The Right Kind of Grieving Family

Yesterday's attempt by George Bush to stop his freefalling approval ratings was truly horrific. After repeating the same sound bites, which are increasingly falling on dead ears (literally), he introduced the nation to the Pruett family, whose 5 sons and their father have all served in Iraq. He then said:

"Tammy says this -- and I want you to hear this -- `I know if something happens to one of the boys, they would leave this world doing what they believe, what they think is right for our country, and I guess you couldn't ask for a better way of life than giving it for something that you believe in.' America lives in freedom because of families like the Pruetts.''

The implication, of course, is that we live in freedom because of families like the Pruetts BUT NOT THE SHEEHANS. You see, Cindy Sheehan has not been invited President to attend a rally. Instead, he has unleashed his minions to smear her and accuse her of treason. If you lose a son and don't agree with my politics, then too bad.

After talking about the number of casualties, he further said:

"And now we'll honor their sacrifice by completing their mission".

So our justification for war has gone from WMDs to Nuclear Weapons to Spreading Democracy to Honoring Our Dead. It makes, of course, NO FUCKING SENSE WHATSOEVER.

Environmental damage seen from/caused by Shuttle

Did Commander Eileen Collins of the Shuttle Discovery really lament about environmental damage obvservable from outer space after puncturing a hole in the Ozone Layer to get there?!

Poll Dancing

Have you seen this numbers?! Bush's approval ratings on everything from job performance to his handling of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq to plain old honesty and sincerity are at all time lows.

Generally dissapprove of his job performance:
CNN/Gallop 8/5: 51%
Newsweek 8/4: 51%
AP/Ipsos 8/3: 55%
CBS 8/2: 46%
Zogby 7/30: 55%

AP Ipsos Poll, 8/1:
Honest? 45%
Arrogant? 56%

CBS Poll 7/29:
Hiding something? 55%

What could possibly be causing this mudslide? Here are some ideas the right wingers might want to examine:

• While the rest of us are working our asses off with 2 weeks of vacation a year, Bush just began a 5 week vacation that even the French would envy. In total, the Presdent has spent almost a year on vacation out of the 5 he has been in office, and that doesn't include holidays. It's appalling. Especially given the sad state of the global affairs.
• He's on vacation to supposedly reconnect with the people. But Cindy Sheehan is standing outside his ranch waiting to talk to him, and he refuses to see her. Her son died in Iraq and she claims that her family visited with him, he acted as if it were a party. Now she wants answers, and she's commanding media attention.
• In the meantime, Cheney, Rice and Rummy are saying that Iraq is going well!
• On the home front, the economy may be improving on a macro level, but people vote with their purse, and all they see is stagnant pay, higher gas prices, a week dollar, a bursting real estate market, and massive government deficits. People feel vulnerable.