Why Bush is Over the Moon

摘要

Karl rove, president george w. bush's chief political strategist, is known for hamming it up, whistling, humming and occasionally breaking into song. But he seemed especially jolly last week at a dinner, held at a PGA golf-and-spa resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., for about 40 Republican heavy hitters. The mood of the GOP fat cats, so-called Rangers and Pioneers who have raised more than $200,000 and $100,000, respectively, for the president's re-election bid, had improved greatly since a similar gathering last fall, when worries over the economy and the war in Iraq had made them querulous with Rove. Now, with the stock market climbing and Saddam in jail, the contributors mostly tossed softballs to the president's top politico. Was Howard Dean, one questioner wanted to know, the best (i.e., weakest) Democrat for Bush to face in November? Rove indulged in some casual titillation. If voters were surprised by some of Dean's over-the-top comments, they should hold on to their hats, said Rove. He hinted broadly that the Bush-Cheney campaign had unearthed some bigger Dean whoppers in the public record, and that it would be just a matter of time before they emerged in the press.