Folks, this port controversy is likely a ploy.

[NinetySix]

First, where are Bush's polling numbers these days? High 30s. He is a deeply unpopular President.

Second, when does he stand for re-election? Oh yeah, he doesn't.

Third, which party is most vocal in its vehemence to stand up to the President? Seems like the Republicans to me....

Fourth, which party stands to lose the most in the upcoming midterm election DUE TO this President's unpopularity? Again, the Republicans.

So add it all up, and correct my math if I'm wrong, but doesn't it at least appear possible that the President is going to "take one for the team," as it were, in order to bolster his party's chances of retaining at least one house of Congress after '06? But what conceivable motive could he have for doing so?

If the Republicans lose (in a fair election) as badly as they're projected by many to do, Bush will certainly be subject to impeachment for a litany of misdeeds. Perhaps Rove figures it's better to bend over and get reamed by one's own party in the short term than to be remembered as the first President to be impeached and removed from office (and perhaps imprisoned for corruption and treason).

Either that or he's just stupid...

...like a fox.

[ClassWarrior]

1. I wondered about that after I've heard so many people float that theory...

...over the past couple of days. But after watching "Countdown" tonight, I believe that if it IS a ploy, it's one fraught with serious risks for the Cons. A prime risk being that this exposes Bush**'s ugly, greedy corporatist agenda to mom and pop who haven't been paying attention till now.

16-5.

NGU.

[NinetySix]

6. The thin veneer that veils that agenda grows thinner each day.

By now it's practically transparent. Just two days ago, an article appeared here on DU about various ties between this Administration and the UAE. What better way for the sitting Republican Congresspeople and Senators to insulate their asses with asbestos than "takin' on their own President an' doin' what's right!"

Call me a cynic, but with cynics like these plotting and conniving at every turn, and to the detriment of our Republic, how can one avoid being steeped in cynicism?

[karynnj]

45. I agree with you

I think it comes down to whether much of the media will repeat the actual claims. At this point, the situation seems mixed and the cast of characters doesn't follow patterns we would predict. Take the charges of administrations connections to DP Port, which should have caused those people to ot be involved in the decision. Lou Dobbs covered them to the extent that he sounded like he posts here (which I doubt). Oberman (much more on our side) mentioned the issue, mentioned Kerry wrote a letter asking for transparency on this and showed a short (soundless)Kerry video from a week ago.

This attacks the administration on seediness and corruption in addition to the more inportanty jeopodizing our security.

[ktlyon]

53. what is NGU?

I keep seeing it here

[NMDemDist2]

54. NGU= Never Give Up! see our handy Glossary here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=358&topic_id=190&mesg_id=3214

[ktlyon]

70. thanks

NGU

[snowbear]

2. Here's one thing we should try and figure out...

Are the most outspoken Republicans against him on this all up for re-election soon?

I was wondering that when someone on here mentioned "Rovian Tactics".

The only one I've heard of who isn't speaking out against Bush and is up for re-election (that I know of) is McCain.

But with his numbers in Arizona, it doesn't seem to matter what he does. They'll still elect him.

Just wondering if the Republicans squealing the loudest are up for re-election?

[Mnemosyne]

20. Funny you should ask. PA has a pesky Senate scum up for re-election.

And I'm sure I just read that he was "imploring" the prezeldent to do the right thing or whatever crock of shit he's shoveling at the moment.

[orleans]

25. he was on spitball tonight. i couldn't help but keep thinking

how he brought the fetus home to let his other children hold/play with it. and then the fetus picture he has in his office to make visitors puke or run away screaming in horror.

then someone posted lately (here) about how he's so broke he takes checks from mom and dad.

what a jerk!

[neuvocat]

3. Nah, he's pretty stupid like that actually.

The Cheney shooting could have been argued as a diversionary issue and Bush's attempt to push "Energy Week" was a deliberate effort to distract from the issue.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

4. If that were the case, this only helps the Democrats.

Since the Dems are just as vehemently opposed (if not moreso) to this as the Republicans, it just provides an indication to the public that Democrats are just as good as Republicans when it comes to national security.

Remember, "national security" is the only thing Republicans are good on image-wise. What good does it do to show that some of them are "standing up to the president" if their Democratic counterparts are doing the same?

[NinetySix]

10. By co-opting Democratic opposition to the President,

they essentially take that issue (in which they already lead the Democrats, by the way) away from them, effectively stealing their thunder in '06. I hope the Democrats can run against GWB in every race in the midterm election, but if Republicans bring up their vote record on this issue first in any given race (as I expect they will), the Democratic reply can only be a weak "me too!"

