Bush Comeback Strategy: Send Grover Right Over
Bush Comeback Strategy: Send Grover Right Over
Robert Novak reports today that President Bush has turned to right-wing activist and longtime Abramoff partner Grover Norquist to help shore up his record low ratings:
While President Bush hits the road to build support, his spring offensive is bringing conservative activists and businessmen into the White House for briefings in small groups. “I’ve been in the White House more in the last two weeks than I was in the last two years,” Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform told this column. Norquist and conservative theoretician Jeffrey Bell were called into a meeting on the administration’s embattled immigration bill. Also attending were representatives of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers and the National Federation of Independent Business.
When not advising Bush, Norquist is neck-deep in several high-profile corruption scandals. This month it was revealed that a second Indian tribal chief represented by Abramoff scored a “White House lunch date and a meeting with the President†in 2001 days after the tribe paid Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform $25,000 at Abramoff’s direction. Also this month, ethics watchdog CREW asked the IRS to revoke the tax-exempt status of Norquist’s group for helping Abramoff and Ralph Reed secretly fund an anti-casino campaign.
We can only assume that turning to Norquist isn’t what Bush allies had in mind when they called for “new blood” in the White House.
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Can someone say nosedive? Bush can’t get a grip…
March 25th, 2006 at 6:00 pmQuick! Did someone snap a picture? We may not get an Abramoff-Bush photo but a Grover-Bush pic might be just as good.
March 25th, 2006 at 6:01 pmUh, Norquist couldn’t be new blood in any case. Hes never left to begin with.
March 25th, 2006 at 6:03 pmGoper’s Lament (Hard To Be A Republican)
When tomorrow all the things are gone,
We’ve worked for all our lives,
And the Right has saved the Nation,
From homosexuals and their wives,
I’ll wish on every star,
We’d had Clinton here today.
Or perhaps to hear that Howard Scream
And make it go away.
And it’s hard to be a Republican,
Where I thought my lunch was free.
And I won’t forget the ones who lied,
And sold that crap to me.
And I’d give my tax cut if I could,
But my job moved to Bombay.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I bought the scam,
That screwed the USA.
From the words of Bill O’Reilly,
That I heard on my TV,
From Bob Novak, and Rush Limbaugh,
It all made sense to me.
Anyone who spoke against us,
Was playin’ a dangerous game.
But now my country’s become a laughing stock,
And the GOP’s to blame.
And it’s hard to be a Republican,
Where I thought my lunch was free.
And I won’t forget the ones who lied,
And sold that crap to me.
And I’d take my vote back if I could,
Now my grandkids have to pay.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I bought the scam,
March 25th, 2006 at 6:07 pmThat screwed the USA.
Norquist can’t be much help – he’s more interested in cutting taxes than anything. It’s basically his only interest. It also happens to be the administrations. Given that his organization already supports bush it’s hard to see how he can help.
He’s a little government guy and so are all the other people in the White House (or so they say). The problem is that Norquist genuinely believes in small government and has been pretty vocal about the rising spending that’s been going on under Bush.
I actually find it VERY DIFFICULT to believe Norquist would go over. He’s much more powerful where he currently is and would probably not want to relinquish control.
March 25th, 2006 at 7:05 pmIn a followup:
If Norquist had wanted to be in the administration he would have a long time ago. Bush would have to give him some meaningful post with meaningful powers. Bush doesn’t have power anymore – Congress does. He’s much more able to get his agenda done by working with the Congress in his meetings with the Congress/aides each week. He would get very little by being with Bush.
I think he gets more of an ego boost out of his group anyway – which has alot of clout. If he gave it up he’d never get it back – and would only have a few years in his lame duck post.
March 25th, 2006 at 7:07 pmwell…of topic, sort of…have been hearing about a movie “loose change” about 9/11 for a few weeks now…finally took the time to watch it…i think EVERYBODY should do the same…
i suppose you would need a high speed connection to see it online…
worth your time… just give it your open mind also – but it’s really no stretch…
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5137581991288263801&q=loose+change
March 25th, 2006 at 7:12 pm“Also this month, ethics watchdog CREW asked the IRS to revoke the tax-exempt status of Norquist’s group”….SO WHAT! CREW’s mission is to make an end run around legislation and utilize liberal activism in the courts. I guess some liberals don’t think much of the voters….
Melanie Sloan is not a “good poster girl” for fair and balanced.
March 25th, 2006 at 7:22 pmwell, he sounds like the ideal bush advisor to me…
oh, and fuck bush
March 25th, 2006 at 7:32 pmWhat is so funny about all this. Is that no matter how incompetent, and crooked these guys are, Nothing ever happens to them. Thanks American Sheeple.
