Bush-Cheney '04 Blog
October 7, 2003 7:12 AM   Subscribe

Official Bush-Cheney '04 Blog Now Online, will offer breaking news, grassroots updates, and posts from the campaign leadership.
posted by dagny (55 comments total)
 
The upside: they has rss feeds! Yay! The downside: "posted by georgewbush.com" doesn't exactly give a blog the personal touch you might be looking for.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 7:14 AM on October 7, 2003


I was just wondering where I can get that rad in-your-face font!

Its like GeorgeWBush.com is speaking to MY generation! AWESOME!!
posted by tittergrrl at 7:21 AM on October 7, 2003


"...they has..."
Doh!
posted by monju_bosatsu at 7:31 AM on October 7, 2003


I want to comment.
posted by DragonBoy at 7:32 AM on October 7, 2003


50% of the content so far is devoted to how Kay's interim report "proves" that Iraq had WMDs. If this is any hint of their major concerns over the upcoming campaign, all I can say is: yeeeeeeha!
posted by magullo at 7:37 AM on October 7, 2003


October 8th, 2003: Today Dick beat me again at Backgammon. I think he's cheating, but I can't figure out how. To make up for it I challenged him to a game of solitaire, but he just laughed.

October 9th, 2003: I caught Ashcorft in the pantry doing something strange today. He was clutching a can of tuna and there were tears in his eyes. When I axed him what was wrong he would only say, "Won't someone think of the dolphins?"

October 10th, 2003: Some pissed off guy named Wilson keeps trying to get in touch with me. finally I tell the secretary to put him through on speaker phone - then I switched on the TV to Regis and Kelly and turned it up real loud. Hehe.
posted by wfrgms at 7:41 AM on October 7, 2003


October 11th, 2003: Still not king.
posted by tittergrrl at 7:47 AM on October 7, 2003




Alright, I realize some gung-ho intern probably did all of this, but I'm going to weep anyway. It truly is a radical button, with a bitchin' font at that. An informed person however, who have at least used silkscreen, and maybe noticed that using the "B" to complete Bush and Blog also spells out "BCHENEY." But look at the typeface choice for "OFFICIAL," so elegant... so official . Truly this President is both hardcore awesome and ready to get down to business, like a government mullet.
posted by Stan Chin at 7:53 AM on October 7, 2003


October 11th, 2003: Still not king.

ROFL!!!!
posted by jpoulos at 8:03 AM on October 7, 2003


Mouse-overing the link to check the URL, I thought this was a joke. Well, I mean, it is, but I thought it was like a joke joke.

Would somebody give me a hug?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:04 AM on October 7, 2003


The weblog is W.'s very own checkout scanner.
posted by the fire you left me at 8:09 AM on October 7, 2003


Sure, he's coming on like gangbusters out of the gate and everything, but I fear that W's interest will wane in this blog too, and it will become as intermittent as his previous blogs...
posted by soyjoy at 8:16 AM on October 7, 2003


And he found massive evidence of big-time coverups by Saddam and his evil elves

What in the world? I know that the language of propaganda is weird, but "evil elves" is a bit over the top.
posted by udeups at 8:18 AM on October 7, 2003


I wonder where the dividing line between "blog" and "press-release page" sits. It's gotta be a pretty fine line.

Unless the man himself is writing it - there's no real reason to read it. It's just going to be propoganda.

Like you didn't know that already...i'm just saying is all.
posted by jaded at 8:21 AM on October 7, 2003


Unless the man himself is writing it - there's no real reason to read it. It's just going to be propoganda.

Man, you are *so* jaded.
posted by me3dia at 8:28 AM on October 7, 2003


Love that harshly worded copyright message, the use of the phrase "intellectual property" to describe a website always cracks me up.
posted by mathowie at 8:35 AM on October 7, 2003


I want to comment.

Chuck@georgewbush.com
posted by carter at 8:39 AM on October 7, 2003


Unless the man himself is writing it - there's no real reason to read it.

