Inauguration Overview
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HERE WE GO AGAIN by Dotty Lynch, Senior Political Editor, CBS News The American Dream holds that the lives of the children should surpass those of the parents and at noon on January 20 George Walker Bush is about to fulfill that dream and do something George Herbert Walker Bush never did. He will take the oath of office for the second time. And his theme “Celebrating Freedom and Honoring Service” will be hammered home over and over all week. Bush won re-election by besting John Kerry on the issue of who could best handle the terrorist threat and by casting his arguments in moral and religious terms. Both of these hallmarks of his victory will dominate his second inaugural. “We are a nation at war, and it is fitting that the inaugural events reflect not only the great sacrifices made by our troops everyday to protect our freedom, but also the cherished ideals that make our nation so unique,” said Jean Johnson Phillips, the co-chair of the 55th Inaugural when she announced the theme and schedule of events . The schedule begins with a Military Gala on Tuesday, January 18th and ends with a National Prayer Service on Friday, January 21st. The moral component of the first Bush term and the President’s heavy use of religious and value-laden language will not be missing this time. His address in 2001 surprised people with the heavy use of religious imagery (“an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm," "a power larger than ourselves, Who creates us equal in His image") although his speechwriter Mike Gerson and other Bush advisors believe it was more alien to the beltway crowd than to the American people. Patriotic language and symbols are woven throughout the week. The inaugural balls are named Freedom, Liberty, Independence, Democracy, Patriot, Constitution, Stars and Stripes and Commander in Chief. The ninth bears two truly sacred words, the Texas- Wyoming ball. The music is a blend of patriotic and religious. Senator Trent Lott Eagles Soar," a song written by Attorney General John Ashcroft and sung by Guy Hovis, a vocalist from Tupelo, Mississippi., who performed on the Lawrence Walk show. Is Freedom Just Another Word? But, the word that may dominate all others is Freedom. Republican strategists think that by wrapping the Bush foreign and domestic policy goals in the concept of freedom, he will be able to appeal to people’s sense of American patriotism and honor. Tying the war in Iraq and Social Security to the concept of freedom from oppression and government dependency, the Bushies hope that the two big items on the President’s plate can be put into an idealistic framework. President Bush has said his priorities over the next four years are winning the fight against terrorism, spreading freedom and democracy, reducing the deficit and overhauling Social Security and the tax system. White House communications director Dan Bartlett said on Sunday that “it really is a liberty speech - how we promote liberty overseas, which is in our direct interest for security here at home, as well as liberty here at home. That means giving people more control over their lives, giving them a stake in the future of America by giving them more control and more power to make decisions on their own behalf.”. The Second Term Angst: What’s My Legacy? Bill Clinton’ was obsessed with legacy and during the second term he was concerned that he would not be remembered as a great President in part because few great events occurred on his watch. That was not to be George W. Bush’s fate. Republican pollster David Winston says that Bush’s place in history is already set. ” 911 has defined his legacy,” Winston says, but his second term gives him the opportunity to focus on what’s left to do, tax reform, tort reform and most importantly making Social Security solvent. Taking on Social Security, the third rail of American politics is high risk but Bush wants to do “something substantive and big” and be remembered for fixing a critical problem Winston says. The President came out the day after the election and announced he had gained “political capital” and was looking for where to spend it. Social security seems to be the answer. Democrats screamed that he had not campaigned on these big domestic agenda items and it remains to be seen just how much capital he has. Polls out in the past week from the Pew Foundation and Gallup say that while people are generally willing to consider some type of privatization only 18% buy the idea that there is a crisis in the Social Security system and 65% oppose any cuts in benefits. Just how much capital does he have? "We had an accountability moment, and that's called the 