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Edited by Politex
JANUARY '99
DECEMBER '98
NOVEMBER '98
OCTOBER '98
Specials
12 DAZE
VIRGRINIA LETTER
VOTER'S FRIEND
MOJOTOONS
Other Bush Web Sites
Bush '98
Bush 2000 Net
Skeleton Closet
Voucher Watch
Public Policy
History
Politics
African-Americans
Finances
Choice
Texas Politics
Questions
Reading
Religion
Myths
Opposition
Supreme Court
San Antonio
Ed. Food Stamps
BUSH PRESIDENTIAL STRATEGY IS CYNICAL MIX OF LANGUAGE AND SYMBOLISM DERIVED FROM 80'S DEMS, HALF-WAY FIXES FOR MINORITIES, POOR, AND CHILDREN, GOVERNMENT ED-STAMPS FOR THEOCRATS, AND GOP BUSINESS AS USUAL. G-Dub has "embraced" Martin Luther King as a "benign" symbol and James Jones' (D-Ok, '84) "compassionate conservatism" as a campaign theme, but just like Dad it's "read my lips" but don't watch what I do. For example, more than 40% of all Texas famillies "report they lack health care and worry about whether they can afford food." Name an economic category and you'll find Texas families are way below the national average: "Texas has more parents with housing problems, more children in families having trouble affording food, more residents in fair to poor health and more children and adults with no health insurance."
Analysis: In his recent state of the state speech, George said, "We must not become two societies--one that believes in the American dream and one that is without such hope." Yet, his economic policy proposals do just that. His child protection program has been called "a drop in the bucket": 380 new caseworkers when an estimated 2,000 are needed. Only 34% of those eligible will receive food stamps in the coming years. Nationally, the average will be 70%. Policy analyst Patrick Bresette asks, "What's going on?...You continue to have lots of poor people in Texas and yet programs are serving less and less of them that are still eligible for them. There's something wrong with that." What's wrong, of course, is Texas does not have an unlimited amount of government money, and Bush has chosen business as usual. He has recommended full $2 billion funding for property tax cuts, knowing that the lion's share of that will go to wealthy land and property owners. Further, he has also recommended fully-funded R+D programs as well as franchise tax cuts in the middle of a red-hot economy. It's turning out that what "compassionate conservatism" really means is that minorities, poor, and children get the tears and the talk and the business associates get the money. The Guv plans to run for President on such a record, apparently believeing that the center will listen to his words and the right will watch his actions. 1/31/99
DOES BUSH-BACKED RELIGIOUS LIBERTIES PROPOSAL ALLOW ON-JOB PROSELYTIZING? What, exactly, did the Guv mean when he said, "Recent court decisions have chipped away at the rock of religious freedom"? And why are worshippers dropping the word "Baptist" from their names? 1/30/99
SATURDAY SPECIAL: ONE HOUR C-SPAN INTERVIEW WITH GOVERNOR BUSH. This evening on your C-span channel at 7 and 10 p.m. central time. Recorded this past Monday. 1/30/99
LOSERS IN BUSH BUDGET ARE COMMON PEOPLE: RENTERS, CONSUMERS, TEACHERS, ABUSED CHILDREN. Analysis: The Guv wants to cut school property taxes by $2 billion but give school districts that money from the state coffers. This is obviously not an equitable use of state money, since the winners are millionaire/billionaires like his friend and past-business associate Richard Rainwater, who has vast real estate holdings, and the losers are renters too poor to own a home. Dubya tried this scheme 4 years ago with a $1 billion property tax cut, but the school districts didn't cut their property tax valuation, so the $1 billion really became additional state funding to education, badly needed to cover the cost of inflation. This time around the property tax is twice as large and a bill will be introduced to force the school districts to cut their valuation tax so schools