The Republicans cannot gain more seats in this election unless they Diebold it again, but a tactic like this might be used to mitigate their losses.

[HardWorkingDem]

5. I have to be honest....I have no idea what is going on...

This one is a complete stunner to me. I can't believe that the Rethugs have allowed this to happen. It is like it is one of those things that is almost too good to be true and has me very cautious.

I hope someone with a more analytical mind is looking at this for us to figure out if this is some sort of trap or what.

Or is this just nothing more than Bush doing the entire Texas Rangers/Oil companies money grab again. I just don't know.

I'm like the previous poster - Bush's future is in his own hands right now - if he can't deliver a Rethug Congress in Nov, he might find himself facing impeachment hearings. I just don't get it.

[Inland]

7. Absolutely, postively not.

Bush is NOT going to take one for the team. First, Our CinC didn't become the Great Leader and make the republican congress into a lesser division of the White House in order to give them an opportunity to feel their oats. He want's to be beyond oversight, not covering the republicans in glory by standing up to him. Second, if Bush wanted the republicans to have an easy time, he could stop being such a dick and start doing things right in ways that didn't hurt himself, like, for example, not trying to shove social security or insisting on torture expressly.

Fact is, Bush is campaigning for congress by saying we should elect a congress that backs him one hundred per cent. It's the only value that he allows for it, and he's not going to let any congressman be rewarded for fucking with him. He might as well have democrats.

[uppityperson]

8. I've thought them very stupid for a long long time.

Some of their policies might pay off in the short run, say their lifespans, but overall how could they think so much of it be worthwhile at all?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

14. There's the flaw in your thinking...

"Some of their policies might pay off in the short run, say their lifespans..."

See,they don't care what happens after they're dead. It's all me, me, me.

I myself am very confused. I've about come to the conclusion that they thought this would slide under the radar, like so much has. They had no idea we would find out.

[uppityperson]

63. I know, I just don't get how they think.

The sheer arrogance assumed that no one would notice this or any of the other crap they have pulled. I think they are very very short sighted and I don't get what it is about the port deal that will pay off, even in the short run.

[caligirl]

9. There are no sure bets on any big democratic landslides

for either house of Congress. We may pick up a few seats but no one is yet saying a landslide is immanent. Bush has never been a team player, not even when he was a cheerleader. He is not the type to take one on the chin for even his parents.

[renter]

22. Just out of curiosity...

about this port thing. Would there be as big of an "uproar" say if, IF mind you, if President Kerry wanted to do the same thing? If both houses of Congress were back in Democratic control? If the White House and Congress were both in Democratic control? I think sometimes just because people we cannot stand say something, does not mean we should don our auditory blinders. Listen first, react second. Think about if the intended act was coming from the progressive side. Would it still be o.k.? Just a thought.

[chalky]

31. SERIOUSLY? Are you really asking whether this aversion to selling out US

safety is because it wasn't "our team" that came up with this brilliant scheme?

Hmmm....Let me think about that for a moment.... :eyes:


Please tell me I'm misinterpreting your post.

[renter]

35. Good morning Chalky

No, you are not misinterpreting my post, I'm sure I didn't explain myself well.
I used the word "if" about three times to describe if this idea came from Democrats, would there still be this amount of discord? If someone you dislike says one thing, do you automatically take the other position? Since our nation is basically 1/2 left and 1/2 right does each side ignore the other until both sides end up losing voters by not listening? Yelling and screaming is not the same thing as discussing issues.

[chalky]

52. If possible, search DU for past posts on Joe Biden and the Credit Card

Industry just for an example of how we feel about our "teammates" when they support something spectacularly bad for the country.

[myrna minx]

59. In addition, do a search on the Iraq War Resolution vote and the

Patriot Act. I can tell you that we all thought it was wrong, wrong wrong. Russ Feingold was the only Senator that agreed with us on the Patriot Act. I'm sure that you can imagine how lonely that feels.

If Kerry made this bone headed decision, we'd be all over him.

[mia]

36. Would be just as wrong. n/t

[suziedemocrat]

42. It's not like DU is always for everything Democrats do!!!

We criticize Dems quite a bit here. Stick around and you'll find out.