March 25th, 2006 at 7:32 pmLook at it this way: who are they going to find in Republican circles these days that isn’t connected to a scandal? The pickings are slim friends.
With Grover, they get an economy of scale. Not only can he dish red meat to the cons, he can help with the coming Abramoff catastrophe. It’s a twofer.
In the mood for a little Fox News parody?
New today on EWM: “Fe Fi Faux Fun: Fox Adds Five Cable Channels“
March 25th, 2006 at 7:36 pmThe barrel these neo-cons have for scraping is awfully shallow.
March 25th, 2006 at 7:39 pmGrover is also the White House liaison to America;s Islamic community. He shills for a number of domestic Muslim groups, and is married to a Palestinian.
They have to be careful about giving him too much visibility. He’s a one-man “Dubai Ports deal,” and his Islamic activism is going to go over with the Red Staters about as well as Henry Kissinger’s accent did, when America first heard him speak.
March 25th, 2006 at 7:51 pmBirds of a feather, F*** America together. Think about it, what could bush possably do to raise his poll numbers? It’s soooooooooooo to late. His BASE is crumbling around his feet. You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube.
March 25th, 2006 at 8:05 pmthis country needs an angel to fund public broadcast of these hearings over normal television with a marketing campaign equal to a star wars advertisement
and well someone should, becasue the American dollar will be pretty worthless if these policies aren’t reversed
March 25th, 2006 at 8:22 pmNever count Bush out. He’s the devil, and the devil always comes back.
March 25th, 2006 at 8:28 pmJust like the Energizer bunny… it keeps going and going and going… One thing can always be said about W, he is predictable, he keeps making the same mistakes over and over and over… too bad dumbf**kistan wasn’t paying attention during the 04 elections. How many businesses did Bush destroy??? Now he can add a Nation to his list of failures. He’s a loser – no matter how you look at it – he’s a loser. And his soul will be accountable for all the people that died because of his incompetence. In the meantime, we, as a Nation, are going to have to rebuild and regain our Democracy. Germany made it back from WWII and we will too.
March 25th, 2006 at 8:37 pmquestion:
is it possible they were talking about how to deal with the abrahmoff fallout ?
rather than how to help the president’s ratings.
March 25th, 2006 at 8:43 pm#4 – I checked out your blog. Did you write that song? I love the t-shirt – “If liberals hated America, they would vote Republican”. LOL
March 25th, 2006 at 8:44 pm#7 – katy
March 25th, 2006 at 8:46 pmyeah – I watched “Loose Change” – interesting – it makes you think… and ask… what if it’s true?
cats are flyfishn: Germany did make it backfrom WWII. But they had help from the US, Britain and France. Who will help us? China? India? I think we’ll be on our own. Unfortunately, it will be our children and grandchildren who have deal with the consequences of all these disasters.
March 25th, 2006 at 8:48 pmGrover can salivate and pant all he wants, they can’t spin their way out of this. Spinning will only dig a bigger hole. Time for better policy choices.
Time for some reflection about our Iraq policy.
March 25th, 2006 at 8:50 pmJana Lane – guess we’ll have to make some friends around the world. Although China may help… after all they own most of our debt and they stand to lose if we fall economically. It would be in their interest to help keep us going.
March 25th, 2006 at 8:51 pm“Watchdog’s tax status, politics are questioned
Tax experts say the activities of a controversial government watchdog group that has publicized four ethics complaints against Republican lawmakers since the beginning of this year raise red flags at a time when the IRS has renewed its focus on the political activities of tax-exempt groups.
In the past few weeks, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has filed complaints with the Senate and House ethics panels against Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) and Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas). It has filed more ethics complaints against congressional lawmakers than any other prominent advocacy group in the past two years.
CREW’s activity could draw scrutiny from the IRS…
…
CREW, headed by Melanie Sloan, a former assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia and former aide to Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and then-Rep. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), has taken at least 20 actions against Republican lawmakers and candidates since its creation in February 2003.
…
Sloan strongly disputed that CREW has a bias against Republicans, saying, “There is clearly a pattern of attempting to intimidate organizations that criticize Republican members of Congress. … Frankly, it won’t work. We will not be bullied into silence.â€
…
But Sloan said she has criticized Democrats, including Reps. Neil Abercrombie (Hawaii) and Norm Dicks (Wash.), for ethically questionable conduct — in quotes appearing in Capitol Hill publications, in The American Prospect magazine, and in the Los Angeles Times. She also noted that her group included two Democrats, Reps. William Jefferson (La.) and Maxine Waters (Calif.), on its list of the 13 most corrupt members of Congress, released last year. The list included 11 Republicans.
