HE DOTH PROTEST TOO MUCH…. Chatting with CNN’s Larry King this week, George W. Bush was asked about his weak public support. “I don’t give a darn,” the president said, adding, “Look it, these opinion polls are nothing but a, you know, a shot of yesterday’s news.”
Here’s the thing: I don’t believe him. Or more accurately, I don’t think Bush believes what he’s saying at all.
Think about how many “exit interviews” the president has done in recent weeks. And the reports every cabinet agency has put together to spin the administration’s record in the most positive light possible. And the very existence of the “Bush Legacy Project.” We’re to believe the president has been working overtime to put his best foot forward because he doesn’t care what we think?
Gail Collins noted this morning:
The man has been saying goodbye for so long, he’s come to resemble one of those reconstituted rock bands that have been on a farewell tour since 1982.
All of this will, of course, be punctuated with a prime-time farewell this evening. I’m sure Bush is going to these great lengths because he doesn’t “give a darn” what we think.
Maybe he just loves spending time in front of cameras, answering questions, and reflecting on his service. Yeah, that’s it. Nothing to do with public opinion at all. Perish the thought.