But - after hearing "terror" and "we're at War" and watching the safety scale change from red to yellow over and over for the last few years, you want us to be OK with a STATE run company from UAE handling our ports? And you think the problem with this is just that we hate everything Bush does? Are you kidding me? I still like hybrid cars - even after Bush's speech praising them. DU is not full of sheep!! People who agree - or disagree - with EVERYTHING a person says without looking at the issue are Sheep. If you want Sheep, you'd need a forum with a bunch of Faux watchers.

[karynnj]

47. That is a really good question

I can't imagine Kerry not having a problem with Dubai having intimate knowledge of our ports, but the fact is for years a British company has had this position. How do we know who was in their management? Feinstein is right that we should not privitize this type of infastructure. But accepting the premise of the question,

I don't think a President Kerry would have been treated with the lock step approval that FR usually gives Bush. He likely would within a month or two of his inaugeration been vilified here for still being in Iraq by some. The majority of people here would, in relief that Bush was gone, would have given him a period where they praised him, his administration and his family - like the euphoria at the beginning of Clinton's administration. (It did not raise to the same level - but I think we would have been more concerned the Monica relationship if it were a Republican President.)

From what I saw in the election, I think a President Kerry would have avoided much of the secrecy and, when the up roar started, would likely have gone to the people to sell why this was the right thing to do. Getting information out that would make this seem reasonable would likely have been done quickly. However, if it was a genuinely bad decision - we would and should dissent. I would hope his response would be such that the outcry would be against the decision instead of the man.

[caligirl]

58. I think the hot button behind the outrage is the 9/11 deaths of thousands

at the hands of people from the country who is behind the port deal. Either dem or repub would garner the same outrage. UAE has a long track record of illegal money laundering and ties to OBL ands other terrorists as well as nuclear arms shipments. There are also economic issues in play here as well. We do not need to offshore any more jobs, or try to break anymore unions as the British company was trying to do. In fact one reason the British company was put up for sale was that it could not break the shipping union. Middle and working class Americans will have a difficult time keeping jobs with living wages if the unions do not return. Reagan is still kicking middle class Americans via Bush.

In say 1950, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor,for example, if we had turned our port op's over to Japan, who would be outraged?

[caligirl]

65. James Baker , Carlyle group, CSX and Snow , some facts to read up on.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/2/23/14935/2494

[Dr Fate]

11. Hmmm- except they cant really say Democrats are "for" this. n/t

n/t

[NativeTexan]

12. Trust the old Texan....he IS that stupid...but...

......this isn't a ploy. He is at the point where he doesn't need Congress anymore to accomplish what is in his and his family's best interest. Why do you think he has been robbing the legislative branch of government of its power? He had sheep running it, and they GLADLY gave him everything he wanted. People point out that he hasn't vetoed anything so far. Hell, they give him EXACTLY what he wants....what is there to veto!

[Libby2]

57. I think you're right on the money.

[newswolf56]

13. Union Official I Know Speculates It's to Smash the Remaining Unions:

Create a confrontation with the Longshore Union over working conditions etc.; when the union strikes, invoke national security and hire scabs; then when other unions strike in support of the Longshore Union, arrest every union member in the nation on charges of aiding terrorism: what Reagan did to the Air Traffic Controllers only on a national scale and with Patriot Act/Homeland Security authority.

Given how many anti-union idiots there are out there, it could work: rebuild Bush's popularity among the bourgeoisie, eliminate an important enemy of the FascistRepublicanTheocrat Party too.

Might also backfire...

(General Strike anyone?)

[Nostradammit]

15. OR, maybe they have a dem waiting in the wings to take it across the

goal-line. Maybe they have to switch over to the other side of the coin for a spell to cool the American public's jets.


I'm not sure that every president since Kennedy wasn't hand picked by the ruling cabal. And the last few elections have shown us how uneffective the ballot's become.


Or maybe God, or someone, has decided it's time for some infinite justice and they are all about to reap what they've sown. That's my hope.

[LittleClarkie]

16. It seems like someone says that no matter what's going on

They can't ALL be plots.

[OneBlueSky]

17. "taking one for the team" is not in Bush's nature . . .

he doesn't care about anyone but himself and his corporate cronies . . . and how he can further enrich the whole lot, while crippling the "evil" federal government in the process . . .

he doesn't listen to contrary opinions, and he's totally sure of his take on things (he is, after all, the anointed one) . . . and he's absolutely positive that his "vision" will prevail -- that his side will win (and win big), both here and abroad . . .

he's not about to take one of anybody . . .