…
CREW has publicized its complaints against Republican lawmakers on its website and through press releases.
Sloan said that she has filed complaints almost exclusively against Republicans because they control both branches of Congress and the White House and, as a result, are more likely to be the recipients of corrupting gifts and contributions.
“Republicans are the ones in power,†she said. “You’re stupid to pay off a Democrat. They can’t do a whole lot for you.â€
melanie sloan’s profile is quite impressive…would be interesting to compare bio’s…
March 25th, 2006 at 8:52 pmsour grapes?
#18 – orionATL
March 25th, 2006 at 8:53 pmGood point – maybe they are working on a plan to make Chimpie look good while Abramoff takes the fall. Traitor Rove must be working overtime on this one.
cats 20 – “Loose Change†… what if it’s true?
March 25th, 2006 at 8:59 pmseems like they had all the facts and info laid out and squared away…
i think the worst is even thinking that a “people’s” government would consider such actions – after these past years, that notion is easier and easier to believe…sadly…
#27 katy
March 25th, 2006 at 9:30 pmLoose Change – scary thought… this is what facist governments do to it’s people
#27 – It is true, but nothing can be done, not now.
Right now, we have a big window of opportunity with overwhelming public support, but politically it means nothing without a democratic majority, which when in power will likely focus their attention to investigating Iraq instead of 9/11 – the precursor.
Tables should turn, and heads should roll over all these issues.
There’s a distinct possibility that these same people who’ve remained in power amidst so many system fracturing offenses, the PNAC neo-cons will initiate another attack against Americans, which will be much more severe, and will lead to a US lockdown – martial law, and a whole host of implications that will kill any form of dissent over any issue relating to inside terror campaigns and wars for oil/geopolitical power.
America, or at least its former self will cease to exist.
These are the truths, they are taking form, they are here, they are now.
March 25th, 2006 at 9:30 pmThere are signs of hope, but I doubt it will be effective enough to prevent the next wave of terror inflicted upon us by the Bush Cheney Terror-Industrial Complex.
Invade Iran?
March 25th, 2006 at 9:31 pmRyan Neat – I didn’t realize there was a connection between Ohio’s political misdoings and Norquist. These people are disgusting.
March 25th, 2006 at 9:31 pmInvade Iran would be a terrible mistake. Iran will know about our plans before we strike and all our troops in Iraq will be targets for Iran. The Chinese have deals with Iran for the oil and the Russians told Saddam about our impending attacks so the Russians will know about our plans for Iran, too. Even though China and Russia are NOT the best of friends, they both share a huge dislike for Bush&Co. These two countries will make strange bed partners and they will certainly get friendly with each other if we invade Iran.
March 25th, 2006 at 9:40 pmIran won’t happen until another terrorist attack happens.
March 25th, 2006 at 10:10 pmInvade Iran with what army? We are way too depleted even for these guys to consider that.
March 25th, 2006 at 10:18 pmI no doubt agree cats- bad move. But it would raise his numbers dramatically. Rally around the flag?
#34- That’s probably true also
BushCo is playing a very high stakes chess game with world balance- Iran is a key pawn. We’ve been teasing the hibernating Bear for many years now- Russia hates us again. I’ve never bought into the “worlds only super-power†crap- bet that little phrase sticks in Russia’s craw too. China will always do what’s best China- that doesn’t bode well for us. The recent Russian/Chinese military joint exercises were a muscle flex giving a reminder of just how high stakes the game is. I’m more than a little worried.
Keep an eye on the propaganda. Every time you see Iran’s prez in the MSM you see a side clip of goose-stepping troops. Now we’re hearing how Russia attempted to aid Saddam before the invasion. A little demonizing? Spooky!
BTW- Just got home from seeing the movie V. (As was suggested by someone here.) A little extreme but interesting none the less. Worth the price of admission.
March 25th, 2006 at 10:28 pmNorquest found time to interview Howard Phillips about his new book: “American Theology”on C=Span 2 Haven’t seen it YET. I’m really getting disappointed in C-Span on the Q & A. Seems like the interveiws are typically conservative propagandist regardless of who the guest is.
March 25th, 2006 at 10:34 pm#35,
I don’t think we’re all that weak. Perhaps our army/marines could use more hands but we still have lots of troops stationed around the world. Also keep in mind that our air force and navy is not very occupied in Iraq. Iran would be our militaries type of war- conventional.
March 25th, 2006 at 10:41 pmWorth reading what sourcewatch.org has to say about Americans for Tax Reform. According to them, ATR has been heavily involved with PR and lobbying for Big Tobacco — perhaps more involved with that than working on tax reform.
