VA-Gov: McDonnell Feeling Twinges of Bush Nostalgia

from DailyKos

by Steve Singiser

Well, if nothing else, you have to give the Republican nominee for Governor in the Old Dominion, state AG Bob McDonnell, some credit for originality:

For the first time in recent memory, a Republican candidate is actively embracing the tenure of George W. Bush, citing the economic growth up through 2006 as a template of governance he'd like to pursue.

Yeah, that meteoric economic growth of the Bush years, where his best year would have been Clinton's third WORST year. (data source via the International Monetary Fund here):

Annual Rates of Economic Growth: 1993 Through 2008

The Clinton Years:

1993 2.67%
1994 4.02%
1995 2.50%
1996 3.70%
1997 4.50%
1998 4.18%
1999 4.45%
2000 3.66%

The Bush Years:

2001 0.75%
2002 1.60%
2003 2.51%
2004 3.64%
2005 3.07%
2006 2.87%
2007 2.19%
2008 0.52%

(More here.)