2004 elections," Bush told the Washington Post on Sunday., “The American people listened to different assessments made about what was taking place in Iraq, and they looked at the two candidates, and chose me." President Bush’s pollster, Matthew Dowd, was convinced that if Bush’s job rating reached 50% he would be re-elected. It did and he was. But despite the deep funk of Democrats, President Bush’s job rating isn’t much higher than the low 50s after the post- election détente. He is just about tied with Richard Nixon as having the lowest approval rating of any modern President going into a second term. Here’s is a list compiled by the Pew foundation and CBS News based on results from the Gallup Poll. Second-Term Approval Ratings (1957-2005) Approve – Disapprove \ Bush (Jan 2005) 50-43 Clinton (Jan 1997) 59 31 Reagan (Jan 1985) 62 29 Nixon (Jan 1973) 51 37 Johnson (Jan 1965) 71 15 Eisenhower (Jan 1957) 73 14 President Bush’s approval rating is almost exactly where it was at the beginning of his first tem while his disapproval rating has doubled. In January 2001 Pew found 53% approved, 21% disapproved and 26% didn’t have an opinion. It’s as if all of those who were undecided have gone into the disapprove category. Bush does have a solidly Republican Congress. He has a ten point margin in the Senate (55 R-44D- 1 Independent, Jim Jeffords who votes with the Democrats) in the Senate, and a thirty-one seat advantage in the House (232R-201D 1I and 1vacancy) but his party is not completely on board on the issue agenda. Republican pollster Linda DiVall says that is why there is such a full court press now to sell the arguments about the need to preserve Social Security “The President is leading the party with amazing energy and passion” to get everyone on the same page,” she says. To demonstrate the commitment t the Republicans in Congress, Vice-president Cheney has asked Housie Speaker Denis Hastert to swear him in. DiVall says that Cheney has talked about what a great speaker Hastert has been, “a man of his word and a man of great integrity, ” Cheney says This will be the forth time in history that a House Speaker has sworn in a Vice President. The most recent was 1977 when Speaker Tip O’Neill swore in Walter Mondale. In 2001 Chief Justice Rehnquist swore in both Bush and Cheney. Security Isn’t Just Social The first inaugural since 911 will have unprecedented security procedures. More than 13,000 law enforcement officials and military personnel will be on hand. “Our goal is that any attempt on the part of anyone or any group to disrupt the inaugural will be repelled by multiple layers of security,” said outgoing Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge. Party goers will be watched eating their rattlesnake nachos at the Ritz-Carleton by roof-top snipers and will walk over sealed manhole covers on the way to the balls. Officials will monitor events from helicopters using terrestrial surveillance cameras and monitor air quality data from chemical and biological sensors. The no-fly zone for small planes will go from 16 miles around Washington to 23 miles. Anti-war demonstrates are being given “bleachers at 4th and Pennsylvania Avenue to stage their protests. Some of the protestors have accused the Bushies of “privatizing the parade route” making Pennsylvania Avenue accessible only to the Inaugural committee and the DC government is complaining that they will be force to divert $11 million from their Homeland Security budget to pay for inaugural security. The Court and the Cabinet The President will be sworn is by the chief Justice, William Rehnquist, 80, who is undergoing treatment for thyroid cancer. Both sides are gearing up for battles over as several vacancies on the court in this Bush term. The President ended the speculation about an imminent departure for Rehnquist in December when he asked him to swear him in once again. At three pm on January 20 following a lunch which will end with a Teddy Roosevelt favorite lemon steamed pudding the Senate is planning to meet to confirm many of President Bush’s new Cabinet secretaries. Only four of the 15 original Bush cabinet Members (Rumsfeld, Mineta, Chao and Norton) are still in place, the same number as stayed for Clinton/2. Much has been written about the President’s “in-house” choices but with the exception of Bernard Kerik and Al Gonzales few have faced controversial confirmations. Condoleezza Rice’s hearing begins on January 18 and while she is expected to get some tough questions she too is expected to be confirmed. He was able to underscore his committed to the growing (and growingly loyal Hispanic community) with the selection of Al Gonzales as Attorney General and Carlos Gutierrez for Commerce.