my theory: Mulligan speech ONLY meant to reboost shrub's confidence....

[Lerkfish]

I think this is a rove tactic merely to forestall Bush's confidence spiral of last week. and that that was the ONLY purpose for it.

because:

1. it was certainly not prime time, so a lot of people would not really see it.
2. it was framed so that news media would still cover it.
3. it was written in such a way as to appear to be boosting Bush's fitness over Kerry's weakness (and reinforcing that in Bush's mind)
4. It contained no new material, just more pointed versions of the same attacks.
5. The crowd was even more uberenthusiastic than normal, a way of distorting reality for the chimp so that he thinks everything is really ok after all. It was by invitation only, so they could load it not only with fawning sycophants, but instruct them to go over the top in enthusiasm.
6. The timing was odd, and hurriedly replaced a routine press op. The only advantage of the timing between debates was to boost bush's ego, since the attacks were so off base that Kerry would never have been rattled by them. Bush needed a "pump up" before Friday so they could recondition him to start prepping him for the debate again. By letting him read (or earpiece teleprompt) something he didn't have to think about, it allowed him to relax and find his rhythm again before the debate.
7. It certainly didn't earn them any points or votes, it risked losing them in fact, as people realized it was just a stump speech...so there was no political advantage in the race at large to do so.

what do you guys think?

[stevedeshazer]

1. That was my first thought

Bush had to get his swerve back on by getting mindlessly cheered by his lemmings.

No lemmings on Friday, though!

[RafterMan]

2. Agree completely

And that could make it backfire.

There will be a (hopefully) real audience, not the adoring bots from his rally. So he's going to feel like he's failing the whole time, even if they're mildly enthusiastic towards him.

Plus he'll be drunk again.

[dogtag]

3. Yep, I can see Shrubby on his widdle knees begging

Rove to let him have a mulligan. "Please, please, Karl, I need to be loved like an OB-GYN patient." Rove, knowing the networks won't say boo about getting punked, pats Shrubby on the head and gives him his cookie.

[Lerkfish]

6. exactly....

I saw it as a bone (or cookie) being tossed to bush because he desperately needed it.

which brings up the valid question: do we need a president that has to be stroked like this?

no.

[tblue37]

7. Actually, I thought it was the same sort of thing

that happened in the debate, when Bush signaled for a 30-second rebuttal and then couldn't think of anything to say.

[Malva Zebrina]

4. I think at this point they will try anything

anything that will bring attention to Bush rather than Kerry. It was such a transparent ploy, but it is all they have left. Or, perhaps, could have been some real policy issue and they found out at the last minute it would have been weak or based upon spurious facts and knowing now the power of the people on the internet, they decided not to risk it. Or could have been a rehearsal, but at this point, rehearsals in the strictly controlled environment do not benefit Bush and too late to change that. If he opened up the audience, there would be hundreds inside protesting him. Hauling middle aged women out of auditoriums and off to jail, is not exactly the best advertisement for the Bush regime.

After the first debate fiasco, even his attempts to continue the debate on his terms, crying and whining , throwing mud at Kerry, looked cheap and stupid and unpresidential.

It looks to me like the great upwelling of anti-Bush people all over the country, and the world, has effectively limited the Bush and blocked several of his scripted ploys. They know they cannot get away with it. What is left? If they had a candidate that was not a manufactured image, they could have relied upon their candidate. He will fall again in the next debate and I hope this time his earpiece is discovered.

[highplainsdem]

5. I agree.

I imagine there've been a lot of Oval Office tantrums this past week, and even threats by Shrub to withdraw from the 2nd and 3rd debates. Yesterday's mulligan reeked of desperation.

[RobertSeattle]

8. Bush: "Hey Mulligan Man!"

[Marymarg]

9. Also, my first thought

The only explanation that makes sense. I wonder if Bush was at the point of refusing to show up at the second debate until Rove smoothed his feathers by giving him his "fix"(a controlled venue whereby he could bask in adulation).

While watching as much as I could stomach of the Mulligan speech, I was soooo reminded of newsreels of Hitler reacting to his mobs of worshippers.

[Lerkfish]

10. Preachers who wait for the "amen"....

ever seen preachers who leave spaces in their sermon for someone to say "amen"? Same thing...its a way to not only make the congregation think they are right on, but to stroke the preacher's ego.

[Texas_Dem]

11. No theory on your part. It is the sad, pitiful truth.

[PeaceProgProsp]

12. Fascinating theory. You are probably 100% correct.

[leftofthedial]

13. yup

but why mislead the media about the nature of the speech?

[Lerkfish]

14. because a stump speech would not have been carried live and complete

at this point. At best, one or two lines would have made it to the news. Howzat gonna cheer up the shrub?

[nostamj]

15. the WAY over-the-top reactions made me think that

dim as he is, I think that * KNEW he lost and lost badly.

his precious ego needed a HUGE stroking and his handlers put this together for only that reason

[Longhorn]

16. Good analysis!

Makes sense to me. I doubt it will work, though.