BUSH’S SOTU SLUMP

More evidence that his uninspired SOTU hasn’t helped him: Newsweek shows the president slumping back to 50 percent approval ratings. More interesting, Bush is in a statistical tie with Kerry, Edwards and Clark. Of course, these are early, early days; and Rove hasn’t unleashed his torrent of negatives against Kerry. But I have the feeling that the Republican leadership think they have another 1988 on their hands. I’m not sure they do. Kerry isn’t Dukakis and the old Finklestein liberal-bashing seems tired to me and to many others. Another interesting nugget” the liberal base seems more fired up than the conservative base – 47 percent strongly want Bush defeated, versus 37 percent who strongly want to see him re-elected. I guess a major anti-gay push is now in the works at the White House. On the bright side: it’s going to be a fascinating campaign. And, er, I’m not yet ready to write Dean off. It’s painful to watch him re-clothe himself as a fiscal conservative. But they sure are a more appealing political couture to the Independents of New Hampshire.