won't get any additional funding. Then, Dubya wants to give the schools an additional $1.6 billion with no strings attached, but in the face of Dem criticism of his State of the State speech, suggests that the schools give most of it to the teachers. This didn't happen last time around when the schools got a $1 billion windfall when they didn't cut property taxes, and there's no reason to think it will happen this time around. The result will be wealthy property owners get a tax break, schools get enough money to cover rising costs, renters and teachers get nothing, and Bush will say his plan has benefited "the people of Texas." As for consumers, the Bush budget released today did not include the promised two-week sales tax suspension for children's school clothing. It did include a proposal for 380 more case workers, but that's only 45% of the social workers needed to attend to the abused children caseload. If G-Dub can fully fund property tax cuts for wealthy property owners, why can't he fully fund the abused children caseload? 1/29/99
DUBYA CALLS FOR A BIPARTISAN TX. LEGE SO HE WILL LOOK GOOD FOR PREZ RUN. DEMS ASK WHY, THEN, DID HE BACK ED. VOUCHERS, ELECTRIC DEREG, NO $ FOR TEACHERS, BIG BUSINESS TAX CUTS, ETC. Retired Democrat Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock, not Bush, is responsible for past bipartisan legislatures, Republican finance chief Ratliff reports the $ is not there for the Bush tax cut proposals for big business, and Sugar Daddy and Mad Dog, the new Lt. Gov., with their agressive Theocratic/big business agenda are responsible for the growing "Washington, D.C.-style partisanship." How honestly Bush deals with the pre-spin circumstances will tell us what kind of President he would make. (For specifics, see previously reported items below.) 1/28/99
BUSH SAYS DEATH AND SUFFERING OF ABUSED CHILDREN "BREAKS MY HEART," BUT LION'S SHARE OF ESTIMATED BUDGET SURPLUS GOES TO WEALTHY LANDOWNERS. Candidate B's idea of "compassionate conservatism" is do business as usual, but feel badly for the less fortunate. As Reggie James puts it, "Giving tax breaks, especially for businesses and individuals who are doing well in the current economic boom, is tantamount to loading the able-bodied into lifeboats ahead of the children and the infirm." 1/28/99
GUV FLUNKS LEADERSHIP TEST: WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT Y2K CRISIS, HIS CONCERN IS INSURANCE COMPANY LAW SUITS. Putting his mouth where his money is, Dubya does nothing to assure us that he's doing all that's needed to continue to provide electricity, gas, transportation, phone and computer service, food deliveries, etc. when 2000 rolls around. This Bush failure suggests an inability to lead. Send Politex an e-mail message with your opinion on 1/1/2000. 1/28/99
BUSH STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS, 1/27/99
BUSH GIVES THANKS FOR ATTENDING LEININGER THINK TANK DINNER WITH HIS CABINET AND TACITLY BACKS SUGAR DADDY'S "PET PROJECTS," INCLUDING STATE $ FOR RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS. Earlier in the day, George managed to avoid a large teachers' rally in front of his mansion, demanding enough pay to reach the national average. Teachers generally oppose the Guv's voucher policy and he, in turn, wants to give limited state money to school districts without indicating its use. Dubya also rejected a proposed hate crime bill which is a copy of Wisconsin's and has already been approved by the U.S. Supreme Court, saying that he would prefer to "enforce the laws we have on the books." Using the laws we have on the books, "right now if you run over someone's mail box and run away, that's about the same penalty as if you burn a cross on their lawn because you created the same damage." 1/27/99
G-DUB'S "FRIEND," "CONFIDANT" PROVIDES ADVICE: GIVE ME $2.8 MILLION. (Second item.) Nearly one-fifth of the Guv's $14.3 million campaign budget went to Carl Rove for direct mail, voter contact, etc. 1/26/99
