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Jewish World Review March 28, 2001 / 4 Nissan, 5761

David Limbaugh

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Consumer Reports


Double trouble for Dubya


http://www.jewishworldreview.com -- IT occurs to me that if an English-speaking Martian were to visit our nation for a short while, he might reasonably conclude that Hillary Clinton and John McCain were engaging in a bipartisan contest to become President Bush's chief nemesis and general thorn in the side.

At the risk of irritating some McCainiacs and liberals I should point out that a couple of other things the two senatorial irritants have in common are that they both aspire to the presidency and neither has a very realistic prospect of attaining it.

Don't get me wrong; I don't underestimate Hillary or her capacity for self-advancement. But I just happen to believe that when she occupies various roles of power, as opposed to that of a victimized spouse, she makes herself transparently and abundantly unlikable. It happened with her health care scheme and will probably happen for the next six years as New York's senior junior senator. She is an irrepressible ideologue whose liberalism is unpalatable to the electorate at large.

Hillary is already stumping as if she were minority leader of the Senate, and George Bush is in her opportunistic sights. Last week Hillary blasted Bush for proposing cuts in children's health programs to help finance his $1.6 trillion tax cut. She called the "cuts" unacceptable. Never mind that Bush's recommended reductions in the rate of increase on spending for these items are not cuts. Also never mind that Bush is actually recommending real increases in education spending, Medicare and for the National Institutes of Health.

The more important point, though, is that Hillary doesn't bother to explain how she and her cohorts can criticize Bush for fiscal irresponsibility when they refuse to restrain their own limitless governmental spending. But the facts don't matter; grandstanding is what's important, especially when you are aiming for the White House.

Hillary stepped up her attacks on Bush over the weekend. In pure Clinton-speak, she charged that he was trying "to turn back the clock 50 or 60 years." Bush doesn't just want to turn the clock back on the sainted Clinton administration, Hillary complained, but "back on the Roosevelt administration." (If I were Bush, I would take that as a compliment, even though that's not the spirit in which Hillary delivered it.)

Hillary castigated Bush for his "flip-flop" on his campaign pledge to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions and for blocking oppressive ergonomic standards forced through by Clinton in his final days. I say kudos to Bush for both, even if the first involved a change of mind since the campaign. At least when this Bush changes his mind, it's in a more conservative direction; and trust me, he'll never get in much trouble that way.

These two incidents of Hillary assuming center stage to attack Bush are just a foreshadowing of what we can expect over the coming months and years. She's on a mission; a mission that has been in the offing for years and is just now coming into full bloom.

Sen. McCain is flanking Bush from the other side of the aisle, but no less effectively and systematically. While Bush is trying to get his tax package through, McCain is obsessing (and trying to force every other senator to obsess) on campaign finance "reform."

Putting aside the fact that McCain-Feingold is flagrantly unconstitutional and political suicide for McCain's fellow Republicans, it is not an urgent matter like the tax-cut package, unless you define urgency as McCain's desire to steal the limelight from Bush.

Beyond his pet issue, McCain is undermining Bush's agenda in other areas as well, all the while professing to be his good friend. Whether or not McCain ends up running for the presidency in 2004, he is otherwise doing his best to reduce Bush's chances at re-election. McCain has criticized Bush's tax package as too large, and he is at odds with the administration on gun control and legislation concerning a patients' bill of rights.

Hillary and the Democrats are trying to steal Bush's momentum, and McCain and other liberal Republican senators are providing an assist. While Bush is being attacked from all sides, it is important that conservatives stick with him, lest his entire agenda be diluted beyond recognition.

Meanwhile Bush remains focused and is not allowing those without a mandate (Democrats or McCain) to divert his attention from his agenda. Though Bush faces many obstacles, he is developing a lasting relationship with his conservative base. That's exactly as it ought to be. Hang in there, Dubya.



David Limbaugh, a columnist and attorney apracticing in Cape Girardeau, Mo., is the author of the just-released exposé about corruption in the Clinton-Reno Justice Department, "Absolute Power." Send your comments to him by clicking here.