I disagree, well, in principle. Though I won't be bothering - it seems much too tedious and predictable - it would be worthwhile for someone to do so. That's because they're trying to hit a target young, blog-aware audience, and they're eventually going to stray onto the wrong side of that line in their efforts to define it, and they'll have something embarrassingly candid up there, and it should be screen-grabbed when that happens. I just can't be bothered to sit around and watch for it.
posted by soyjoy at 8:45 AM on October 7, 2003


Is there another word for a blog that's written on behalf of someone, as opposed to one written by the actual nominal blogger? Because if what Bush has is a "blog," and what, say, Andy Baio has is a "blog," that renders the word "blog" pretty much meaningless.

ProxyBlog? SpokesBlog? QuasiBlog? SimBlog? ShamBlog?
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 8:54 AM on October 7, 2003


"And he (David Kay) found massive evidence of big-time coverups by Saddam and his evil elves."

Oh NO! Saddam has evil evils! Like little bitty leves with tiny little shoes that are going to make us all die! With little bells on their pointy little hats and rosy little cheeks diong his evil bidding like a demeted Santa Claus in the desert! What has the world come to? We were so right in stopping his evil plan and his evil weapons and his evil elves!

I think I may have found a new favorite website.
posted by graventy at 8:54 AM on October 7, 2003


Would somebody give me a hug?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken


*hug* *hug*
There, you big softie! Two for the price of one.
posted by nofundy at 8:55 AM on October 7, 2003


I clicked on the "Environment" tab and got this:

Page Error < Home
Sorry, there was a problem with the page you requested. Please try one of the pages below. Systems administrators have been notified.


Heh.
posted by anewc2 at 9:02 AM on October 7, 2003


I clicked on the 'Compassion' tab, and look what I got.
posted by tippiedog at 9:03 AM on October 7, 2003


Not to rain on your parade, but the "evil elves" language is the NYPost's, not the Bush team's. It's still pretty goofy, though.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 9:07 AM on October 7, 2003


Today, Bush-Cheney ’04 launched its official blog offering the latest news and views from outside the Washington “Beltway” and from Bush-Cheney ’04.

How can they do that when they both live inside the "Beltway"?
posted by Irontom at 9:19 AM on October 7, 2003


Why is GWB holding hands with the grandfather from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre in the header graphic on the compassion page?
posted by jennyb at 9:25 AM on October 7, 2003


So, let me get this straight...

When Dean has a blog, it's cool and modern.
When Bush has a blog, it's lame and laughable.

Is that right? Just recording all this for the official record.
posted by jammer at 9:28 AM on October 7, 2003


I've always been amused that "Compassion" is now a selling point for a candidate. You would think that should come, like, standard. It's like having a "Not a Convicted Felon" page.

Or like touting that the new Ford Explorer has a steering wheel.
posted by jpoulos at 9:32 AM on October 7, 2003


When Dean has a blog, it's cool and modern.
When Bush has a blog, it's lame and laughable.


The Dean blog is the chronicle of an actual grassroots movement that has managed to bring over 400,000 people into the Dean camp. The content comes from people actually instrumental in the campaign, including Howard Dean himself. This makes it cool. And the use of a weblog as a promotional tool makes it modern.

On the other hand, the Bush blog is a product of marketing. You can imagine the brainstorming behinf it. "Dean has one? He raised over $5mil through it? Then we need one!" I doubt George W. Bush even realizes he has a website, much less a blog. Lame? Afraid so. And when he is asked in an interview about his contribution to the oh-so-personal blog, it will become laughable.

"Blog? What's a blog?"
posted by grabbingsand at 9:48 AM on October 7, 2003


Behinf? Behind.
(though "behinf" would make a good word for something.)
posted by grabbingsand at 9:50 AM on October 7, 2003


* uninstalls Movable Type off of his site *
posted by angry modem at 9:55 AM on October 7, 2003


I think the Dean blog sucks too, which is why I never read it. It's propaganda and boosterism, as all these presidental "blogs" are.

