ELECTION HELL YEAR: Bush’s 2004 election followed 52 1/2 Weeks of (mostly) bad news headlines; a chronology
For President Bush, the happy headlines were few and far between in the year leading to his Nov. 2 election to a second term.
Here is a sample of the nearly relentless bad news of Nov. 2, 2003, to Nov. 2, 2004. Consider the favorable headlines and unfavorable headlines, and then ask yourself how Bush won.
Week 1. (Nov. 2-8, 2003) … U.S. chopper is downed in Iraq, killing 16 Americans; U.S. has 130,000 troops in Iraq; Russian oil company Yukos shaken by chief executive’s arrest; U.S. unemployment rate is 6 percent; a barrel of oil sells for $29.11; regular gasoline costs an average $1.54 per gallon.
Week 2. (Nov. 9-15 , 2003) … Latin American poll shows intense dislike of President Bush.
Week 3. (Nov. 16-22, 2003) … Before Bush’s visit to London, Mayor Ken Livingston says president is “the greatest threat to life on this planet.”
Week 4. (Nov. 23-29, 2003) … Bush visits troops in Iraq; Ayatollah Ali Sistani objects to planned regional caucuses to pick interim Iraqi assembly.
Week 5. (Nov. 30-Dec. 6, 2003) … Sen. Hillary Clinton says Bush’s trip to Iraq is “no substitute for a plan.”
Week 6. (Dec. 7-13, 2003) … Pentagon investigates Halliburton for gasoline overcharges in Iraq.
Week 7. (Dec. 14-20, 2003) … Saddam Hussein’s capture (Dec. 13) is announced: “We got him”; Moammar Gadhafi volunteers to give up Libyan WMDs.
Week 8. (Dec. 21-27, 2003) … First U.S. case of mad cow disease is reported in Washington state.
Week 9. (Dec. 28, 2003-Jan. 3, 2004) … More than 600 Arab lawyers sign up to represent Saddam.
Week 10. (Jan. 4-10, 2004) … Carnegie Endowment says Bush misrepresented Saddam’s WMD threat.
Week 11. (Jan. 11-17, 2004) … On “60 Minutes,” Ron Suskind, pushing his Paul O’Neill book, suggests he has map showing Bush planned to take Iraq oil, divide it among invasion allies; Central Command launches investigation into alleged mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners.
Week 12. (Jan. 18-24, 2004) … Nearly 100 families of 9-11 victims sue airlines and government.
Week 13. (Jan. 25-31, 2004) … David Kay says Saddam stockpiled no WMDs.
Week 14. (Feb. 1-7, 2004) … A.Q. Khan of Pakistan admits selling atomic secrets to Iran, North Korea and Lybia; Sen. John F. Kerry press release says, “George Bush continues to fight for incentives to encourage Benedict Arnold companies to ship jobs overseas.”
Week 15. (Feb. 8-14, 2004) … Vladimir Putin says Soviet Union break-up was “a national tragedy.”
Week 16. (Feb. 15-21, 2004) … Kerry says Bush has cut the Veterans Affairs budget.
Week 17. (Feb. 22-28, 2004) … Bush backs constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.
Week 18. (Feb. 29-March 6, 2004) … Nearly 140 Iraqis are killed in a series blasts aimed at Shiites in Karbala and Baghdad.
Week 19. (March 7-13, 2004) … Al Qaida bombs Madrid commuter trains, killing 191.
Week 20. (March 14-20, 2004) … Spain elects Socialists calling for withdrawal of Spain’s 1,400 troops from Iraq; Hans Blix, pushing book, says Bush’s WMD claims were like “witch hunts”; Kerry says, “I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it.”
Week 21. (March 21-27, 2004) … On “60 Minutes,” Richard Clarke, pushing book, says Bush ignored al Qaida and was fixated on Iraq.
