There are two equal-size parts to political outreach — seeking support and actually getting it. So far, Bush’s gang has done a little work on the first part, but is still failing when it comes to the second.
Ryan Lizza had an item in The New Republic yesterday on Bush’s inability to make inroads within the Jewish community. Among other things, Jewish voters prefer Kerry over Bush by an enormous margin (75-22) and deeply dislike Bush (20 favorable, 73 unfavorable).
It prompted Lizza to note:
I’d say with the exception of their efforts to woo Jews, blacks, Hispanics, and Catholics, Karl Rove’s and George W. Bush’s strategy to bring traditionally Democratic groups into the Republican fold is going swimmingly.
This is absolutely true. If anything, Lizza is probably understating the case.
In addition to the constituencies mentioned above, Bush has also launched half-hearted outreach efforts to American Indians, Hispanics, Indian Americans, women, and Muslims, all of whom seem to oppose Bush’s agenda and plan to back Kerry in November.
Better yet, the one ethnic minority that Bush could really count on for support was the Cuban-American community, who is shifting slowly but surely towards Kerry.
So who is Bush left with? I know there are a few wealthy, white, Protestant men in the U.S, but I question whether it’s enough to get a guy elected president.
Or as Digby put it:
So, after three years in office and a one time 90% approval rating, Bush has wrapped up the fundamentalist and CEO vote. Quite an achievement.
Indeed.