LEININGER'S TEXAS POLICY FOUNDATION CREATES "FAR RIGHT IDEOLOGICAL LITMUS TEST" FOR STATE JOBS. Sugar Daddy's San Antonio think tank is offering a free job service for those seeking state government jobs featuring "a lengthy questionnaire probing their feelings on everything from gays in the military to labor unions to decriminalization of marijuana." Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander reportedly is interested in the foundation's services, a possible conversation topic when she attends its anniversary dinner this evening. 1/26/99
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN WEASEL WARNING: IT TURNS OUT THAT BUSH CAMPAIGN PROMISES ARE "IDEALS" THAT DO NOT CORRESPOND TO "REAL WORLD." For example, George said, "There is no flexibility. (Students must pass TAAS.) Beginning in the year 2003 we are shutting down social promotion, and we have given school districts ample warning." Now, the Bush-backed bill flags students who do not pass TAAS and leaves promotion up to a 3-member "committee" of parent, principal, and teacher. 1/25/99
NOW IS THE TIME FOR C.C. BUSH TO WALK THE WALK AND PUBLICLY AGREE WITH "HEAD OF THE GOP (WHO) CALLED ON SOME MEMBERS TO QUIT A HATE GROUP." Of course, Mississippi-based Council of Conservative Citizens participants include Jessie Helms, Bob Barr, and Trent Lott, but, hey, isn't that what "compassionate conservatism" is all about? (SPLC Report) 1/24/99
MINISTER TALKS ABOUT RELUCTANT MOSES WHO MAKES PERSONAL SACRIFICE IN DECIDING TO LEAD HIS PEOPLE. BUSH CALLS SERMON THE BEST HE'S EVER HEARD. "I basically have a fairly high level of trust of people, so it's easy for me to delegate," says Rev. Jim Mayfield, W's favorite pastor. "The weakness is sometimes I'm disappointed or taken advantage of." George understands; he delegates for political reasons, stays out of the line of fire, and spins the results. 1/24/99
BILL PROPOSED TO "PRIVATIZE THE PROFITS AND SOCIALIZE THE...RESPONSIBILITY" OF NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP WHICH WILL "MOST LIKELY" BENEFIT DUBYA'S FRIENDS/BACKER$. Longtime Bush billionaire buddy Howard Simmons ($10k to Bush campaign) owns Waste Control Specialists, along with former U.S. Rep. Kent Hance ($21k). Former top Bush aid Reggie Bashur is a WCS lobbyist, and longtime confidant James Francis ($4k) is "helping out." "Experts say the business would be worth million$ with radioactive waste pouring in from across the state, Maine and Vermont." 1/24/99
LIKE ED. VOUCHER THEOCRATS, GUV WANTS FED CONSERVATION $ WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED. (Final paragraphs.) George's lack of concern about land conservation and control of urban sprawl will haunt him in his presidential debates with Gore. Favoring private property ownership with as little environmental regulation as possible, his Interior Sec. choice would likely be someone like Mad Dog, who, as Texas Commish of Agriculture, is best known for dismantling his department's environmental protection programs. 1/23/99
BUSHWACKERS MEET, FORBES CALLS DUBYA "MUSHY MODERATE." W-SPINNER WEASELS THE WORDS. The "C" word is traced back to Pat Buchanan but, "as Bush uses the phrase, according to spokeswoman Hughes, compassionate conservatism is redundant. Conservatism is compassionate. Compassion is a conservative value. The governor, says Hughes, 'recognizes that a conservative philosophy is compassionate.'" Would this be what Forbes calls"mealy-mouthed rhetoric"? 1/22/99
BUSH MAD DOG LOADS SENATE COMMITTEES WITH GOP MAJORITIES AND CHAIRMEN AND CALLS IT "BI-PARTISANSHIP." The unkindest cuts during the day of the long knives reported thus far was removing hard-working Dem Gonazlo Barrientos from his chairmanship (Juntos Podemos?) and placing an abortion-limitation legislator in charge of the committee "likely to consider her bill." 1/22/98
