Blair ally in poll threat to Bush

[ProudToBeLiberal]

Nicholas Watt and Duncan Campbell
Monday November 17, 2003
The Guardian

George Bush will be served notice today that the deep hostility towards him in Britain has reached the Blair inner circle, when the former minister Stephen Byers launches a bid to destabilise the president's re-election campaign next year.
On the eve of Mr Bush's state visit to Britain, Mr Byers, an arch-Blairite, will set out proposals to help Democrats in key swing states if the White House refuses to abandon punitive trade sanctions against the UK.

Acting with the tacit approval of Blair supporters, who were enraged when Mr Bush imposed tariffs on imports of British steel to shore up his vote, the former trade and industry secretary will call for sanctions to be imposed on four key marginal states which the president will need to win.

snip

· Florida and its citrus products. The state was the scene of the "hanging chad" saga in the 2000 presidential election, after Mr Bush and Al Gore virtually tied there;
· Wisconsin and its apples and paper. Mr Gore won this state by a tiny margin;
· Tennessee and its chemicals. Mr Bush scored a narrow victory in Mr Gore's home state;
· Iowa and its agricultural equipment. This state will play a key role when the nominations battle starts in January.

...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1086792,00.html

[JailBush]

1. Gosh, I LOVE the viciousness that's creeping into the anti-Bush movement!

I'm so sick of all the insipid peace protests with the lame "Impeach Bush" signs. I say stick it to'em!

[whirlygigspin]

2. you gotta love this

kick

[MoonRiver]

15. The national and international rage is building to volcanic proportions!

This creep and his despicable regime never saw a friend they couldn't alienate.

[Hieronymus]

3. Great news,

the Brits, except for Blair, will not be walked on.:yourock:

[Room101]

4. So much for free trade, you started it AWOL

:)

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. oh boy

last time we had this visicosness was

1800

1860

And this time the brits are playing...

Oh my...

[roguevalley]

6. Blair has no control over the dragon.

he's just trying to hang on. I wish I had this
minister's addie. I would write him a thank you
note.

[T_i_B]

7. Byers is not a minister

He used to be, but he had to resign eventually after he got caught telling porkies about a few things. He was noted for having a spin doctor who sent out memos advising that 9/11 was a good day to bury bad news amongst other things. Here is some dirt on Byers from the UK Observer.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,6903,1011321,00.html

[hadrons]

8. they could probably add North Carolina to the list also ...

[Lindacooks]

9. kick

[bmbmd]

10. This could backfire

in states like Florida that might vote GWB if they felt outside interference

[MoonRiver]

16. Not a chance. If Labour helps sink the FL economy, it's bye bye *,

and hello Democrats! GOTCHA! :evilgrin:

[AP]

11. Blair was VERY supportive of Gore. He didn't hide the fact that he saw

that a Gore victory would be in the best interest of the global community.

[Arugula Latte]

12. ...which makes his ass-kissing of the Chimp...

even more revolting. :puke: He betrayed good people on both sides of the Atlantic when he signed on with this lot of evil robber-barons.

[LibLabUK]

13. Hmm

John Major back Bush I in the '92 election and was treated very coldly by Clinton's Whitehouse.

Maybe Blair was worried that his support of Gore would mean a cooling in the relationship which would be detrimental to the UK (esp. business) and that means bad for him.

Doesn't excuse his complicity in Iraq, but might go some way to explain it.

[Wickerman]

14. I love it when others play Rovian games against Bush*

That is exactly how Rove would play it. Bullying and brutal. Yeah, it has some huge backfire consquences, but I love it all the same. This might wake some folks up stateside.