Up

03/26/01: Bush seeks Israeli security, not a peace prize
03/21/01: Bush tax cuts and Dem distortions
03/19/01: Celebrating disbarment
03/14/01: Campaign cold feet and Democratic hypocrisy
03/12/01: Missiles, berets, morale and diplomacy
03/07/01: The GOP and race revisited
03/05/01: Dems and the ghost of 2002
02/28/01: Common threads in Clinton pardons
02/26/01: Clinton defenders should apologize
02/22/01: Clinton woos media as Bush governs
02/20/01: Liberal idealism: Where have all the flowers gone?
02/14/01: The Clintons and selective media outrage
02/12/01: Bush's tax cut challenge: A historical view
02/07/01: Democrats' Dubya dilemma
02/05/01: Dubya is confounding the media
01/29/01: The Teamsters, the DNC and the reformers
01/29/01: The Old Limey
01/25/01: Clinton’s disgraceful departure
01/22/01: Ashcroft: Principle above self
01/17/01: Justice for Riady?
01/15/01: Ashcroft: A hill to die on
01/10/01: Returning to the supply side
01/08/01: Reasons for optimism
01/03/01: Bush's daunting challenges
12/28/00: Ashcroft: A triumph for the rule of law
12/26/00: A tinge of revenge?
12/20/00: GOP: Breaking the race barrier
12/18/00: Civility doesn't require surrender
12/13/00: Al Gore: Innocent victimizer
12/11/00: Judicial restraint and ordered liberty
12/06/00: The four years war
12/04/00: Debunking Gore myths
11/29/00: Defending the smaller principles
11/27/00: Albert O'Gore and the little people
11/22/00: Doing 'anything to win'
11/15/00: Enough is enough, Mr. Gore
11/13/00: Al Gore: Thy country or thyself?
11/08/00: Bill and Al: Your time is up
11/06/00:The impending Bush mandate
11/01/00: Can't stop thinkin' 'bout tomorrow
10/30/00: George: Give Gore the ball back
10/25/00: Mr. Gore: A few more questions
10/23/00: It's the big government, stupid
10/18/00: Gore's down, so will he panic?
10/16/00: We're fresh out of new Al Gores
10/11/00: Gore: Fuzzy math = dirty politics
10/10/00:Gore: Renaissance man or unbalanced?
10/04/00: Where have you been, Albert Jr.?
10/02/00: Clinton’s fragmented presidency
09/27/00: Liberal media doth protest too much
09/25/00: AlGore: Turning dreams into nightmares
09/20/00: Something fishy's going on
09/18/00: It's the liberalism, stupid
09/13/00: An open letter to open-minded cynics
09/11/00: The virtues of going negative
09/06/00: On a mission for marriage
09/04/00: Al Gore's 'Trivial Pursuits'
08/30/00: Lieberman and the paradox of liberal 'tolerance'
08/28/00: A campaign divided against itself
08/23/00: Al Gore's trickle-down populism
08/21/00: Prosperity without a clue
08/16/00: AlGore can run but he can't hide
08/14/00: When hate speech is OK
08/09/00: Bush: The pundits' enigma
08/07/00: GOP convention: Live or Memorex?
08/02/00: The first attack dog
07/31/00: The Cheney taint?
07/26/00: The anti-gun bogeyman
07/24/00: The raging culture war
07/19/00: Is Hillary 'Good for the Jews'?
07/17/00: How dare you, George?
07/12/00: Jacoby's raw deal
07/10/00: The perplexities of liberalism
07/05/00: Big Al and big oil
07/03/00: Partial-birth and total death
06/28/00: Some questions for you, Mr. Gore
06/26/00: Supreme Court assaults religious freedom
06/21/00: Waco: We are the jury
06/19/00: "Outrage" just doesn't quite cut it anymore!
06/14/00: Al Gore: Government's best friend
06/12/00: Say goodbye to medical privacy
06/07/00: Elian: Whose hands were tied?
06/05/00: Who, which, what is the real Al Gore?
06/01/00: Legacy-building idea for Clinton
05/30/00: Clinton: Above the law or not?
05/24/00: Not so fast, Hillary
05/22/00: Gore's risky, fear-mongering schemes
05/17/00: Can Bush risk pro-choice running mate?
05/15/00: Right to privacy, Clinton-style
05/10/00: Patrick Kennedy and his suit-happy fiddlers