POLITEX BELIEVES BUSH WILL SAY "MAYBE" BY END OF MARCH, "YES" BY END OF JUNE. Although we have already announced Dubya's presidential candidacy, the Guv tells reporters he can always go fishing. This orchestrated draft movement is beginning to read like a Frank Capra script. 1/21/99
QUAYLE TO MAKE "POLITICAL ANNOUNCEMENT" ON LARRY KING TONIGHT. Hint: it has something to do with Washington, D.C. 1/21/98 PS: It did. He's running. (yawnnn.) 1/22/98
HOUSTON CHRONICLE BLEW IT! (No link.) A mispelling in the Sunday edition changed the Bush inagural theme in Spanish from "Juntos Podemos" to "Juntos Pedemos." "Together We Can" became "Together We...Pass Gas." Carlos, a friend in San Antonio, added to the hilarity by pointing out the rest of the inagural statement: "The bilingual theme is in keeping with Bush's campaign effort to reach out to Hispanic voters." Further, a recent news item said that "Jose" is now the most popular name in Texas for male newborns, prompting local wit E. A. Galvan to note in today's Statesman that "it shows that Francis Scott Key, the composer of our national anthem, was more far-sighted than many of our latter-day politicians." 1/21/99
VOICES OF THE INAUGURATION. 1/20/99
"Some people think it's inappropriate to make moral judgments anymore. Not me." G. W. Bush
"I would have to go along with Bush's wife. I think this next election, as if they hadn't been dirty enough in the past, this one's going to be much dirtier. I don't want to see him and all his family drug through it." Paul Hawkins
"He has the courage to stand against the Washington Republicans and that mind-set against minorities. Being from El Paso, we find that a welcome relief." Rafael Adame
"I think we're going to skip the barbecue today. Looks good, but I don't think so." Eric Burns
BUSH INAGURAL ADDRESS. 1/19/99
DUBYA TALKS ABOUT CHILDREN ON DAY BEFORE INAUGURATION. After a Houston MLK Day celebration, in reference to his twins girls and a possible presidential bid, he told reporters, "I haven't met any 17-year-old child that's anxious to be drug through the national spotlight." (sic.) Continuing the drug theme in Austin later in the day, he told an audience of children that you can't grow up to be Governor if you take drugs. 1/18/99
WELCOME TO THE SHELL OIL CO. TEXAS GOVERNOR'S INAUGURATION, BROUGHT TO YOU BY COMPAQ COMPUTER CORP. Although private sponsers have raised $1.5 million for the inauguration celebration, lobbyists pouring into Austin assure us that nothing is requested in return. 1/16/99
D.C. LOBBYIST TRYING TO JUMP-START DRAFT W. MOVEMENT. "He is the most electable and one I think is almost guaranteed to be elected." 1/15/99
GUV STARTING TO BACK AWAY FROM CAMPAIGN PROMISES. His support of a proposed "social promotion" bill that leaves the decision with local school districts marks the end of one Bush campaign promise. As for his spending promises, it's growing increasingly clear that the money just isn't there. During the campaign George said that there would be a $6.3 billion surplus, but Senate Finance Chairman Ratliff says it's much less: "The estimated $2.5 billion in discretionary money would have to cover any (Bush) tax cuts; new initiatives for public schools and universities; and a proposed enhancement of Child Protective Services, along with any other 'wish-list' items that lawmakers present." Politex finds it hard to believe that, with 17,000 children abused and neglected because not enough state money has been provided to investigate their cases (see 1/6/99), the Guv would give wealthy landowners tax cuts in order to keep an ill-advised campaign promise. 1/14/99
FLU-FIGHTING DUBYA MEETS PRESIDENTS FOR 3 HOLES OF "ELECTRONIC POLO." Looking like the picnic scene in Citizen Kane with its incongruously long line of heavily-guarded vehicles at a golf course, the entourage began the match with an extended photo-op, and the Argentine leader grew impatient. He had been promised a game of golf with Ben Crenshaw. 1/14/99