[bullimiami]

18. i 'think' they actually blew out bad this time. but Ill be quick to admit

im wrong if they are pulling one out of the bag.

[win_in_06]

19. Is everything that happens to this administration a ploy?

Harriet Miers
Cheney Shooting
Port Issue

I don't think so, but we hear it everytime.

[scab_picker]

21. ploy toy for bush boy, ala Rove

This IS a ploy orchestrated by Rove. When faced with sure defeat in 06, a double reverse play has been hatched bo Rove, Inc. This will never come to a veto vote, but the deal will be compromised by prominent, and not so prominent repukes in the House. Many repukes might as well run un-opposed because their seats seem so secure. But even they need to show that they will stand up to W when it comes to national security, which is the holy grail of the repuke base. This play, er, ploy is brilliant because no matter what the Democrats do, the repukes will own the debate. We should all support W on this and make the repukes take him on alone, but that won't happen.

[Kablooie]

24. You know, you may be right and I may be wrong.

This could save some Republican seats because it distances them from Bush. That is likely to move the attention off the money scandal. I was wondering why Bush was so adamant about this deal. This makes sense. He will back down, and the Repubs look like they are taking back the power they are supposed to wield.

Damned Clever!! Shit!!

[Kablooie]

23. Nah. He's just a slacker who takes credit for other's achievements.

He doesn't seem to be aware of anything that's going on. I'll bet Cheney and Rove are the real president and Bush is just the imbecile they put in front that smiles and believes that he's awesome.

[Spiffarino]

26. I wondered about this when I heard

...but now I think Bush really is as stubborn and foolish as I'd feared. The only people who matter to him are the obscenely wealthy and the powerful. America matters not at all.

[missouri dem 2]

27. Nope. Sometimes a rose is just a rose.

w* thinks that he can do anything he wants and get away with it. Mostly he has been right and has gotten away with everything. This issue is like the little boy boy who pointed out that the emperor was naked. Who will be given the job of telling schrub that he has to back down?

The sad thing about the whole deal is the fear that so many Americans are filled with and the extent that they will go along with anything that they think that will protect them from the boogie man. Torture, wiretapping, loss of due process are all o.k. as long as it makes them feel safer. A nation of sheep.

[Senator]

28. If one, the Ploy is Distraction

Which is not to say that the distraction isn't causing more damage than what they're distracting the euphemedia from.

But 2 things leap to mind that could metastasize the "quiet majority" than now favors impeachment into a full-blown "impeach or implode" crisis for the neofascists.

The obvious is the spying without a warrant crimes against US citizens. They've been "rolling" this one since it broke into the news. First, by stonewalling into the holidays. Then by citing "polls" (all weekenders during holiday rush) showing the pubic was fine with it, trying to shut it down. The reality is that the full force of the reality of it was never going to hit until after the Super Bowl. It takes some lag time for the real damage to show up in polls. The proposed hearings would have resurfaced the issue, so they had to be avoided with this temporary deal with Pat Roberts and the "threat" to Specter (BS corruption charge).

The other one is the indictment of Tom Noe in Ohio over illegal campaign cash. The "optics" of that one could easily demonstrate the reality that the last election was stolen. That is if the national euphemedia would even take a cursory glance at it. This is the one we need to be flogging. It's the one that terrorizes Rove.

Either of these could cut even deeper than "soft on terror" does, in that they portray easily-comprehendable premeditated, criminal violations of the core freedoms/rights of American citizens (yes, even rich white ones!) by this never-legitimate regime.

If either got loose, they would literally have to decide if they wanted Acting-President Hastert now or Acting-President Pelosi later.

I emphasize "could cut." There's no real way to quantify these things and the "soft on terror" thing could well do as much or more damage to the junta. At the very least, it's currently a "bird in hand."

But our target remains our "fearful leaders" and demanding that they "go big" as soon as possible to get the jump on taking back the House and Senate.

Sure they can to flog the port thing for now. But we need to get them back onto the spying thing (crimes committed!) and finally onto the Ohio thing. The entire party needs to nationalize this election on impeachment. The specific charges are irrelevant, as all of their Anti-American crimes will need to be brought to bear to get it done.

--
www.january6th.org

[The Walrus]

29. most news is a ploy

if a UAE company controled soem port security it may be safe. it's all a shell game anyway - bate and switch - us away from- the Lies that led us to WAR.

and the possible inside job.

[raccoon]

55. That has the ring of a great slogan for our times.

"most news is a ploy"

--referring, of course, to most corporate media ho news.

