Bush Jumps the Gun

Whether you like George W. Bush or not, you have to give him and his team credit. He has always been incredibly meticulous in getting out his message and presenting the image he wants of himself.

In fact, Bush is joining the campaign fray much earlier than any other sitting President in U.S. history. Thus, having raised adequate funds to begin the fight, W. has abandoned the so-called sacred "Rose Garden strategy," which dictates that sitting Presidents who are running for reelection stay above and out of the fight for as long as is possible. The basic principle of this strategy is that it makes the President appear too above it all to deign to campaign.

Bush and his campaign staff, though, are astute enough to realize this strategy is perhaps what dealt Poppy his fatal blow in his reelection bid in 1992. Coming off Operation Desert Storm, Bush I seemed unbeatable. He didn't have time to sink down to the level of dignifying that charming governor from Arkansas. Yet, in the meantime, Bill Clinton was effectively able to paint "H.W." as an out-of-touch, broccoli-hating Reaganite remnant who lied about taxes, en route to a shocking victory that landed Bubba in the White House.

His son was not about to let that same pattern happen to him as he began opening a full frontal attack on John Kerry, nearly eight months before Election Day. That is so long that Bill and Hillary Clinton could conceive a baby and practically have it by the time you and I go to the polls.

More important than trying to create the perception that Kerry is an über-liberal Barney francophile from "Taxachusetts,"--albeit, a most predictable line of attack--is the image that Condi, Karl, Karen, and Dick have made for their boss, George W. Bush.

The events of the past three years of the Bush presidency have rendered toughness and strong leadership as desirable skills. Whereas in 2000, the wishy-washy '90s called for a bipartisan leader (read: compassionate conservative platform of W.), 2004 is all about who is tougher.

From Sept. 11, 2001 on, Bush has tried to tell America that he is no pushover. Whether it was standing on the rubble at Ground Zero, or disregarding the United Nations, or even landing on a navy cruiser in a fighter suit, one thing is clear: You don't want to mess with this guy.

The left has been just as quick to catch onto the need for toughness in their nominee. What is the one reason why John Kerry is the Democratic nominee and not Howard Dean? Vietnam. John Kerry served and was tough enough to fight on the front lines against Charlie. Howard Dean was taking time off to ski. That's not acceptable in 2004. Even former President Clinton has said that Dean would not have been electable in 2004, given his shady service record.

It is this rock-solid image that the Bush reelection campaign is very keen on projecting as early as eight months before November. In its onslaught of early television advertisements, the Bush team has come up with the campaign slogan "Steady Leadership in Times of Change." If Bush can convince the nation now that having John Kerry as president would make America weaker, it's going to be four more years of W.

Despite Bush's declaration of an end to major combat in Iraq, he is still very keen on labeling himself, like FDR, as a "wartime president." If nothing else, it is clear that the campaign team has emphasized Bush's image as a strong leader. But why were they so hell-bent on beginning the campaign so early? Could it be that they are trying to distract voters from remembering instances when the tough guy image didn't match the reality?

In the events surrounding the 9/11 Commission, we see a prime example of the story the Bush administration does not want Americans to hear. On "Meet the Press" this past Sunday, Commission Chairman Thomas Kean told NBC's Tim Russert that Condoleezza Rice would only testify under oath in public if Bush could be joined by Vice President Cheney during his secret, no-oath testimony to the commission.

Never mind the fact that now the Commission will not be able to have different testimonies from Cheney and Bush to compare in order to dig up the truth. Aside from the current leader of this country, have you ever heard of someone testifying to a court or a commission, under oath or not, along with someone else? There is no precedent for such an action. When faced with the Iran-Contra incident, Ronald Reagan did not bring along his vice president--who was none other than George H.W. Bush--to testify, and he even allowed his deposition to be videotaped.

So, Mr. President, you claim to be tough enough to be our steady leader in these "times of change." Then why is it that you are not tough enough to answer questions to a private commission of 10 people you appointed?

Bush Jumps the Gun