Thursday, May 05, 2005

Bamboozlepalooza Wrap-up

A look back at the President’s 60-day public relations tour (courtesy of Think Progress):

31: Number of Administration officials who participated.

166: Total number of events held.

2: Number of events headlined by Vice President Cheney that the administration has not released transcripts of after press reports indicate he was asked tough questions.

7.94 Million: Total circulation of newspapers that placed opinion columns by Administration officials during the tour.

More than 500: Number of radio interviews given by Administration officials over the 60 Stops in 60 Days tour.

42: Number of blacklisted from a townhall event in Fargo, ND because they were suspected of disagreeing with President Bush’s proposals.

3: Number of people thrown out of a Denver townhall event for arriving in a car with an anti-war bumper sticker.

306: Number of times President Bush described Social Security as a “problem.”

Over $3 million: Estimated cost to taxpayers of Presidential travel to Social Security tour events.

$418,000: Minimum security costs for President at Social Security tour events.

11: Number of times President Bush congratulated himself for talking about Social Security.

38: Percent of Americans who approved of the way George W. Bush was handling the Social Security issue before the tour started. (1/16/05)

31: Percent of Americans who approve of the way George W. Bush is handling the Social Security issue now. (4/26/05)

40: Percent of Americans who thought private accounts were a good idea when the tour began. (2/6/05)

33: Percent of Americans who think private accounts are a good idea now. (4/2/05)

66: Percent cut in defined benefits under the Bush plan for someone earning $36,000 a year.

89: Percent cut in defined benefits under the Bush plan for someone earning $59,000 a year.

No comments: