It's the Legacy, Stupid!

When asked about Bush's domestic and foreign policies, the GOP presidential candidates chorus.... "Bush who?" But, like the pesky mutt that won't let go of their pant leg, the Bush bellicose and Constitution shredding policies will be hard to shake

Still, they are hoping to detach themselves from the monstrous ruin wrought by The Decider.... "Looking Past the Elephant in the Room, GOP Contenders Keep Distance From Bush Legacy." (WaPo)

Take GOP candidate Fred Thompson who pines for the good ol' days.... so much so he even thinks there is still a Soviet Union. Like GOP icon Ronald Reagan, he's a little vague on details. But, he knows things used to be better. "I think back to 1994," he rambles, "We need to adhere to the principles that made this party great and that made this country the greatest."

Of course, Democrat Bill Clinton was president in 1994 as the GOP stormed into control of Congress. But Clinton kept a tight rein on that Congress... remember the famous budget standoff that led to the shutdown of government in November 1995?

Clinton refused to sign a bill to keep the government going because it required Medicare recipients to pay more for some premiums. GOP House Speaker Gingrich played chicken with Clinton, thinking Clinton would back down rather than close down government.... and, Gingrich ended up with egg on his face when he had to back down.

Hoping to make a quick getaway from the Bush years, Sen. John McCain is revving his Straight Talk for a more aggressive government. And, Mitt Romney suggests that the GOP has drifted into the embrace of "big government" and must return to acting as "change-Washington Republicans."

Well, actually John and Mitt, the problem is that the Bush administration has been too aggressive with their foreign policy, and the embrace the Bush administration has led us into is "big corporate interests."

The GOP candidates are finding it heavy going, trying to put distance between themselves and the Bush White House. It's like the old golf story about the guy who had a bad round of golf after his buddy passed out on the course... "it's take a shot and drag George."