As Karl Rove embraced President Bush today following an emotional farewell announcement on the South Lawn, the solemnity of the moment was shattered by Bill Plante of CBS, who bellowed to Bush: "If he's so smart, how come you lost Congress?"
Apparently this is what passes for journalism today.
Maybe this is Mr. Plante’s standard, non-partisan question he asks of all presidents when they lose Congress.
It’s just that no one heard him when he called it out to Bill Clinton when he lost Congress in 1994 by a lot more seats in both the House and the Senate than President Bush lost in 2006.
Or a variant of the question: “President Clinton, if you and your wife are both so smart, why did you appoint her to do Health Care Reform (Hillarycare), and why did she make such a mess of it that you lost Congress?”
For those who are historically challenged, which includes most journalists and all Democrats, in 1994 the Clintons’ lack of smarts resulted in a swing of ten Senate and 54 house seats to Republicans.
In contrast, the first mid-term election for President Bush saw the Republicans pick up two seats in the Senate, and six in the House. This was one of only four mid-term elections in the past hundred years where the party holding the presidency picked up seats.
If Bill Plante is such a smart journalist, how come he asks such stupid, partisan questions? And does it in such a boorish manner?
Oh, that’s right. He works for CBS.
D’oh!
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