Republican '08 hopefuls seek distance from Bush

For lower-tier candidates, bashing Bush may seem like the only option. Top-tier candidates may find it too risky now to go negative against the president.

from the June 13, 2007 edition

Page 2 of 3

Page 1 | 2 | Page 3

How to handle Iraq war

On the No. 1 issue, Iraq, almost all the GOP candidates continue to back Bush's decision to go to war, while a majority of Americans call it a mistake. At this point these candidates probably cannot change their position without looking like a flip-flopper. The safer criticism, analysts say, is to go after the handling of the war. "The problem was the mismanagement of the conflict," said Sen. John McCain of Arizona in the last debate, after reiterating his support for the war's rationale.

It is Bush's controversial plan for immigration reform that has given Republican candidates a safe place to go to bash the president – especially after his speech in Georgia on May 29, in which he stated that those who want to kill the legislation "don't want to do what's right for America" and are trying to "frighten people." That set off conservative talk radio hosts and bloggers, energizing opposition to the plan.

Bush's Georgia speech and conservative backlash were "a seminal moment," says Michael Franc of the Heritage Foundation. "That set things off and it probably won't go away, especially when there are other potentially divisive issues coming down the pipeline," such as reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind education reform.

Mr. Franc adds that, with Bush's overall job approval among Republicans well down from where it once was, in the 90s, a sizable slice of the GOP electorate is now receptive to a negative message against the president. Criticizing him is not risky when the pool of disgruntled Republican voters is one-third to more than one-half of the potential primary electorate, depending on the issue, Franc says.

1 | Page 2 | 3 | Next Page