I guess Dean and Kucini-howeveryouspellit both are posting themselves once in a while to their sites, which is cool, but otherwise they're not very interesting at all.
posted by mathowie at 9:55 AM on October 7, 2003


where are they hiding the amazon wishlist link?
posted by bhayes82 at 9:58 AM on October 7, 2003


Anybody know what is powering the site? Did they code their own?
posted by thirteen at 9:59 AM on October 7, 2003


The official Dean blog response is priceless:
"Mr. President, I'm a blogger. I know blogs. Bloggers are friends of mine. And your site, sir, is not a blog."
It continues...
"We welcome all readers of this new somewhat blog-like site to use this as an open thread to discuss what you think of it, because the Bush folks aren't interested in letting anyone comment"
posted by EmoChild at 10:07 AM on October 7, 2003


I think the Dean blog sucks too, which is why I never read it. It's propaganda and boosterism, as all these presidental "blogs" are.

Exactly. They're all lame, thinly covered attempts at appealing to, well... exactly this market. And as can be seen from all the Dean fans, it's working. ;)
posted by jammer at 10:08 AM on October 7, 2003


Jammer...

The difference between the Bush "blog" and Dean's blog is night and day. The Dean blog is a tight-nit but welcoming community in which free speech rains supreme. Don't take my word for it. Head on over there and post something negative about Dean. It'll stay up. Over at the Bush "blog" there is no area to leave a comment or in any way interact as a community.

I believe this blogger said it best:

"Wow, I checked out the pResident's blog, and the strangest thing happened. There was no comments section! This is the blog equivalent of Shrub's hand-picked campaign audiences, with American Citizens banished behind chain link fences, blocks away, so that our fearfull leader can play flyboy with no unpleasantries, like, maybe people asking about jobs or the war in Iraq or maybe digging up that old AWOL thing. No risk of any real discussion on that site."
posted by EmoChild at 10:18 AM on October 7, 2003


Jammer, if the Bush and Dean sites are basically the same lame-ass propaganda barrels, where's Bush's local meet-up page?

Or, of course, the comments function...
posted by soyjoy at 10:24 AM on October 7, 2003


This reminds me, I never got around to calling out some people on the Dean blog. One of the people who posts on that blog was responding to most critical comments -- with the same boilerplate text every time. Really, all that was changed was the first sentence.

I really don't see anything too wrong with this blog, other than the fact that it's fugly. If anything, all statements from the press secretary should be included. It's one thing to link to positive articles if you're Howard Dean, but to be an established politician and still be linking to glowing articles in such amazing publications as the NY Post.... damn.
posted by mikeh at 10:50 AM on October 7, 2003


everything is lame except what im familiar with!

everything im familiar with is awesome!
posted by Satapher at 10:55 AM on October 7, 2003


I read the Dean blog, but stay faaaaaar away from the comments. The comments scare me, and I'm a Dean supporter--I run a pathetic little Dean site of my own (pathetic because I can't be arsed to update it regularly). I don't get the constant backslapping and boosterism that goes on in the comments.

That said, it is a bit of a shame that the Dubya blog doesn't have comments--and doesn't even seem to identify the person who's posting. I think that's one of the appealing things about the Dean blog--it's clear that there are real people writing the blog, regular people (with sense of humor, even!)--I don't get that sense at all from Dubya's.
posted by eilatan at 11:18 AM on October 7, 2003


The "W" is for Weblog!
posted by Robot Johnny at 11:33 AM on October 7, 2003


Of course the Dean blog is propoganda. The guy is trying to get elected President. But his blog is actually a part of the campaign, and that is the key distinction between it and the Bush blog. I agree that it is often boring, but on numerous occaisions I have seen ideas lifted directly from the blog comments and integrated into the larger campaign, from one-liners to political ideas to policy ideas.

