of the job performance of each party.
Bush's Eroding Base
Bush's current 36% job approval rating is the lowest of his presidency, down from 40% in late October and 50% at the start of the year. This decline reflects a souring of opinion among independents just 29% approve of the president's job performance today, compared with 47% at the start of the year. Democratic evaluations have been both stable and overwhelmingly negative over the course of the year.
However, Bush is also now facing a significant loss of support within his own party particularly among moderate Republicans. Overall, the proportion of Republicans who approve of Bush's job in office has dropped from 89% just after the 2004 election to 77% today.
The most significant turn in Republican support occurred in late summer among the party's moderates and liberals, who make up 37% of the GOP. Between July and the end of September, the percentage of moderate and liberal Republicans who approved of the president's job performance fell from 81% to 60%. While there has been some rebound since this post-Katrina low, currently 66% of moderate and liberal Republicans approve, while 29% disapprove of the president's job in office. By comparison, conservative Republicans who make up a solid majority of the party as whole (62%) have been more loyal, though the percentage giving the president favorable marks has fallen 10 points since January to 84% today.
Bush Ratings in Context
One year after their respective reelection victories, Bush's job approval is nine points higher than former President Richard M. Nixon's approval mark in early November 1973 (36% vs. 27%). For Nixon, this came amid the continuing Watergate scandal and shortly after the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew in October. Nixon's final approval would drop just three more points to 24% before he resigned from office in the summer of 1974.
But it is largely GOP loyalty that separates Bush from Nixon at comparable points in their presidencies. Bush's 29% approval rating among independents is only four points higher than Nixon's standing among independents in early November 1973. And Bush's 12% approval rating among Democrats is nearly identical to Nixon's (13%).
Despite Bush's lower ratings among Republicans in recent months, his standing among Republicans remains much higher than Nixon's was in the fall of 1973. By more than four-to-one (77%-18%), Republicans approve of Bush's job performance; Nixon's rating among his own party was less than two-to-one positive (56%-32%).
Prewar WMD Claims Viewed More Negatively
The Libby case also bears on public views about the Bush administration's case for going to war in Iraq. A plurality of the public (43%) now thinks that the administration mostly lied in its claims that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction to provide a reason for invading Iraq. Nearly as many (41%) believe the administration was itself misinformed by bad intelligence. The number saying the administration lied in asserting that Iraq had WMD has risen 12 percentage points since early 2004, with most of the change occurring among Democrats and independents.
Among independents, in particular, those who believe Libby is guilty of the charges against him are more likely than others to say that U.S. and British leaders lied in claiming that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction.
Of those who say U.S. and British leaders lied in their claims that Iraq had WMD, most (24% of the general public) feel that the administration chose to believe only the intelligence that supported their decision to go to war; 17% say that the leaders knew Iraq had no weapons.
From the Pew Research Centre:
BUSH RATINGS FALL FURTHER
Released: November 8, 2005
Summary of Findings
President George W. Bush's approval ratings have fallen to another new low, amid a growing focus on alleged ethical lapses in his administration. Just 36% now believe that Bush has lived up to his campaign pledge to restore integrity to the White House.
In contrast, fully 79% of Americans say the recent indictment of I. Lewis Libby, formerly a top aide to Vice President Cheney, on perjury and other charges is a matter of at least some importance to the nation; that is greater than the percentage who said that in 1998 about charges that former President Clinton lied under oath about a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky (65%).
A plurality of Americans (42%) think that Libby is guilty of the charges brought against him. Moreover, an increasing number of Americans think that U.S. and British leaders were mostly lying when they claimed prior to the Iraq war that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction; 43% express that opinion now, up from 31% in February 2004.
Despite mounting criticisms of the president, Bush's latest nominee for the Supreme Court Judge Samuel Alito Jr. has received favorable initial reviews from the public. By nearly two-to-one (40%-23%), Americans say the Senate should confirm Alito to the court. This is similar to the public's response to Judge John Roberts in mid-September, nearly two months after his nomination, and is a greater vote of confidence than failed nominee Harriet Miers received in early October.
