Was Bush the best thing to happen for Democrats?

[Landslide Lyndon]

I know that it will sound awfully cynical, especially considering how many people died because of his decisions (or the lack of them). But from a strictly partisan point of view it's hard to argue that George W. Bush's election and subsequent presidency was the best thing that could happen for the Democratic Party.

If Al Gore or John Kerry had won they would have to fight continually with a hostile congress. Whatever gains they would have achieved towards advancing a Democratic agenda, they would be incremental. And after one or two terms odds are that they would probably be replaced by a Republican, infinately more competent than Bush.

But what happened instead was that a clueless bimbo, with the enthusiastic support of a dangerously subservient republican congress, went on to drive the country to the ground, destroying along the way the republican party. That gave the Democrats the opening to recapture the House and to build a big majority in the Senate. And when they got to elect Obama, they had the tools and the popular support to enact their agenda. And at the same times their opposition was not only diminished but completely discredited.   

In other words, because of Bush the Democrats became again the majority party, and are now in their stronger position since 1964.
Heckuva a job Bushie!

[Franzl]

For 2006 and 2008, the answer is probably yes, but the public has an amazingly short attention span....so I doubt Bush will enable Democrats to stay as strong as they are for very long. The only way is to earn their power through their actions now while they have a clear majority. It's not like they're going to be able to use Bush in the 2010 campaign any more.

[dead0man]

Yes (unless the Dems crash and burn with power...you'll only be able to pass the buck back to Bush for so long)

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Yes. Obama might be the best thing for Republicans. Imagine if McCain had won and there was this mess continuing. The Democrats might get to 65+ senate seats come 2010.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Definitely. For these past few years, Bush has been the hobgoblin of choice for the Democratic Party.

[Lunar]

Of course.  Invading countries based on lies, spying in our libraries, and other such unpopular things gives natural power to the opposition.

[Stranger in a strange land]

     Definitely. For these past few years, Bush has been the hobgoblin of choice for the Democratic Party.

which was entirely his fault. His second term was a complete, unmitigated disaster from which the nation may never fully recover.