Do Bush Defeats Signal End Of Influence?

(CBS)  President Bush was in no mood for questions about his stunning defeat on immigration.

It's not just that this is a clear rebuke of his confident prediction 2½ weeks ago ...

"I believe we can get it done," he said. "I'll see you at the bill signing."

... It's that the defeat was sealed by his own party. After personally lobbying many Republicans, more than three dozen defected.

Immigration was Mr. Bush's signature domestic issue, and he used whatever remaining political capital he had left. Remember those hot and sweaty trips to the Southwest so he could patrol the border?

That's exactly why historians will look back on this as a defining day in the Bush presidency, CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod reports.

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CBS News Poll: Immigration

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"The failure of the immigration bill means that George Bush is beyond being a lame-duck president," says CBS News analyst Douglas Brinkley. "He's a 'dead-duck' president."

And it's not just immigration. When the White House claimed executive privilege today to fight congressional subpoenas in the U.S. Attorney firings investigation, a top Republican complained the White House was just continuing to protect the president's embattled attorney general.

"And while the investigation is lagging, Attorney General Gonzalez continues to serve. But as long as he continues to serve, the department is in disarray," Sen. Arlen Spector, R-Pa., said.

Add to that this week's high-profile Republican deflections about the war, which sent national security adviser Steven Hadley to Capitol Hill to see if he could contain the damage.

"When people in your own party turn on you when you're a president is when your policies crumble," says Brinkley.

One GOP insider told Axelrod today: "When it comes to the president's influence, it's 'how low can you go.' If the president's approval ratings were just at traditional lows, things might be different. They're not. They're at historic lows. So now it's every man for himself.

[wildfire_1]

Bush's intention was most likely political when he tried to push this immigration bill on us. He wanted to secure Latino votes for Republicans similar to the voter base blacks represent to Democrats. It backfired because he attempted to provide a form of amnesty to millions of illegals.
What he need to do is secure our borders and enforce existing immigration law.

[toolmangler-2009]

Do Bush Defeats Signal End Of Influence?


I certainly hope so.




I refuse to vote for more comfortable chains.
Posted by FeelFree1 at 12:17 AM : Jun 29, 2007


feely1 seems to think that "The fear I know is better than the fear I do not know". Get a life feely1, live a little, the moment your people (Islam) have control of the world 'happy hour' is over. (until the next revolution). Mebbe they'll learn sump'in by then like "seperation of church and state"

[drummer94]

posted by xzavierbrown at 11:49 AM Yea, But, the terrorists were NOT in Iraq UNTIL osamabingeorge took us there.

[peaceforusa]

Bush needs to be impeached and tried for treason because he was so ready to sell out America and he thought the American people would just sit back while he gave millions of ILLEGAL ALIENS the same rights we AMERICANS fought for and worked so hard for. He was just going to hand that to these criminals and we were going to pay for it. Bush is a disgrace to this country. Now we need to secure the borders by building that fence, enforce the laws by hiring more border agents, and keep these criminals in their own countries. And we need to fight for this just like we did to squash this "AMNESTY" bill. Our nation is under seige by this presidency and we need to end it.

[xzavierbrown]

the only way Bush can get any influence over the liberal end of the spectrum is if can manage to convert to islam and start looking like osama bin laden.

After 2 terms and several accusations, proves that Bush is relentless in his crusade against terrorism and that the DNC is a weak and incompetent party. However, I do agree that Bush was after a very unpopular issue of ILLEGAL immigration.

[hober_mallow]

"Do Bush Defeats Signal End Of Influence?"

I certainly hope so. George Bush is a disaster.

[drummer94]

"...historians will look back and say..." What a maroon. What a criminal. Why didn't they toss him out of the presidency? He was a disgrace and an embarassment to that office.

[mcvet]

I refuse to vote for more comfortable chains. Our government has run amok, most national level Democrats are DEEPLY COMPLICIT in the worst of it, and in deep denial of that fact, and it is up to the people of this country as to whether we re-assert control of our government, or not.

Posted by FeelFree1 at 12:17 AM : Jun 29, 2007

There are TWO Parties Sparky! The chance a 3nd party can be formed and have a realistic chance to win is NOT IN THE CARDS. You can, if you choose, throw your vote away, because voting for someone who doesn't have a chance to win means your vote doesn't count. Democrats have always been what they are today and anyone who say's they aren't a much better option than Southern Fascist are living in a dream world. The chance that something will be done about Health Care, Social Security, Worker's Rights and Worker's Pensions along with so many more things is greatly improved with Democrats in office. A third party? What are they going to do about any of these issues?

[freckster]

Make some noise with your Senators & Congress, don't just vent here. Put action behind your words. Impeach now.

[mcvet]

Same goes for all those posters on all these blogs/news/etc sites. Bush couldn't care less what you have to say, it doesn't affect his decisions one bit, because your tripe isn't offering any advice, it's all just spouting rhetoric and talking points from MoveOn and Moorecheeseburger and the rest.
Posted by SlipSter01 at 08:38 PM : Jun 28, 2007

You are a simple minded fascist making excuses for the WORST President in US History. You also left out ONE major fact, we had an ELECTION you pathetic nazi! That's right! American's went to the polls, elected REPRESENTATIVES for ONE reason and your fuhrer ignored that act. When you scream at the top of your lungs for an Idiot NOT to do something, when you say over and over that he's taking us all in the wrong direction, then after the whole thing blows up in the Dictators face, losers like you come along and say he does follow "Poll's" and that those of us here don't matter because we have NO advice how to get your fuhrer out of a mess WE said he was making in the first place?? Man you are about as far out of touch with America as any human I've ever seen... WAY out there!! Sieg Heil Bush