Like an advertisement, it's meant to sell you something. Sell you fear. Sell you war. And so it goes.

[chalky]

30. NOT being a gambling gal, I'll have to take your theory

under advisement as I continue to scream like holy hell about the stupidity of this move.

You have my permission to tell me "I told you so" later if I'm wrong.

[Twist_U_Up]

32. I called it first .....K/R

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=485212

[ThoughtCriminal]

33. I think they could come up with a better ploy

One that hurts the Democrats more than it hurts them. In the past this has always been fake issues like flag burning.

[leveymg]

34. Like shooting oneself in the foot to stop the pain of a severed arm?

[Binka]

37. Mark That Is Exactly What They Have Done!

They are evil, and greedy, and nasty, and ugly, but they aren't SMART! Fucking stupid shits. They made a really stupid move. EOM.

[leveymg]

38. First the media storm over the Cheney shooting incident, and now this.

One might think that the muzzle has been taken off the corporate media. We have to ask why now?

Is the public being prepared for the mid-season replacement of the Dick & Dubya Show?

[Binka]

39. This Is A Much More Plausible Explanation And It Worries Me

If The Mork & Mindy show has run its course who is stepping in to replace them? It takes a worried man to sing a worried song.....

[leveymg]

40. This is a possible scenario:

Cheney has a health emergency, and is replaced by McCain. Bush may hang in there, but McCain will leverage his cred as Mr. Clean to secure the GOP nomination for the Presidency. He's at 72% favorable, highest of any Senator right now.

In a bid to split the Democratic center, Joe Lieberman is tapped as McCain's running mate. Stranger things have happened.

You know, it might work. x(

[canichelouis]

44. I've been thinking along these lines myself

the McCain/Lieberman coupling is my bet

[leveymg]

46. GOP rush to the center. What better way to "reinvent" itself than to

borrow from the opposing team? McCain-Lieberman would also make sense from a regional perspective (Southwest-Northeast). It's a PNAC dream ticket - war hero and neocon second man.

On the down side (as GOP strategists might look at it): nothing here to inspire the GOP Fundie base, of course, but they're not going anywhere -- there's always some stupid wedge issue, like gay adoptions or anti-Islamic holy war rumblings, to get them marching.

It would also force the Dems to go centrist and hawkish, which would probably help Hillary's chances of getting the nomination.

Anyway you look at it: lose-lose for progressives and America.

[Arugula Latte]

56. Side note: Yesterday I called Traitor Joe's office and asked the staffer

why Joe doesn't just come out and admit he's a Republican. The guy said: "Because he isn't a Republican." He got mad and basically hung up on me. It felt good to say it, though ...

edited cuz I'm havin prablums spelin this murnin!

[The Backlash Cometh]

41. He's just stupid.

The only way this could be a ploy, is if someone set him up.

[Disturbed]

43. The Silverspoon Sociopath is stupid and arrogant.

One must bear in mind that he is controlled by Rove and Cheney and the Multi-Corps call the ultimate business agenda.

Of course, he and Rummy knew about this deal as it was hatched. They both lied that they only heard about it a few days ago. Many Rethugs are mouthing objections now to make themselves look good but they will go along eventually. This deal is tied into "free trade" with UAE and it will go through when the rukus dies down and something else gets the attention of the masses.

[alcibiades_mystery]

48. Yeah, verything's a ploy, and they're super-geniuses who never screw up

With friends like you, believing such supernatural tales about the Bushies, who needs fucking enemies?

[sendero]

49. I disagree...

.. it is politics. The president is making a very unpopular move. He doesn't care, he's a lame duck, but the Senate does care. They have to get reelected, and they know that no matter what the actual downsides of this deal are, Americans think it is bad and they cannot acquiesce.

If I had to go the extra-cynical route, which so many here seem to take, I'd go with this one: the president has had it with his low polling numbers and realizes that his "political capital" is gone and it is not coming back. Since he can no longer do what he wants to do, which is to spearhead every looney-bin right-wing wish list item into legislation, he's gonna start worrying about grabbing HIS share of the pie, and that is what this is about. And at this point in history, grabbing your share while you can is as American as apple pie.

[Tin Man]

50. The phrase is CRAZY like a FOX...... STUPID is reserved for POSSUM

and yes, preznit Bush is like a possum.

Problem is, most of RedStateMurica are like possums, too.

