06/01/2002 Archived Entry: "2004 Conventions, GOP:WOT"

ABC's The Note has been a terrific source for following this saga as it develops. And I've been sort of obsessed with it as well. First off, I believe any conventional wisdom that the pundits express about the dates is most likely wrong. Here's a couple of things that stand out. National Journal leads off page one, Inside Washington with Democrats Eye Miami for Convention in 2004, and cites that Miami has emerged as the prime choice... superior convention facilities, a desire to highlight latinos, Florida's EV;s, and Democrat's longing to remind voters of the 2000 election mess.... In Florida, Democrats would welcome the opportunity of playing off GOP Gov. Jeb Bush (assuming he's re-elected this fall) to put a face on their criticism of the Bushies.

First off, does anyone really need reminding? Did Cardoza need to remind voters of Chandra? And second, what Democrats in Florida would welcome is a Florida Governor named McBride, not Bush. And finally, isn't the NJ is a bit ahead with their bias of assumptions here? Without a doubt, Inside Washington would like assume Bush in 2004 as well.

So, here's where we stand, gazing out a few years: Bush in 2004, speaking on August 30th, coming out of NYC with the wind to his back for a full two weeks of a blissful PR bounce leading up to the 3rd Annual GOP celebration of Patriots Day (read that one, you'll like it). Any problems?

Well, just a small problem, mewed Matthew to Karl. According to the polls, only 40% actually think the US is winning the War on Terror, 35% say it's a draw, and 15% say it's a lost cause. Anyone seen any WOD numbers lately? Because that's where this fog-WOT is headed in terms of popular support. But the trans-afgan oil pipeline has now been agreed upon, it's set to go, for the Bushies, the job is done (just in case you were wondering why Pervez Musharraf is now eligible for change of regime). Now, about this mess called a war on terror, one thing is for sure: a GOP 2004 NYC convention to highlight 9/11 sure does make a lot of assumptions.