Bush is in a very sour mood today. Perhaps he read the polls--for a change. Hem. According to the new NBC/WSJ poll, Americans are "in a Sour Mood." I wonder what portends about his behavior from here on out?
If you caught the clip tonight of Snow introducing Bush to the press corps you know what I'm talking about here. Tony Snow was not happy to see his new boss, Mr. Bush, disappear from the WH press room quicker than a rabbit fleeing Mr. Cheney's aim.
It was gratifying to see him look so pained given all the fury people have toward his policies and his impact on our country. Did you see this diary? "I am old and I am furious." Yes, it's good to see him feeling pissed, don't you think?
Links to other diaries on the Tony Snow elevation on the fold.
Gorette's Diary:
These are the diaries, each unique, from earlier today about Snow's assumption to the role of White House Press Secretary:
http://www.dailykos.com/... by Bren 618
http://www.dailykos.com/... by Jeff Huber
http://www.dailykos.com/... by Robkallowpednews and
http://www.dailykos.com/... by ColoDemo.
These are my thoughts about the handover:
Standing next to Snow after his brief introduction to the WH press corps the president looked not only discomfited but downright angry, pissed and, well, like a real sourpuss. He took a moment to point out that it was his job to make the decisions (jeez, Prez, we like "I'm the decider" line much more) and that it would be Snow's job to explain those decisions to the press. Oh, we. did. not. know. that. Thanks.
The president had taken the moment in his intro to take a dig at the press saying he didn't know why Snow would want the job. Snow said that he'd taken the job because he'd wanted to work with the press. Well, I guess it would be hard to find anyone who would at this point want to work with Bush!
Yes, our dear leader left the room pronto. No standing around on ceremony for him, no answers to shouted questions either as he departed. It was as if he could not shake the dust off his feet fast enough. Damn press. Taking him down. Thinking they knew anything at all! Forget them, the day was young. He had some deciding to do.
MSNBC carried this headline tonight: "Country continues to sour on Bush, Congress." In the new NBC/WSJ poll: "Gasoline prices seen as major cause of pessimism" and the numbers for Bush were at a " record low." Aww.
From MSNBC online news:
WASHINGTON - "As gasoline prices have spiked above $3 a gallon throughout the country, the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll finds that the public’s view of President Bush’s job, the economy and the nation’s direction have continued to decline. But with the midterm elections just six months away, the biggest drop in the survey — 11 points in one month — is in the approval rating of Congress, which is locked in a bitter debate over what do about these gas prices, immigration, Iraq and a host of other issues."
But this quote takes the cake:
“You have never seen such a sour mood in the country,” says Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart, who conducted this survey with Republican Bill McInturff. “It is sour, sour, sour.”
Hmm. I can't recall the last time in American politics that "sour" was the defining mood of the people and president at the same time.
"And in that sour mood, the poll shows, registered voters say they prefer Democrats controlling Congress — but by a smaller margin than in the past few NBC/Journal surveys."
Just to finish with that new poll, we note that longtime pollster Peter Hart pointed out that Bush's time at that level is still less than two other presidents: Richard Nixon was there for 13 months and Harry Truman for 26 months. Bush has been at or below forty for merely the past nine months Bush's. So he has a ways to go yet before he gets more sour than those two.
It is kind of amusing that our president blames the press at all for his misery. His misery is self-inflicted but he does not realize it. I can just hear the conversation in the White House:
Prez: "Damn press. They need to go down. I want them to go down and I'm the decider."
Minion: "But, sir, you...."
Prez: "They have had it in for me all along. I told you they would try to get me. I told you. But what did you do? What did anyone do?"
Minion: "Well, we planted fake news guys in the White House press corps, we planted news articles and paid people to write favorable stories for you. We did a lot."
Prez: "Heck, that &4^ stuff didn't get us anywhere. Those no-good clowns have crucified me. Crucified me!"
Minion: "But, sir, we can't do......"
Prez: "Let's get Dobson and Rush to give us some names. We need some friendly faces in there, not these $^4! I tell you I won't go in that room again until we've got some friends in there. This is hogwash. Do you hear me you....? Let's get that Lincoln Group over here tomorrow."