March 25th, 2006 at 10:49 pmI’m sorry, but, it was a SECRET that we were going to invade Iraq? Gosh, I missed that one. One thing is likely, though. There will be NO “Coalition of the Willing” this time. And I don’t have any idea what Grover is supposed to do to “help” GWB, but it will no doubt fail, like everything else, lately. Good.
March 25th, 2006 at 11:14 pmFor more on Norquist’s ethics woes, see:
March 25th, 2006 at 11:14 pm“Norton, Norquist and the Abramoff Body Count.”
The only move this misadministration has left is to war on Iran. Seems to me we are seeing the groundwork for that now. More lies more deception more crime on a titanic scale. And like the titanic it all seems headed for an iceberg. Do we have enough life boats?
March 25th, 2006 at 11:20 pmNorquist is 100% far-right-wing filth! He is the crud that you find under a refrigerator! Bush hanging with Grover proves he is gutter trash as well!
March 26th, 2006 at 12:04 amCheney been seen with Kissinger Lately
Now Bush n Norquist…
Fred Barnes said to Drop Rove..few neo-cons Wants Rummies Job, Buckley, Fukuyama,
GOP Rivals say Hillary using Helicopters to ’spy’ [get the FOIL HAT!!] on them, Rush Limbaugh has a ‘Truth Detector’ in His head, And Republicans are ‘Fiscal’ Conservatives, meanwhile we STILL don’t know why the White House Isn’t secure with Jeff Gannon Cuming ‘n Goin 200 Times, 8 billion gone Missong in Iraq, Deficit, Corruption, Spying, lying, propaganda, Plagiarist Bloggers, scandals….
I’d Say that they have pretty much Imploded. Something has to give and soon.
March 26th, 2006 at 1:27 am#7 Katy and #20 cats are flyfishn and any one else who has seen this. I no longer no what is true. Wow.
March 26th, 2006 at 1:34 am#44 – That ’something’ that has to give soon will likely be the rest of our cuntry and its freedumb.
March 26th, 2006 at 2:18 amJoin the Campaign for progressive legislation.
http://www.boycott-republicans.com
March 26th, 2006 at 2:39 amhttp://www.consortiumnews.com/archive/moon3.html
Grover knew early on who the cult of conservatism had to protect to help them deceive our nation. Without Moon’s billions and fronts like the Washington Times, conservatives would NOT have control of our government and would NOT be dragging the world to hell.
Conservatives owe their True Savior and they are paying him back by ripping down the wall between church and state just for starters.
What is happening to our nation is not the product of the free market of ideas. It’s the product of billions of Moon’s swindled dollars married to a lot of soul selling conservatives.
http://www.consortiumnews.com/archive/moon3.html
March 26th, 2006 at 2:46 am
No, Grover is probably meeting with Bush to help him with his push towards a flat tax in the hopes that will boost his falling poll numbers.
The purpose of removing taxation from savings, capital gains, and inheritance tax is in taking baby steps towards a flat tax. Remove all the taxation possible from the already wealthy before instituting a flat tax.
A flat tax will soak the middle class since they spend almost all their income just to exist. Whereas wealthy people make a lot of their money in passive income. By the time they push for the flat tax all other taxes on passive income will have been removed from the wealthy. People will be deceived into believing a flat tax is fair since it is a tax on earned income only. Plus they will eat up the idea of sending in their tax return on a postcard with the only effort being in providing their earned income figure. That is why they keep trying to convince us that the tax codes are too complicated. Too complicated for whom? The wealthy. It isn’t that difficult to do your own taxes if all you have is earned income.
I’ve even heard they want to remove the 1040 Schedule A deduction for real estate interest. That is when the s will hit the fan because the middle class relies on it to lower their taxes.
Anyway, that’s my hunch why Bush is meeting with Grover.
March 26th, 2006 at 4:06 amWhen Grover was a kid, his dad, Warren, a former VP at Polaroid where I worked used to take away his ice cream cone and take a big bite out of it. He’d hand it back telling the crying kid that that’s what the government does with your money. No wonder he’s turned out like he has.
March 26th, 2006 at 6:08 amThe Barbarian Republicans are attempting to repeat history
“The Dark Ages
March 26th, 2006 at 7:11 amEarly scholars gave the name “Dark Ages” to the period in Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. During this period, barbarian Goths, Vandals, and Huns swept down on Europe from the north and east. They destroyed many fine buildings and works of art that had existed during Roman times. During the Dark Ages, knowledge survived only in monasteries, and there were very few schools. Many of the old arts and crafts were lost. This is why the time was called the “Dark Ages.”
http://mr_sedivy.tripod.com/med_hist.html
So I suppose,Barbarian,you think of yourself as the Irish?