Week 22. (March 28-April 3, 2004) … 4 American contractors are killed in Fallujah, Iraq; their bodies are burned, and 2 are hanged on a bridge.
Week 23. (April 4-10, 2004) … Captors threaten to burn 3 Japanese hostages alive unless Japan withdraws troops from Iraq.
Week 24. (April 11-17, 2004) … Kerry says U.S. mission in Iraq is “stability,” but refuses to say it is democracy.
Week 25. (April 18-24, 2004) … Jose Zapatero says Spain is pulling its 1,400 troops out of Iraq; Hugo Chavez threatens to stop selling oil to U.S.; doctors say many of 700 killed in Fallujah are civilians; Bob Woodward, pushing book, says Saudis promised Bush to bring oil prices down by Election Day; Kerry tells women’s rally that Bush is trying to “turn the clock back” on abortion rights.
Week 26. (April 25-May 1, 2004) … “60 Minutes” airs first shocking Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse photos; Joseph Wilson, pushing book, says Bush lied about African yellowcake; Marines call off Fallujah siege.
Week 27. (May 2-8, 2004) … Bush says he’s “sorry” about Abu Ghraib abuses; American Nick Berg is beheaded.
Week 28. (May 9-15, 2004) … More photos, video of Abu Ghraib abuse disgust Congress; Vatican says prison scandal is bigger blow to U.S. than 9-11.
Week 29. (May 16-22, 2004) … Michael Moore wins Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival for fascist-friendly “Fahrenheit 9-11.”
Week 30. (May 23-29, 2004) … FBI apologizes for linking Oregon Muslim’s fingerprints to Madrid bombings; Amnesty International says U.S. “war on terror” is sacrificing human rights.
Week 31. (May 30-June 5, 2004) … Bush visits Australia, urging resolve, says Iraq withdrawal would be “disastrous.”
Week 32. (June 6-12, 2004) … Gen. Antonia Taguba testifies to Senate on Abu Ghraib abuses.
Week 33. (June 13-19, 2004) … 9-11 Commission report: Saddam had contacts, but no “collaborative relationship” with al Qaida, no link to 9-11.
Week 34. (June 20-26, 2004) … “Fahrenheit 9-11” opens in U.S. theaters.
Week 35. (June 27-July 3, 2004) … L. Paul Bremer hands sovereignty to Iraq, and news media say he leaves without saying a word; U.S. Supreme Court rules Bush must give detained “enemy combatants” access to court hearings.
Week 36. (July 4-10, 2004) … Senate intelligence report faults CIA on WMDs; oil prices top $40 a barrel for first time since 1991.
Week 37. (July 11-17, 2004) … Sen. Jay Rockefeller implies Congress would have not have authorized Saddam’s forced ouster had it believed Iraq had no WMDs; Bush administration is said to weigh postponing Nov. 2 election if terrorists attack.
Week 38. (July 18-24, 2004) … FBI searches Fort Detrich, Maryland, labs in anthrax-mailings probe, but no arrest is made.
Week 39. (July 25-31, 2004) … Democratic Convention nominates John F. Kerry.
Week 40. (Aug. 1-7, 2004) … Tom Ridge raises official threat level in financial districts of New York City, northern New Jersey and Washington, D.C.; two Muslims in New York charged with trying to buy an anti-aircraft missile.
Week 41. (Aug. 8-14, 2004) … Moqtada al Sadr demands Iraq interim government resign; Iraq’s main oil pipeline is shut down by militants’ threats.
Week 42. (Aug. 15-21, 2004) … Iraqi soccer players at Olympics protest Bush’s depicting them in a political ad.
Week 43. (Aug. 22-28, 2004) … Mainstream media covers Swift Boat Vets charges on Kerry medals, Christmas in Cambodia; James Schlesinger panel reports Abu Ghraib was “Animal House”; U.S. battle with Sadr intensifies in Najaf.
Week 44. (Aug. 29-Sept. 4, 2004) … Republican Convention renominates George W. Bush.