Unfortunately for the administration, the positive glimmers from Alito's nomination are being overshadowed by negative developments elsewhere. When asked to name the first current news story that comes to mind, Americans most frequently cite the war and troop deaths in Iraq (19%), recent hurricanes and their aftermath (14%), and the Libby case (11%); far fewer mention Bush's appointments to the Supreme Court (5%).
The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center, conducted Nov. 3-6 among 1,201 Americans, finds that the public also continues to view the war in Iraq as the most important problem facing the country. About three-in-ten (29%) volunteer the war as the biggest national problem, up from 24% in May, while 11% mention the economy.
The survey also shows that just a third of Americans approve of the job performance of Republican congressional leaders, while only slightly more (36%) give positive marks to Democratic leaders. Democratic leaders have gained a bit since last month (from 32%), but still a plurality of Americans continue to disapprove of the job performance of each party.
Bush's Eroding Base
Bush's current 36% job approval rating is the lowest of his presidency, down from 40% in late October and 50% at the start of the year. This decline reflects a souring of opinion among independents just 29% approve of the president's job performance today, compared with 47% at the start of the year. Democratic evaluations have been both stable and overwhelmingly negative over the course of the year.
However, Bush is also now facing a significant loss of support within his own party particularly among moderate Republicans. Overall, the proportion of Republicans who approve of Bush's job in office has dropped from 89% just after the 2004 election to 77% today.
The most significant turn in Republican support occurred in late summer among the party's moderates and liberals, who make up 37% of the GOP. Between July and the end of September, the percentage of moderate and liberal Republicans who approved of the president's job performance fell from 81% to 60%. While there has been some rebound since this post-Katrina low, currently 66% of moderate and liberal Republicans approve, while 29% disapprove of the president's job in office. By comparison, conservative Republicans who make up a solid majority of the party as whole (62%) have been more loyal, though the percentage giving the president favorable marks has fallen 10 points since January to 84% today.
Bush Ratings in Context
One year after their respective reelection victories, Bush's job approval is nine points higher than former President Richard M. Nixon's approval mark in early November 1973 (36% vs. 27%). For Nixon, this came amid the continuing Watergate scandal and shortly after the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew in October. Nixon's final approval would drop just three more points to 24% before he resigned from office in the summer of 1974.
But it is largely GOP loyalty that separates Bush from Nixon at comparable points in their presidencies. Bush's 29% approval rating among independents is only four points higher than Nixon's standing among independents in early November 1973. And Bush's 12% approval rating among Democrats is nearly identical to Nixon's (13%).
Despite Bush's lower ratings among Republicans in recent months, his standing among Republicans remains much higher than Nixon's was in the fall of 1973. By more than four-to-one (77%-18%), Republicans approve of Bush's job performance; Nixon's rating among his own party was less than two-to-one positive (56%-32%).
Prewar WMD Claims Viewed More Negatively
The Libby case also bears on public views about the Bush administration's case for going to war in Iraq. A plurality of the public (43%) now thinks that the administration mostly lied in its claims that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction to provide a reason for invading Iraq. Nearly as many (41%) believe the administration was itself misinformed by bad intelligence. The number saying the administration lied in asserting that Iraq had WMD has risen 12 percentage points since early 2004, with most of the change occurring among Democrats and independents.
Among independents, in particular, those who believe Libby is guilty of the charges against him are more likely than others to say that U.S. and British leaders lied in claiming that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction.
Of those who say U.S. and British leaders lied in their claims that Iraq had WMD, most (24% of the general public) feel that the administration chose to believe only the intelligence that supported their decision to go to war; 17% say that the leaders knew Iraq had no weapons.
"Y'know, that's one of the things I like about Mitt Romney. He's been consistent since he changed his mind." -- Christine O'Donnell