W-BUSHIES TELL US HE DOESN'T WANT TO BE "DISRESPECTFUL," SO HE SEES WEALTHY, POWERFUL, AND EXPERIENCED VISITORS WHO "SPONTANEOUSLY" BEAT ON HIS DOOR. As the Guv's spinners would have us think we're looking at a draft movement, one Dad-Bushie likened Dubya's views to Reagan's. The Gipper didn't have any foreign policy experience, either, and that's where Oliver North came in. Dad's trying to remedy Junior's weakness, but Dan said yesterday it's too little, too late. 1/13/99
SCRIBE SEZ BUSH-PERRY-LANEY RELATIONSHIP KEY TO GUV'S PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRATIONS. With an eye on Mad Dog, House leader Laney recently said that previous Senate leader Bullock will be missed because he "never (had) his own agenda" and did things "for the larger good." Perhaps the Lege should just take the year off. 1/12/99
DAD GETS JUNIOR A GOLF MATCH WITH PRESIDENT OF ARGENTINA. Spin-gal Karen Hughes said Carlos Menem is just like the four folks from Jersey (see 1/10/99). "They just wanted to meet with him and learn more about him." 1/12/99
"THERE'S NO DOUBT HE'S RUNNING." BUSH LAYS OUT PRESIDENTIAL STRATEGY FOR WEALTHY GOP VISITORS. On December 18 nine prominent visitors to the Governor's Mansion in Austin were treated to a White House 2000 presentation by G-Dub. They were told that deep pockets, not deep thoughts, will win the nomination, and left convinced that he was "hungry to be President." George told them he planned to concentrate his campaign on "health care, education, taxes, and minorities." (Politex suggests all of this could be packaged within his "save-the-children" political theme.) A similar meeting is scheduled for Jan. 21. 1/11/99
MAD DOG'S TEXAS FOR DUMMIES: DISAVOWS "PUBLIC POLICY" CONNECTIONS WITH FINANCIAL BACKERS LEININGER AND BRADLEY. On the other hand, he plans to load and drive the legislative train with their pet projects: vouchers, annexation, and economic development, particularly tax breaks for wealthy landowners and entrepreneurs. 1/11/99
DUBYA ALREADY HAVING TROUBLE REINING-IN MAD DOG. George has an opportunity in the coming months to show the nation his political skills as he attempts to get his "save-the-children" agenda passed in a non-divisive manner, setting the stage for a similar national agenda in 2000. So far, he's not gotten the cooperation of "soul brother" Rick Perry, the Lt. Gov.-elect, who answers to the Guv's nickname, "Mad Dog." On Wednesday Perry told a reporter that his first order of business was to reduce property taxes and grant businesses tax breaks for R&D. The Statesman got on Mad Dog's case for being "shockingly callous and out of touch with reality," ignoring "things screaming for government help"-- abused children, teachers' pay, medical insurance, water problems, and drug addiction, for example-- and worrying about "things that don't need fixing," like the economy. The Statesman didn't mention that Perry's financial backers come from the world of big business, but found that his "frankness...astounds."
Here is how Wayne Slater described Perry's financial politics in yesterday's DMN: "Ideological interests - especially those that want to put public money into private schools - will be looking for something after spending millions of dollars to help put him in high office." This reminds us of Mad Dog's major money man, described as "God's Sugar Daddy." Slater writes that in the early 80's James Leininger, a San Antonio businessman, "bankrolled the campaign to limit injury lawsuits against businesses (tort "reform"), an effort that put a Republican majority on the Texas Supreme Court. In the early 1990s, he created a political action committee that elected religious conservatives to the state Board of Education. This session, Mr. Leininger's mission is to put public money into private schools. He was a big Perry backer and spent tens of thousands of dollars trying to elect a GOP majority in the House, only to fall a few votes short. He'll be counting on Mr. Perry to deliver in the Senate." The combination of Perry and Leininger could prove harmful to Bush's presidential aspirations.
