by David Trumbull

August 13, 2004

My friend Edward says he considers thirteen to be his lucky number. After all, says he, if everyone else considers it unlucky, then it must be lucky for someone—why not him? Myself, I’m not superstitious, so this Friday the Thirteenth means little to me.

Still I feel lucky, and if you’re interested, I’ll make book on the Presidential election. Against conventional wisdom that this will be a close election, I predict we’ll reelect President Bush by a comfortable margin, say 53 to 47. Any takers?

“You can’t beat somebody with nobody.” –Old political saying.

Republicans are united in our support for President Bush. The Democrats are united…in their hatred for President Bush. It really is all about Bush, isn’t it? Hanging out on the Cape during the DNC I saw plenty of Bush-bashing. Mostly it reminded me of the anti-Reagan/Bush materials the left put out in 1984. And we know how successful that hate-fest was. In eight days in Provincetown I saw precisely two Kerry/Edwards signs—oddly enough, exactly the same number I saw of Bush/Cheney—in a town where Democrats outnumber Republicans nine to one.

Sure the loony left holds Mr. Bush in low regard, but only slightly lower than it holds Mr. Kerry. And Democrat partisans want the White House for all that goes with it--thousands of executive branch jobs and possible control of the Senate if Kerry sweeps in other candidates. But hatred of Bush and the prospect of better jobs for a few former Clinton Administration officials will not motivate the typical voter. Shrill Bush-bashing will drive the voters, if not actually to Bush, at least away from Kerry, who suffers guilt-by-association.

How different it was twelve years ago. When the Dems organized against the first President Bush; they loved Clinton et ux. In 1992 you saw plenty of signs for the Democratic candidate. Why, I saw more signs for Dukakis in 1988 than I have seen for Kerry in 2004, and I wasn’t even in Massachusetts back then!

The economy continues to improve. The majority of Americans--who do not get their news from the New York Times/Boston Globe or broadcast television news--know that we are winning the peace in Iraq as surely as we won the war. According the Agency for International Development, electricity production in Iraq exceeds pre-war levels, schools are being repaired and reopened after 20 years of neglect, and clean running water is being restored.

The agitprop group “Billionaires for Bush” was out in front of the downtown Borders Bookstore the other day, protesting Governor Romney. The left certainly knows what it is agin, who knows what it is for? I was tempted to ask about joining the group. After all, I’m half-way there already--I’m for Bush. Maybe they can give me some inside advice on becoming a billionaire. Who knows? With a little luck…

David Trumbull is the chairman of the Boston Ward Three Republican Committee; he may be contacted at (617) 742-6881 or chairman@ward3boston.org. Boston's Ward Three includes the North End, West End, part of Beacon Hill, downtown, waterfront, Chinatown, and part of the South End.