
President George W. Bush’s spokesman announced that “W” will not be at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. "President Bush was grateful for the invitation... But he's still enjoying his time off the political stage and respectfully declined the invitation.” The great whooshing sound that followed was Republican strategists breathing a sigh of relief.
Former Presidents are ordinarily de facto party leaders. Getting to walk on the moon is easier than getting into the Oval Office and each ex-prez had made it. Having one at a Convention reminds voters of success. Yet Mitt Romney did not see fit to personally ask “W” to reconsider. That’s because "W" will remind voters of failure.
George W. Bush is the one person Republicans must keep out of sight and out of mind. First, he left office with the lowest approval rating of any outgoing President except convicted felon. Richard M. Nixon. But the real reason is that the very G.W. Bush policies that sank the U.S. economy are the ones they want voters to buy into. Again. Seeing George W. Bush is seeing the face of failure, and the last thing they want voters to think of when they enter the voting booth in November.
Separating "W" from his failed [policies will be difficult, but master schemer. Karl Rove and his cohort, will do their best, using subterfuge, trickery, lying, contempt for American voters, and keeping G.W. Bush out of sight.
“That is why "W” will watch the convention on TV, unless he’d rather put the whole sorry business behind him and go see Batman. Who could blame him?