Instapundit cites an article worrying about Bush’s ability to motivate the conservative base. This is mostly bunk. The article cites conservative worries about the GOP’s tepid efforts to cut spending and the growth of government, but this isn’t nearly as important to the base voters as war, judges and taxes. Concerns about the judiciary are more significant, but I have no doubt that that issue will escalate as we grow closer to 2004, especially if one or more Supreme Court slots open up. And the idea that Bush’s foreign policy is unpopular with the GOP base is just unhinged from reality.