From the horses' mouth: George Bush = Lee Atwater

[Armstead]

Here's something that helps put the current campaign in perspective.

Lee Atwater is regarded by most observers as one of the prime movers in the "dirty tricks" school of Republican campaigning. He used to revel in smears, dishonesty and all other nasty behavior. He was effective -- helped to defeat Dukakis. But he is also blamed as the person who helped drag politics into the mud.

He was so bad that supposedly he had a deathbed conversion, and expressed regret at what he had wrought.

On Hardball the other night, a Republican said something interesting regarding George W. Bush and the infamous Atwater, in a discussion of Kitty kelly's book:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6019473/

Excerpt:

MATTHEWS: Ed Rogers is a Republican strategist who worked as the deputy assistant to the first President Bush. He also worked closely with George W. Bush in 1987 for Bush 41‘s election.

ED ROGERS, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Obviously, I was Lee Atwater‘s deputy and he was at the campaign. And he was an intense, focused, deliberate, good colleague, good pal, good defender of his father, and a good operative, a good ear. He and Lee Atwater were sympatico on their instincts about a lot—on politics. They were much sync. I think there was originally some thinking he would be there to keep an eye on Lee Atwater, when in fact, they became fast allies and fast friends.

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[Leilani]

1. Attwater & Shrub were friends

And Karl Rove studied under Attwater...

As bad as Attwater was, these guys take it a step further.

[buycitgo]

2. ed rogers is the lowest order of slime

I don't think he's in Ed Rollins' book, but Rollins was Atwater's mentor, pretty much, and the one to whom he confessed the worst of his sins in his final days

Atwater and Rollins worked together early on, then parted ways during the 88 campaign when Atwater took over 41's sleaze patrol, and Rollins opted to head Kemp's organization

over the next few years, Atwater screwed Rollins badly several times, which ER details in his book

it's a fascinating read, covering his days with the Huffingtons and Ross Perot, among others

point is, despite some sort of affection for Atwater, he reveals what a scuzzball he was, AND what a huge bitch Barbara Bush is, too

well worth reading

but Rogers, from what I've seen, and with his ludicrous portrait of the biggest creep in politics, up until Rove, is as low as it gets.

[Armstead]

3. Kick

Even some Republicans are embarassed by Atwater today.

[Norbert]

4. Atwater did show a little conscience

He did apologise to Michael Dukakis and Dukakis, like the gentleman he is accepted.

Rogers and Rove are too brazen to have a conscience.

[DemBones DemBones]

5. Atwater turned to God before he died.

He became a Catholic and repudiated the evil he had done, praying for forgiveness.

I'm very glad he apologized to Dukakis. I think Michael Dukakis is a very decent guy who was treated very badly by the right, like George McGovern.