Third Bush Term

From MyDD by Jonathan Singer:

I don't think this is exactly how the GOP wants this election to play out...

WOLF BLITZER: You just heard Congressman Van Hollen say that he represents a third Bush term. You know how unpopular the job approval numbers are right now.

HOUSE GOP WHIP ROY BLUNT: I don't think anybody believes that. I think everybody does believe from his record that here is somebody who has always been willing to complain about the way business was done in Washington. And, frankly, people want to see that...

BLITZER: When it comes to domestic economic issues, what is the major difference between President Bush's policies, what he wants to do, and what John McCain would do if he were president?

BLUNT: Well, I think what John McCain wants to do is continue these pro-growth tax policies that our friends on the other side have been talking...

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: But that's what President Bush wants to do too.

BLUNT: And there is nothing wrong with that. There is nothing wrong with that.

BLITZER: So it would be in effect a third Bush term when it came to pro-growth tax policies?

BLUNT: It would be. I think it would be. And I think that's a good thing. You can't go out in the country anywhere and find people who believe that doubling the capital gains rate is a good thing, that raising the highest rate on every small business in America is a good thing, that eliminating those bottom brackets, that mean that people at the lower levels of tax pay less taxes than they would otherwise. In fact, I think one of the reasons that the economy has slowed down the way it has is the fact that there's great uncertainty about how those tax policies move forward.

Let's just highlight that last exchange for posterity.

BLITZER: So it would be in effect a third Bush term when it came to pro-growth tax policies?

BLUNT: It would be. I think it would be. And I think that's a good thing.

Currently, George W. Bush's rating on the economy stands at 27 percent to 28 percent positive, with 70 percent of Americans disapproving of the job that he is doing on economic matters. So if the Republican Party, and even better John McCain, want to hug President Bush on the economy, I'm totally fine with that. In fact, I'd probably be fine with a group -- whether on the right or the left -- running ads quoting House Republican Whip talking about how McCain would represent a third Bush term on the economy. I think that should do the party really well come November...