November 13, 2003
Fun With Quotes
I am one of those people who doesn't get too hyper about presidential politics ahead of time. I follow the candidates with some bemusement interest, but unless a candidate really catches my eye, I generally wait for the dust to settle.
I don't put a whole lot of stock in media or pundit predictions, either. Here is one I came across while putting together my presidential quotes:
"Absent a scandal or economic collapse, Clinton's a goner." From Fred Barnes in The New Republic in May, 1992; declaring Bill Clinton's presidential candidacy to be dead in the water.
It's not over until the fat man plays sax. Or something like that.
Wake me when the National Conventions start.
Posted by Jennifer at November 13, 2003 11:01 AMTweet
Reminds me of an episode of Herman's Head in which "Bill Clinton is a one-term president" was the punch-line to Herman's saying "I need at least one piece of good news today..."
Posted by: R. Alex at November 13, 2003 02:13 PMBut if you wait until then, you miss out on all the Al Sharpton action. And nobody wants to miss that...
Posted by: Daniel at November 13, 2003 02:43 PMActually, that is just what happened - the economy went into a tailspin, and Bush was out. When Bush was at the top, after Gulf I, Saturday Night Live had a joke bit where Democratic Nominees were all saying why they would be so bad and shouldn't get nominated, because everybody knew how popular Bush was - then. But when the economy slid, so did he.
Posted by: VR at November 13, 2003 07:24 PMSorry, VR, but I think you have your dates mixed up.
The recession of 90-91 ended in March of 1991, and the recovery began then. It was called a "jobless" recovery, but it was moving quite smoothly by about July of 92.
So, why did everybody think things were so bad, that we needed a change? Simple. Because candidates kept TELLING them how bad things were....despite the evidence.
Seems like we have enough time, this time, to counteract that, as the recovery should be more obvious. While people always look at the unemployment rate to decide how the economy is doing, it's really a lagging indicator.
And, by historic standards, our current post-recession period is a virtual Golden Age. You won't find another post-recession period with such low unemployment.
Jew