President Bush on Wednesday accused Democrats of overconfidence in next month’s election, saying “they’re dancing in the end zone — they just haven’t scored the touchdown.”
The taunt came as polls showed a tightening of several key races that had previously been dominated by Democrats. Heartened by this development less than two weeks before the midterm elections, Bush reaffirmed his prediction that Republicans will retain control of Congress.
“Now, I know that defies conventional wisdom,” he said at an East Room press conference. “Here in Washington, people have already determined the outcome of the election — like it’s over even before the people actually start voting.”
Bush mocked Democrats, who expect to win the House and possibly the Senate, for prematurely “measuring their drapes” in anticipation of moving into better offices on Capitol Hill.
“They’re going over to the Capitol and saying, ‘My new office looks beautiful,’ ” he said with a smile.
It was a veiled swipe at House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who has already vowed to upgrade her offices after Democrats sweep to power on Nov. 7 and elect herSpeaker of the House.
“I’ll have any suite I want,” Pelosi exulted to CBS over the weekend.
Bush ridiculed journalists for getting carried away with such predictions and for going a step further by suggesting the next president will be a Democrat.
“They’re running profiles,” he marveled. “These magazines have got all kinds of new stars emerging, when they hadn’t even won the votes yet.”
That appeared to be a reference to Time magazine’s recent cover story, “Why Barack Obama Could Be the Next President.” The Illinois Democrat, who was elected to the U.S. Senate less than two years ago, told NBC over the weekend that he is mulling a White House bid.
Bush seemed bemused by such coverage, along with media pronouncements that Democrats are more motivated than Republicans to vote in next month’s election.
“That’s not what I see when I’m on the campaign trail,” he said. “I see a lot of enthusiasm amongst the grassroots activists.
“Our people are going out there to man the phones and to put up the yard signs. You know, they’re showing up when it comes time for these absentee votes.
“We’re organized,” he added. “We’ve got a fantastic grassroots organization to turn out the vote.”