05/08/00: Don't shoot Eddie Eagle
05/03/00: Congress caves to Clinton, again?
05/01/00: The resurrection of outrage
04/28/00: A picture of Bill Clinton's America
04/19/00: President Clinton: Teaching children responsibility
04/17/00: Elian, Marx and parental rights
04/12/00: Elian, freedom deserve a hearing
04/10/00:The fraying of America
04/05/00: Noonan: End Clintonism now
04/03/00: Bush: On going for the gold
03/29/00: Phantasma-Gore-ia
03/27/00: Treaties, triggers, tobacco and tyrants
03/22/00: Media to Bush: Go left, young man
03/20/00: Stop the insanity
03/15/00: OK Al Gore: Let's go negative
03/13/00: Deifying of the center
03/08/00: The media, the establishment and the people
03/01/00: McCain's coalition-busting daggers in GOP's heart
02/28/00: Bush's silver lining in McMichigan
02/24/00: A conservative firewall, after all
02/22/00: Bush or four more of Clinton-Gore?
02/16/00: Substance trumps process
02/14/00: The campaign finance reform mirage
02/09/00: President McCain: End of the GOP as we know it?
02/07/00: From New Hampshire to South Carolina
02/02/00: SDI must fly
01/31/00: Veep gores Bradley
01/26/00: The issues gap
01/24/00: GOP: Exit, stage left
01/20/00: Nationalizing congressional elections
01/18/00: Do voters really prefer straight talk?
01/12/00: Media's McCain efforts may backfire
01/10/00: Conservative racism myth
01/05/00: Just one more year of Clintonian politics
01/03/00: McMedia?
12/27/99: Al Gore: Bullish on government
12/22/99: Bradley's full-court press
12/20/99: Bush: Rendering unto Caesar
12/15/99: Beltway media bias
12/13/99: White House ambulance chasing
12/08/99: Clinton's labor pains
12/06/99:The lust for power
12/01/99: In defense of liberty
11/29/99: Are Republicans obsolete?
11/24/99: Say you're sorry, Mr. President
11/22/99: Architects of victory
11/17/99: Trump's tax on freedom
11/15/99: GOP caves again
11/10/99: Triangulation and 'The Third Way'
11/08/99: Sticks and stones
11/03/99: Keyes vs. media lapdogs
11/01/99: Signs of the times
10/27/99: The false charge of isolationism
10/25/99: A matter of freedom
10/20/99: Clinton's mini-meltdown
10/18/99: Senate GOP shows statesmanship
10/13/99: Senate must reject nuclear treaty
10/11/99: Bush bites feeding hand
10/06/99: Jesse accidentally opens door for Pat
10/04/99: Clinton and his media enablers
09/29/99: Reagan: Big-tent conservatism
09/27/99: The Clinton/Gore taint?
09/22/99: Have gun (tragedy), will travel
09/20/99: Hillary's blunders and bloopers
09/15/99: GOP must remain conservative
09/13/99:Time for Bush to take charge, please
09/10/99: Bush's education plan: Dubya confounds again
09/07/99: Pat, savior or spoiler?
09/02/99: Character doesn't matter?
08/30/99: Should we judge?
08/25/99: Dubyah's drug question: Not a hill to die on
08/23/99: Should Dubyah start buying soap ... for all that mud?
08/16/99: 'W' stands for 'winner'
08/11/99: The truth about tax cuts
08/09/99: Hillary: Threading the needle
08/04/99: What would you do?
08/02/99: No appeasement for China
07/30/99: Hate Crimes Bill: Cynical Symbolism
07/26/99: It’s the 'moderates', stupid
07/21/99: JFK Jr. and Diana: the pain of privilege
07/19/99: Smith, Bush and the GOP
07/14/99: GOP must be a party of ideas
07/12/99: Gore's gender gap
07/08/99: Clinton’s faustian bargain: our justice
07/06/99: The key to Bush's $36 million
06/30/99: Gore: a soda in every fountain
06/28/99: 'Sacred wall' or religious barrier?
06/23/99: GOP must lead in foreign policy
06/21/99: Crumbs of compassion
06/16/99: Compassionate conservatism: face-lift or body transplant?
06/10/99: Victory in Kosovo? Now What?

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