Quotes by Marshall Wittmann

“If Fitzgerald comes down with something that strikes the White House, all bets are off with conservatism. Its the post-Bush era.”

“Blunt is an insider. He is soft-spoken, but a hardcore right-winger who has very close relations with the business community and ideological conservatives. Hes not as much of a lightning rod as DeLay.”

“Even a sitting president who has a vice president running for office doesnt have a great impact on the way the administration behaves. The goal of the next three years is to repair the presidents popularity and resolve the situation in Iraq to some decent outcome. ... If Bush leaves office in January 2009 with Iraq in chaos, nothing else will matter.”

“This is radioactive. This is the issue that dare not speak its name.”

“You have this dry, parched field, and any spark can set it off. Any hope for a honeymoon for Bush is now dead.”

“Just on grounds of being evasive, he will probably get a core of Democrats who will vote against him. But his nomination is not imperiled by any means.”

“[In Bushs case,] the change is more in aesthetics and less in substance, ... Perhaps [Bush] accepts a larger role for government than some conservatives, but that has been a transformation within conservative circles as well.”

“Its almost like Bush is running for reelection with peace and prosperity.”

“The groups want certain questions asked of Roberts to lay a predicate for future nominees. Unless theres a revelation we cant fathom, this will be the meat of the hearings.”

“Usually, a candidate has to nail down the base and move to the centre after the nomination, ... She has the flexibility because she has so much affection from the base.”