On trail, Bush stays close to right wing

[G_j]

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/bush/articles/2004/07/18/on_trail_bush_stays_close_to_right_wing?mode=PF

On trail, Bush stays close to right wing

By Anne E. Kornblut and Susan Milligan, Globe Staff | July 18, 2004

WASHINGTON -- As Senate Republicans began accelerating the debate over gay marriage last month, President Bush got a warning about the potential for political fallout. Representative Charles Bass of New Hampshire, sharing a ride on Air Force One, told Bush to ''back off this gay marriage thing, that it was going to be devastating for him in the Northeast," where voters have a famously libertarian streak.

''I don't think they actively support gay marriage, but they have a subliminal distrust for government establishing a moral code for people's lives," Bass, a Republican, recalled telling Bush.

In response, Bass said, Bush ''looked at me like I was crazy." The president ignored the advice and actively supported a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage that was defeated in the Senate last week.

<snip>
On issue after issue, from stem cell research to Cuba policy, Bush has shown little appetite for ''tacking to the middle," as political operatives call it -- and his campaign advisers freely describe their strategy as one designed to motivate millions of conservatives to vote rather than attract the narrow slice of the electorate that is still undecided.

..more..

[calimary]

1. Good. I hope he molts.

And gets resoundingly plucked in November!

[kentuck]

2. Bush is no moderate......hes a rightwing radical...But...

he plays a moderate sometimes just before elections..

[Kahuna]

3. What's he waiting for. It's going to be pretty tough for him to do ...

the center shuffle at this point. He's exposed for what he is. A radical, fundie, wingnut. He's trying to avoid making the mistake of his father by losing the support of his base. He doesn't have a clue. He's alienating everybody with his bullshit. His base included.