Some of those closest to President Bush, including his wife and mother, "are increasingly questioning the agility and management" of his campaign, Time magazine reports. Barbara Bush, in particular, "is worried that she has seen this movie before. Says the official: 'She does not want to see her family go through a '92 thing again.'"
Of particular concern is how early Bush ceded the rose garden strategy. "For an incumbent President, the kind of intense engagement in person and on the airwaves that has characterized recent weeks is nearly unheard of this early in the race. The power of the office and the media coverage its holder is guaranteed for just doing his job generally give him the luxury of staying above the fray."
On a similar theme, the AP says President Bush "has surrendered some of the mystique of the presidency to take on a very public role as candidate for re-election."
"Many think the president had no choice but to shift into an overtly political role early, given his deteriorating poll numbers, the speedy selection of a Democratic presidential candidate and continuing public concern about the state of the economy. Plus, he's got all that money burning a hole in his pocket."
Morning Grind: "If President Bush's poll numbers don't start climbing this week, then his campaign strategists might want to look at Plan B. If Bush can't catch a bounce from Friday's anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, something's clearly amiss."
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