I dont think Bush as a strong leader ever really exsisted. Bush is an empty suit. I dont mean that as an insult but as a fact. Bush has always been a follower, real leaders take the Bull by the horn and do things by themselves while showing others the way. Bush's whole biography (his family life, his business career, his political life) has been a systematic pattern of others (usually friends of dad) doing things for him, and bailing him out when he got into trouble. I dont fault the man for that, but you cannot expect great leadership with that kind of upbringing.

If you just want look at conservatives I'd say Frist, Delay, Cheney, Hastert, Rumsfeld, Rice, even his brother Jeb are far better leaders the W.
Take the Miers nomination, if he were such a great leader he would convince the extreme right to support her, or failing that he would borrow Roosevelt's 'big stick' to remind them whose boss. His reply so far has been to beg...

Another thing, all the phonieness such as 'Mission Accomplished', staged Turkey dinner, and most recently that bogus interview with the troops all serve as proof that this guy has no leadership qualities. Obviously his handlers are terrified of putting in a open forum where he might implode if asked difficult questions.

Final thought, real leaders gain respect through ACTION, you never heard Lincoln, Kennedy, Reagan, Either Roosevelt or Washington use terms such as 'Dead or Alive', 'Head on a Silver platter' 'Bring it on', etc... thats just talk.

My .02 cents

Over here we hardly see anything of Bush in the media unless there are some important international issues going on. I haven't seen the guy on TV since the US elections and some issues on Iraq.

It is hard for a non American to tell but I see the point of him being less active on the international scene now than for a year ago.

How is Bush on the domestic front compared to Ronald Reagan, Clinton and to his father? Do the Americans regret their election or do you think this is some mid life political crisis he's going through?

Originally Posted by sunb!

Over here we hardly see anything of Bush in the media unless there are some important international issues going on. I haven't seen the guy on TV since the US elections and some issues on Iraq.

It is hard for a non American to tell but I see the point of him being less active on the international scene now than for a year ago.

How is Bush on the domestic front compared to Ronald Reagan, Clinton and to his father? Do the Americans regret their election or do you think this is some mid life political crisis he's going through?

I think hes weaker than all 3 you mention. His domestic policies are as equally unpopular as his foreign ones. For example, He has appointed unqualified cronies to important jobs (Brown, Miers). He plans such as No Child Left Behind are badly planned out. His economic policies (tax cuts, debt reform, estate tax, unearned capital tax) have favored the very wealthy and brought massive debts to ordinary, and he is complely out of touch with ordinary American on issues such as Social Security, Healthcare, Enviroment, and immigration.

I'm not getting the drift W is getting any weaker. Just my opinion. He proved himself a leader and still is. At least he never went "I voted for it before I actually voted against it", you know.

Originally Posted by Italian Guy

I'm not getting the drift W is getting any weaker. Just my opinion. He proved himself a leader and still is. At least he never went "I voted for it before I actually voted against it", you know.

Italian guy,

His own party is turning against him. How can you be a good leader if your popularity is 38% and his own party is worse than the opposition. I suspect that if todays polls are right and the GOP takes a poitical beating it will be because of a large anti-Bush movement.

Next year's election is going to very interesting because Republican Congressman will have to decide about defending a weak, unpopular president and saving their own political neck. My hope is that the moderates Republicans who have been coy so far, retake power and working with the democrats just maybe we can get somethings done.

As for Flip Flops, Take your pick, Bush is just as bad...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/...in646142.shtml

Let me just say that mmarsh does not speak for the middle... maybe for the middle frenchman.

The popular American perception as of right now is probobly best summed up as grim. There are signs of progress in Iraq but nothing concrete and no promises that it's going to get significantly better anytime soon. Domestically, everything Bush tried to do to start off his second term died. He'll get his court nominations, but who doesn't? I think in American history there have been only 9 Supreme Court justices that where ever denied... and one of those was actually insane (Rutledge). So, basically so long as you arn't insane and don't admit to having ever EVER smoked marijuana (Douglas Ginsberg) then you'll get in.

So that's it. One of the worst tragedies in American history goes down in New Orleans and he can't do anything to help it. Iraq still as big of a cespit as ever. Domestic policies died before they where impliamented. It's not really that Bush hasn't done anything specifically WRONG so much as he's done nothing.

Originally Posted by superworms1000

The real W will be back when you see the consitituion in Iraq is passed.......

Dont be so sure of that anymore. Last I heard reported that all the Suni's voted No, and there was next to no chance the Constitution would pass.

Let me just say that mmarsh does not speak for the middle... maybe for the middle frenchman.

Thanks for the reminder, Heres a newsflash, NEITHER DO YOU.

I speak only for myself as a member of the AMERICAN middle. My opinion is strictly my own. Trying to descredit me by putting negative insinuations about my heritage is really lame. Is that really your best counter-arguement, is that I'm 50% French?

So, basically so long as you arn't insane and don't admit to having ever EVER smoked marijuana (Douglas Ginsberg) then you'll get in.

Not true, Democrats with a few moderate GOPers sank the Robert Bork nomination a decade or so ago. He was torpedoed simply for being too conservative.

Bush didnt do anything wrong? (This year)

Interfered in the Shiavo affair. (Enormous Public Rebuke)
Appointed a unqualified crony to Head FEMA. (N.O paid the price)
Appointed another unqualified crony to the Supreme Court. (Political Damage was considerable, his political base feels betrayed. But Miers will probably pass, the Democrats, Moderates, and a few Conservatives will support her. The Far Right will stew, will they seek retribution come election time?).

The rest I agree with you, although I would all say those Bush is also beginning to feel the negative effects of policies he put into motion a few years ago. There will come a time his economic and spending policies will come back with a vengegence, you cannot keep borrowing money without eventually paying the reaper.

hope the approval rate can go up a bit after the passing of the consititution, if not, the rate seems to be dangerously low for him to lead Republicans into the future elections.

Originally Posted by mmarsh

Let me just say that mmarsh does not speak for the middle... maybe for the middle frenchman.

Thanks for the reminder, Heres a newsflash, NEITHER DO YOU.

I speak only for myself as a member of the AMERICAN middle. My opinion is strictly my own. Trying to descredit me by putting negative insinuations about my heritage is really lame. Is that really your best counter-arguement, is that I'm 50% French?

I think he meant that French politics have become so ultra-left that the middle of the political spectrum is just another spot for the left.

And if you truely believe you're in the middle, that may be true.

So that's it. One of the worst tragedies in American history goes down in New Orleans and he can't do anything to help it. Iraq still as big of a cespit as ever. Domestic policies died before they where impliamented. It's not really that Bush hasn't done anything specifically WRONG so much as he's done nothing.

I actually have to agree with you again.... *shiver*