4.30.2005
Alarm Bells for 'Lame-duck' Bush (TheAge.com.au)
By Michael Gawenda
Washington
April 30, 2005
The US President goes on TV after serious domestic policy stumbles.
President Bush is in trouble. "We're in the lame duck period," says independent pollster John Zogby. "Every day that passes the duck gets lamer."
George Bush's prime time televised news conference on Thursday night (Washington time) was only the fourth of his presidency and was evidence of increasing alarm within the Administration over the challenges he faces.
The three previous prime-time press conferences were all about national security; the first was after the September 11, 2001, attacks and the other two were to lay out his case to go to war in Iraq. This one was about social security reform and the need to pass his controversial energy bill, which even he admits will do nothing to contain rising fuel prices.
One hundred days into his second term, Mr Bush's poll numbers are the lowest for any re-elected second-term president at this point in his term for more than 50 years.
(More ... Alarm bells for 'lame-duck' Bush - World - www.theage.com.au) ¶ 11:47
Washington
April 30, 2005
The US President goes on TV after serious domestic policy stumbles.
President Bush is in trouble. "We're in the lame duck period," says independent pollster John Zogby. "Every day that passes the duck gets lamer."
George Bush's prime time televised news conference on Thursday night (Washington time) was only the fourth of his presidency and was evidence of increasing alarm within the Administration over the challenges he faces.
The three previous prime-time press conferences were all about national security; the first was after the September 11, 2001, attacks and the other two were to lay out his case to go to war in Iraq. This one was about social security reform and the need to pass his controversial energy bill, which even he admits will do nothing to contain rising fuel prices.
One hundred days into his second term, Mr Bush's poll numbers are the lowest for any re-elected second-term president at this point in his term for more than 50 years.
(More ... Alarm bells for 'lame-duck' Bush - World - www.theage.com.au) ¶ 11:47