Week 45. (Sept. 5-11, 2004) … Gen. Tommy Franks says U.S. troops in Afghanistan were diverted early for Iraq; South Korea reveals nuclear weapons program; North Korea says it will have to keep its nuclear program; “60 Minutes” Dan Rather: National Guard memos show Bush disobeyed orders; total U.S. troops killed in Iraq since invasion passes 1,000.
Week 46. (Sept.12-18, 2004) … CIA leaks three bleak scenarios for Iraq: “tenuous” stability, political fragmentation or civil war.
Week 47. (Sept. 19-25, 2004) … Republican Sens. Hagel, Lugar and McCain see chaos in Iraq, fault Bush’s planning; two more Americans are beheaded in Iraq; Kerry offers a “fresh start” in Iraq to solve the “mess on our hands” that Bush created.
Week 48. (Sept. 26-Oct. 2, 2004) … Bush loses first debate to Kerry; oil prices top $50 a barrel for first time.
Week 49. (Oct. 3-9, 2004) … Charles Duelfer reports no WMDs in Iraq; Bremer says U.S. had too few troops in early occupation; Bush loses second debate; John Howard wins re-election in Australia.
Week 50. (Oct. 10-16, 2004) … Bush loses third debate to Kerry; Kerry declares “great probability” Bush plans military draft; Nigeria workers’ strike casts doubt on oil supplies.
Week 51. (Oct. 17-23, 2004) … Afghanistan holds first free election ever; Kerry says Bush plans “January surprise” that depletes Social Security, blames Bush for flu shot shortage.
Week 52. (Oct. 24-30, 2004) … New York Times says U.S. let 377 tons of Iraqi high explosives go missing; Johns Hopkins study estimates 100,000 Iraqi civilians killed since invasion; FBI investigates Halliburton no-bid contracts; Ayatollah Ali Khamenei refuses to give up Iran’s nuclear program; Osama bin Laden reappears on TV.
Week 52 1/2. (Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 2004) … On Election day, regular gasoline costs an average $2.03 per gallon; barrel of oil costs $49.62 a barrel; 138,000 U.S. troops are in Iraq; unemployment rate is 5.5 percent; Bush wins second term.
Frank Warner
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Business page headlines:
Jobs added:*
October 2003 … 126,000 jobs added (6.0% jobless rate)
November 2003 … 43,000 jobs added (5.9% jobless rate)
December 2003 … 16,000 jobs added (5.7% jobless rate)
January 2004 … 112,000 jobs added (5.6% jobless rate)
February 2004 … 21,000 jobs added (5.6% jobless rate)
March 2004 … 308,000 jobs added (5.7% jobless rate)
April 2004 … 288,000 jobs added (5.6% jobless rate)
May 2004 … 208,000 jobs added (5.6% jobless rate)
June 2004 … 78,000 jobs added (5.6% jobless rate)
July 2004 … 32,000 jobs added (5.5% jobless rate)
August 2004 … 144,000 jobs added (5.4% jobless rate)
September 2004 … 119,000 jobs added (5.4% jobless rate)
October 2004 … 303,000 jobs added (5.5% jobless rate)**
Total 2,019,000 jobs added since October 2003.
* Some of these job-growth numbers were re-adjusted, or will be adjusted. I’ll post the final numbers as soon as I have them.
** October statistics were announced Nov. 5, 2004, three days after the election.
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Moore: Remember Michael Moore holding up the Loser "L" sign to those who wanted a free Iraq?
SEE ALSO:
In Michael Moore’s face: Bill O’Reilly forgets WMDs weren’t only justification for Iraq’s liberation.
In Bill O’Reilly’s face: Michael Moore falsely argues that popular uprisings can end totalitarianism.
For perspective on the 2006 congressional elections, SEE ALSO:
The twists of 2 months: From 2006 election war hysteria to a moment of calm in Iraq.
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