But that isn't all. This week Mad Dog apparently tried to move state Sen. David Sibley, a highly-respected and experienced GOP leader, out of his post as chairman of the Economic Development Committee, and rumor has it that Bush, himself, had to step in and set Perry straight, but Mad Dog moved "jurisdiction on tort questions to another committee." If nothing else, such a rumor suggests thoughts of a growing rift between W. and Mad Dog with Sugar Daddy pulling the strings. As Molly puts it, "In general, Perry is regarded, both by philosophy and by campaign contributions, as entirely a creature of the business community, especially big business." What amazes some folks is Mad Dog's inability to even "give some lip service to the needs of the people." (AAS, 1/8) 1/11/99
4 N.J. GOP'S FLY TO AUSTIN TO DISCUSS WHITMAN'S ROLE WITH BUSH. Liddy isn't the only female vice-Prez candidate. 1/10/99
TEXAS POLITICS 101: BEING A DRUNK AND AN HONORARY KLAN MEMBER JUST DOESN'T CUT IT ANYMORE. Given its history, it's easy to blame the state's "appalling" systems on the legislature. Rather than the players, Molly focuses on its "high-octane entertainment." In the words of former state Sen. Carl Parker, "If you took all the fools out of the Legislature, it wouldn't be a representative body anymore." 1/10/99
SUGGESTION. The print-only, 15-page Guide to Texas' 76th Legislation session in today's Statesman (section "H") is the best single source of information for the 6 month free-for-all that starts Tuesday. 1/10/99
MACHO GUV WON'T SISSY DANCE. HAS DONE IT ONCE WITH LAURA IN TWENTY (20) YEARS! (No link.) While Al dances the merengue at the drop of a hat (see 12/8), Dubya casually confided to reporters Wednesday that he has danced with his wife only once since they were married and didn't know if he would dance with her at the upcoming inagural ball. Making light of it, Junior went on to say, "Before I commit to a long-term project such as dancing with my wife next week, I'm going to huddle with my advisers and senior staff. We will vote on it....I do want people to speculate on it for the next week. So if you wouldn't mind, in all of your columns and stories, we can have a countdown to dance night." Perhaps in embarrassment for Dubya, the only report of his comments appeared in print-only form in the Statesman on Thursday. While reporter Ken Herman wonders if George actually will dance during the upcoming inagural activities, Politex considers what the reported incident tells us about the man. 1/9/99
WILL IT BE SHADOW MAN AND NURSE RATCHED ON THE REPUBLICAN TICKET? Cecil Johnson sees Bush as a product of PR hype and name ID, and the American people "will realize that he is more shadow than substance, a creature of infinite platitudes and little depth." Maureen Dowd thinks of Dole as a scary, plastic, tightly wound Stepford wife/control freak who flips her "Liddy." 1/8/99
CANDIDATE ALEXANDER COMES OUT SWINGING AT BUSH "WEASEL WORDS." "Compassionate conservative," like Gore's "practical idealism," is "designed to mean nothing," says Dad's Sec. of Ed. who wants GOP nomination. 1/8/99
JEB TO USE OFFICE AS "BULLY PULPIT" FOR "SPIRITUAL AWAKENING" WITH SOCIAL SERVICES "ENHANCED" BY "SPIRITUAL ENTREPRENEURS." With Stetson-hatted G-Dub and cowboy-booted Dad looking on, wealthy commercial developer and new Florida governor proposes "call to arms" with less trust in government and more in "reservoirs of faith." 1/7/99
CHILDREN NEED $, NOT PHOTO-OPS. "CHILD ABUSE DEATHS UP 71% IN 1998." "Nearly three of every four children killed were age 3 or younger. And more than two-thirds were minorities." District Judge Scott McCown says poor state funding leads to inadequate state investigation practices, ranking Texas "below the national average both in investigations of child abuse per capita and removal of children because of child abuse." In October McCown said, "I don't know how much worse it could get before you call it a crisis." On 12/8/98 Politiex reported: "Yesterday (Bush) attended the Child Welfare League of America's 1998 National Adoption Training Conference in San Antonio, told the one thousand attendees 'to stand up and be foster families and adoptive families,' and did a photo-op with a 4-year old adopted child that would bring tears to a rock. Meanwhile, under his watch as Governor there's been a steady decline in child abuse investigations because he hasn't given Child Protection Services enough money to do the job. 40% of the allegations of child abuse go uninvestigated, and it's estimated that 25% of those cases would turn up actual abuse or neglect. That's 17,000 children that have remained abused and neglected this year. (For more, see DMN, 11/20/98.)" 1/6/99