A very good book about the “Dark Ages” is Wm. Manchester’s “A World Lit Only by Fire.”
March 26th, 2006 at 8:19 amIt seem to me the Republicans are falling apart at the seams, they just can’t shoot straight. Everytime I look up they are into something else that they can’t explain when the light of day shines on it. This moron Norquist is just the sort that Bush would turn to for advice. Apparently there are only a handful of people in the republican party that have a brain and they are all involved in the Abramoff scandle.
For someone who is a stranger to every republican in Washington, Jack Abramoff sure did have alot of connections. Everyone from Senator McCain to the President swears they never met him, yet he has photos of him shaking hands with them, or at some fund raiser, or playing golf. Man is must be awful being the only man on the planet that no one except is mother is willing to admit they know. He is what we call a man without a party, country, and or any friends when he needs them most. Oh, I forgot he’s talking to investigators so they have to run like scared rats from a sinking ship. If Abramhoff was standing in Dupont Circle naked and all over the news, they’d swear they didn’t see the report.
I admit I’ve seen Jack on TV, but I don’t know him, he’s only an aquaintence, I mean, a friend, a long time friend, I mean I never met the man. Isn’t that the standard republican denial talking point? By George I think I’ve got it!
March 26th, 2006 at 9:02 amThis is the best the Bush team can come up with to turn the polls around? Jack Abramoff’s closest buddy Grover? The Administration and GOP have sunk lower than I thought possible. Yessss!!!!
http://www.lcoliberal.blogspot.com
Most Ridiculous Story of the Day: Right Now on LCL
http://www.sunstateactivist.org
March 26th, 2006 at 9:11 amFull list of Progressive news and events
Norquist group faces challenge for Abramoff ties
By Andy Sullivan
Reuters
Tuesday, March 14, 2006; 4:59 PM
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – An ethics watchdog asked the U.S. Internal Revenue Service on Tuesday to revoke the tax-exempt status of a conservative group for helping disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff secretly fund an anti-casino campaign that benefited his clients.
Americans for Tax Reform also violated its nonprofit status by taking a cut of the money it handled, said Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW
March 26th, 2006 at 10:03 amGrover Norquist is the bottom of the barrel of human crud and represents the worst in sleaze! He is the person who stated he wants the government drowned in a bathtub, so he wants just a dictator like Bush and nothing else! Grover being with Bush means the end of Bill of Rights and Human Rights > welcome to the New World Order of wealthy elite and everybody else serfs!
March 26th, 2006 at 10:11 amGrover is among the larger sissies in politics. He deserves a public spanking, complete with his pants around his ankles and a rubber-coated paddle. 50 should do it. You’ve been a bad boy, Grover, and people are suffering because of your lies and deception. Now, you’re fanny is gonna be red and you won’t be able to sit again until 2009…when you’ll be sitting in a corner sucking your thumb. ….Thank you sir, may I have another. Oh, but of course!
March 26th, 2006 at 10:38 amJack AbramOff Grover Ralph Reed S Y Moon Falwell Franklin Graham Bill Bennett Frist;Will someone else add to this list of deceptors.
March 26th, 2006 at 11:15 amBush is like David Korech, no matter what he does he still has his inconditionals faith based sheeps to worship him
March 26th, 2006 at 11:57 amHey, Bush doesn’t care if his vice president shoots somebody in the face, why should it bother him to work with a crook in the White House? No, wait. Sorry, my bad. Bush IS the Big Crook in the White House.
March 26th, 2006 at 3:13 pmGosh, how come those staunch Clash of Civilization warrirors haven’t gone after Norquist, his loooove and comfort for the World Association of Muslim Youth, and his Arab, Muslim wife. Seriously, these are major handicaps for somebody who is going to be the new stratgist for Dumbya. But then again ALL GOP lovers are sanctimonous hypocrites, one way or another.
March 26th, 2006 at 5:10 pmBut don’t take my word on it, look at what rabid Clash of Civs activitst Ken Timmerman has to say:
http://www.kentimmerman.com/2004_01_26rohrabacher.htm
http://www.kentimmerman.com/news/insight_saffuri_03-2004.htm
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Utilities/printer_preview.asp?idArticle=1072&R=
http://www.progress.org/2003/saudi01.htm
Where is J.D. Hayworth?
March 26th, 2006 at 6:24 pmGrover Norquist looks inbred
March 27th, 2006 at 12:59 amgamoralex
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February 12th, 2007 at 12:41 pm