Presidents and Egos

So Ann wants to know why George Bush cares about his poll numbers.  In my mind there’s a whole (non-heavenly) host of reasons.  Let’s try to dive into a few, shall we?  These will be in no particular order, other than the order I can think of them.

First, if you’re the President of the United States (and I don’t mean a member of the mid-90’s band), you undoubtedly have a pretty sizable ego.  Some people do a better job than others of downplaying this, but it’s there.  It’s takes a hell of an ego to believe that you know how to govern and run a country better than anyone else.  I should know, because I have an ego almost that large, and proud of it.

So the fact that poll numbers are sliding/diving/in freefall is something that you can’t help but take personally.  The thought is, “How can these people doubt me?  I know what I’m doing.”  These types of polls are an affirmation (when people agree with you), and a slap in the face that needs to be corrected when people start calling you an idiot.

Second, as tough as it is to believe (and I still shake my head at this), George still has another THREE years to go.  In theory, he still has stuff he wants to accomplish, and it’s far easier to push senators and congressmen around when the polls back your positions and job performance.  When they don’t, it gets much easier for people to distance themselves from you and push different agendas.

Third, I think his numbers are so low that he feels like he’s got to do something so people don’t believe he’s completely out of touch.  He may be (and probably is), but as President, you don’t want people believing that.

Now, just to keep everyone happy, I’ll dive into the part you really wanted to hear.  George’s performance so far, particularly in his second term, makes be glad I abstained from voting in 2004.  There are those people who claim that if you don’t vote, you can’t complain.  I don’t buy that, particularly when you’re forced to choose between and idiot and a bigger idiot.  I would prefer to believe I can choose not to support either.  I regret Bush being the President right now, but I would equally regret Gore or Kerry as well.

I’ll try to get into more of this later.  In the meantime, it’s time for me to go to bed.  I still have to work on Friday.