That was the time of Maximum Suckage.
“Right now, Democrats can’t figure out how to get away from Obamacare, so they are digging around desperately for something off-topic to discuss,” [Republican strategist Brad] Todd said. “I had the same emotion in 2006 when it was obvious the war was going to beat us but we weren’t willing to run against the war that we believed in. There is never any magic trick to get out of this box when your party is on the wrong side of the only issue voters care about.”
Mind you, in terms of sheer ethics, morality, political ingenuity, and simple competence George W Bush was light years about implementing his signature policy than Barack Obama has been in implementing his. As witnessed by the fact that Bush’s foreign policy continued to be implemented by Obama – until the latter finally managed to ram it into a brick wall, once and for all. But in terms of electoral reality… oh, God, 2006 was like trying to run in a foot of mud over uneven terrain, with the tide coming in and no idea where safe ground could be found. Not that anybody on the other side cared, of course.
Hey! Funny thing about that…
I think part of 2006 was due to the fact people bought into the Mainstream Media’s narrative (and yes the Republicans also lost their way), however I think that the mainstream media has since lost their credibility.
Bush was concerned about doing what was right for this country, Obama on the other hand is more concerned about how things will benefit him politically, and that’s not how a country should be run.
Credibility? The media has none. Influence? Tons. Obama winning re-election with the economy in sorry shape and in the midst of the Benghazi scandal should testify to the influence of the mainstream media.