From a more cynical political perspective, I don't think Bush gets any benefit out of his blog without comments (though he is probably not the kind of candidate who needs that stuff). For the Dean campaign, the blog has been the focal point for his base voters, and it serves as a sort of free and voluntary focus group. Granted, it is a focus group with no shortage of morons who get excited by being the first person to post a comment. It's a little incestuous and all, but it's primary focus is mobilization, not outreach.

The blog itself (appearance and so forth) is less important to determining whether it is lame than is the way the blog serves the campaign. If the Bush blog is as dynamic and important a part of his campaign as Dean's blog is, then surely it will cease to seem stupid.
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 11:45 AM on October 7, 2003


Oh, you poor sad liberal Dems who can't get over yourselves long enough to see that Dean is unelectable. Catch up kids. Bush vs. Dean would be the saddest thing ever. Why? Because it'd be over by Super Tuesday, and then it'd be back to business as usual.

By which I mean to say, Wesley Clark has a campaign blog as well. Wid comments!
posted by jengod at 12:18 PM on October 7, 2003


Hey, when Clark gets around to coming up with positions on policy issues, he can blog about them!
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 12:32 PM on October 7, 2003


screw politicians. as soon as my secret invention is done all governments will be dismantled, except for the island kingdom that thirteen will run. then none of this will matter except for the small twitches of guilt over the mean things we all said to each other. just you wait.

ignatius, that made me laugh so hard the Alt key came out my nose.
posted by th3ph17 at 12:35 PM on October 7, 2003


Hey, if Bush could win on the "I promise I won't have sex in the Oval Office" platform, I don't see why Clark can't get elected on the "I promise not to start expensive optional wars" ticket.
posted by jengod at 12:40 PM on October 7, 2003


I think Michael Moore's ficus could probably garner significant electoral votes on the "I won't do anything at all ticket," to tell the truth. I really miss the days of relative gridlock when one party always controlled Congress and the other the Executive. Complete inaction is the only way the government can avoid screwing up.
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 12:48 PM on October 7, 2003


I can't tell if jengod is sincere or doing a really good impression of paleocon.
posted by mcsweetie at 1:05 PM on October 7, 2003


since when did a blog absolutely require a comments function?
posted by apathetic at 1:14 PM on October 7, 2003


Matt - I fail to see how the Dean campaign could have used their weblog anymore effectively than they have (except for some ways in which I could play at the margins a bit). As others have noted, their weblog allows true interactivity (many suggestions have been implemented right out of the comments threads) and spontaneity (which is essential in a fast-moving presidential primary).

What exactly would you prefer that they do, given that they are running a Presidential campaign and attempting to elicit enthusiastic supporters and volunteers (and cash). The only thing I can imagine is that there is a need for more serious discussions of policy. That is coming (within weeks).

Blog For America does the job it needs to do at this point in the campaign, Winer and Haughey's not-cool-enough-for-me dismissals, notwithstanding.

Bush's blog, well... I'm dubious, but I'll give them some time to get their bloglegs under them. I will point out that comparing the 'propaganda' on Bush's blog, so far, against any of the Dem candidates' blogs is disingenuous. They're not even in the same league.
posted by Medley at 1:38 PM on October 7, 2003


To be fair, ed, the Dean blog has an "email this to a friend" link for each entry, too, in addition to comments and trackbacks. But there's more content than just excerpts from news articles and press releases as well.
posted by eilatan at 3:58 PM on October 7, 2003


Truly this President is both hardcore awesome and ready to get down to business, like a government mullet.

I think that might be the greatest simile ever written. I salute you, Stan.

Also, "Government Mullet" would be a great name for a band.
posted by nath at 2:39 AM on October 8, 2003


Government Mullet.
posted by Jimbob at 5:41 AM on October 8, 2003


Somebody has turned comments on.
posted by goethean at 7:30 PM on October 9, 2003


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