FT: Queasy Republicans Steer Clear of Toxic President

[Goaldeje]

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http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c5784510-4...0779fd2ac.html



When the Republican John Sununu defeated Jeanne Shaheen six years ago in a bitter Senate race in New Hampshire, he had one distinct advantage over the former Democratic governor: the support of an overwhelmingly popular wartime president, George W. Bush.

Today, Mr Sununu, a member of a Republican dynasty, faces a rematch against Ms Shaheen in November and is considered the most vulnerable Republican incumbent in a field of Senate races that strongly favour Democrats.

Of the 35 Senate seats up for election, Democrats consider 11 seats held by Republicans worth a vigorous fight while they believe they are at risk of losing only one, in Louisiana.

Republicans learned in 2006, when Democrats narrowly won control of the Senate, that Mr Bush's dismal approval ratings were a liability. This year, association with the president is toxic. When he appeared in New Hampshire to support Mr Sununu in 2002 he was interrupted by cheers of "We want Bush!"

This year, Mr Sununu boasts that he was the first Republican senator to call for the resignation of Alberto Gonzales, the former attorney-general and Mr Bush's close ally.

"It is every man and woman for themselves on the Republican side," said one party lobbyist. "No one is expecting any 'McCain coat-tails'. The math is against them, the political environment is against them, the money is against them."

Instead of pushing their own broad agenda or big ideas, Democrats are relying on attacks on the status quo, echoing the mantra of "change" proclaimed by Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee. This time both the stumbling US economy and Iraq are central to the campaign. The Republicans' only advantage is that Democrats have controlled the Congress, which is even less popular than the White House, for two years.




Click Link for More:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c5784510-4...0779fd2ac.html

[Thiebear]

So the republican leadership is bad.
And the Democrat leadership is ???.

Seems to be about normal these days
Get elected on your own merits stoog.

[Buford]

Both parties are toxic right now.

They've outlived their usefulness. Now while they talk about the good of the masses. They are only concerned about their own survival.

Our system isn't broken per say. But it needs a serious tune-up.

Term limits in Congress would be a start.