GUV SWEARS IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN BUDDY TO RAILROAD COMMISSION WITH LITTLE COMMENT.Continuing last month's strategy when he announced his appointment of Midland friend Michael Williams without a press conference right before the Christmas holidays, Bush's only indication that Williams was the first black to be placed on the Commission was his statement that the appointment was "good for the larger concept of this great state." W. wants to pick up "diversity points" while not riling the strong anti-diversity GOP faction that he'll need in the presidential primaries. In his acceptance speech, Williams said people have reminded him that his appointment was "the first of a certain kind." (AAS, 1/5) 1/5/99
IT'S TIME FOR SON TO PUBLICLY DISAVOW MOON. DAD EARNED MILLIONS "MOONLIGHTING" FOR "WORLDWIDE BUSINESS-RELIGIOUS-POLITICAL-MEDIA EMPIRE." Moon pours billions into propoganda arm of "one-world theocracy" which wants to be "big enough to swallow entire America....Americans who continue to maintain their privacy and extreme individualism....will be digested." Moon stands ready to help the son in 2000 as he did the father in 1988 and Reagan/Bush previous to that, but is W. willing to pay the price? And where is Moon's $ coming from? 1/4/90
SINO-BOSSES GET THE WORD FROM THEIR FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: IT'S BUSH! "Chinese leaders also think the young Bush will pursue policies friendly to China because of the influence of his famous father." But they can't contribute to his campaign, right? 1/3/99
WATCHER OPINES: "SUSPICIONS" ABOUT DAD'S "INVOLVEMENT IN A VARIETY OF ILLEGAL ACTS" MAY HARM W'S PREZ RUN. "Is the personable Texas governor, in part, a front man for the restoration of his father's unsavory cronies who relied on national security secrecy to avoid accountability for serious mistakes and even criminal acts?" Further, although Rev. Moon has "denounced the United States as 'Satan's harvest,'".... "one source close to the Bush camp said the ex-president saw the value in building an alliance with the powerful Moon organization, (owners of "The Washington Times") as an asset for his son's presidential run." 1/1/99
POLITEX'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF BUSH'S PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDACY. With apologies to GOP U.S. Rep. Sensenbrenner (NYT, 12/11), for the last 6 months the hardest questions I have had to answer have come from parents who ask me what they should tell their children about the behavior of Governor Bush. When little Johnny says the Guv is "pretending" that he won't run for president and when bigger Johnny simply calls G-Dub a "fibber" for telling us he still hasn't made up his mind, how do we explain that George's behavior is acceptable and expected political behavior? Of course, if he really can't make up his mind, it's pretty dumb continuing to spend all this money, time, and energy getting all those folks stirred up over nothing, isn't it? Not being able to make up your mind is not a very good qualification for the office of president. But in the words of Mr. Sensenbrenner, "every parent tries to teach their children to know the difference between right and wrong, to always tell the truth, and when they make mistakes to take responsibility for them and to face the consequences of their actions." Accordingly, to prevent posssible future harm to the children, to take the debilitating decision-making preassure off of Governor Bush, and to provide him with some time to decide if Rep. Sensenbrenner's words apply, I am formally announcing that George W. Bush is now a presidential candidate, and asking that he think of the children in his present and future actions. 12/23
Extra, Extra! Fudged Drudge Sludge Nudged.1/9/99
1999 IN REVIEW: BUSH WILL ANNOUNCE PREZ RUN IN JULY. 1/2/99
EXTRA, EXTRA! LAT reader proposes "Rights of Bill," which calls for "separation of sex and state." (No link.) 1/2/99
++Planetary Exclusive++ SUNDAY SPECIAL: IS DRUDGE SON OF SPACE GHOST? Do similar interviewing techniques give paternity away? You decide: Drudge Sundays on Fox News at 9 pm ET, Ghost Fridays on Cartoon Network at ll pm ET. Send money as circumstances warrant. Hardly developing. January 03, 8:47:32:02 CT
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