"I wish I could wave a magic wand." ....Bush, avoiding conflict.

[MnFats]

During his first campaign, bush used the phrase "I wish I could wave a wand," or "I wish I could wave a magic want" when he'd been asked about some difficult problem for which he had no answer.

for example, during the 2000 campaign, a woman with no health insurance who was, if i recall correctly, about to lose her home because she'd spent all of her income on her children's health care.

This week he said it again, "I wish I could wave a magic wand and lower gas prices."

Fuggin' Norm Coleman uses it too on those rare ocassions when he actually goes out in public and talks to people.

My question: Is this phrase in some Republican Playbook somewhere? Do your local Republicans use it?

[Occulus]

1. old, old trick

because responding with that implies that the opposing point of view is claiming to have a "magic" answer that makes the problem go away.

Usually, the people who say this themselves have something to gain from the problem remaining in place, whatever it might be.

That, or they're too lazy/stupid/whatever to come up with a realistic answer.

[punpirate]

2. All Republicans...

... use it, because it's an essential element in fairy tales. Which is what they've telling us all for decades.

[MADem]

3. Wonkette (Greg Beato, subbing) had a great take on the magic wand

http://www.wonkette.com/politics/white-house/bush-administration-in-desperate-need-of-magic-wand-100538.php



The Catherine the Great on Derby Day reference is pretty humorous!