[AndyA]

51. Bush would never allow himself to look bad

He's too arrogant, too cocky. He thinks he's WAY TOO IMPORTANT to do anything that benefits only another person. As mentioned previously, he's not really a team player, unless the team is doing what HE wants. I think this deal was supposed to fly by under the radar, with nary a word mentioned in the press. Just another contract, no big deal.

But with his popularity falling, the networks have to do something to attract viewers, and the majority are unhappy with Bush. So are they going to put on a lollipops and roses story about Bush? No way. Except for NBC, of course, which will likely get on board at the tail end.

These guys have too much power. They think they're invincible, and they are getting sloppy in covering up their dirty deeds. Cheney gets drunk and shots somebody. Bush's port deal goes public. DeLay is being investigated. Frist is under investigation. Scooter Libby gets indicted. Abramoff is spilling the beans. Ney, Cunningham, etc. Slowly, they are falling apart and the Repugs are abandoning ship as fast as possible, they have to think about themselves, after all. Typical Repug thinking. Me, me, me...too bad for you.

Bush thinks too much of himself to "take one for the team" - he's never done that before, he's too stubborn. That's one of his greatest faults, when he digs his heels in there's no changing his mind. Just look at Iraq.

Now that Iraq is becoming a cesspool of violence, embroiled in a Civil War, everyone will need to distance themselves from Bush to protect their careers. Iraq is not a popular war, and will become less popular in the weeks to come. Bush knows this, and is not going to cooperate with his cronies any longer, because he knows they want him to take the fall for them.

I think what we're seeing is the collapse of the Republican empire. The Democrats will need to clean up the mess left behind, but of course, we've done that before...

Edit: Hit Update message instead of Preview...not enough coffee this morning...

[brooklynite]

60. Hell, no he won't...

take a look at a blog I wrote last year on Rove coming to NY to pump up, not the NY Republican party (which is circling the drain as we speak)but the Conservative party. As I guessed, the Conservatives are now sufficiently emboldened to select their own candidate for Governor, splitting the anti-Spitzer vote and probably dooming the entire Republican slate. And does W and company care? Nope; they're happy to throw Republicans over the side as long as it helps shore up their personal support.

As for how he got into this mess and what he's going to do? Well he got caught because, once again, he and his aids were too lazy to pay attention to both the political and policy imilications of this deal. But now that he IS caught, he's too stubborn to back down (hence the veto threat) and is too aware that if he blusters on a veto and backs down, he's toast for the next three years.

[GeorgeGist]

61. I've had the same queer feeling but never could create a sensible...

scenario.

Obviously, I'm no Karl Rove. But from his point of view, your scenario is genius.

[depakid]

62. I agree with you except that

The Dems are in no position to win either house of Congress, because they haven't given people any reason to trust them to lead.

Their one and only claim to fame is that they're not Republicans (though, as we've seen, a significant number of them might as well be).

The "not being Republicans strategy" (if you can call it a "strategy") has lost 6 congressional elections in a row. I honestly don't see why anyone thinks, when all is said and done- that it won't lose a 7th.

[AtomicKitten]

64. that was my initial reaction.

Karl Rove has taught me to be suspicious of everything that goes down in this country. And I mean everything.

I watched all the Republicans rush to get their pasty-faced mugs on camera to decry this outrage, and I couldn't help but think this would be their claim to fame in this election cycle, that they crossed the idiot boy-king to protect the country! Enough to make me want to yak.

Still I am enjoying watching Dim Son turn himself into a pretzel to explain this insanity.

[paulk]

66. I don't think so - I think Bush got blindsided by this

and did his usual reflexive defence of those loyal to him... which is going to bite him in the ass, but he's so disconnected he doesn't even seem to understand the consequences.



It's looking to me like John Snow pushed this thing through, to the benefit of... Snow? Sanborn?

Either way Bush comes out looking foolish, for letting this happen or for not knowing it was going down.

Katrina redux.


-----------------

The Honorable John Snow
Chair
Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States
Office of International Investment
Department of Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Room 4201 NY
Washington, DC 20220

Dear Mr. Secretary:

I write to you in your capacity as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) regarding the review and approval of the sale of Peninsular and Oriental Steamship Navigation Company to Dubai Ports World (DP). As you know, this sale would give DP, a company owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates, significant operational control over six major US ports.

Specifically, given the national security implications of this sale, I am concerned about the process by which this transaction was approved by CFIUS. First, it appears that CFIUS approved the sale as expeditiously as possible, without even using the additional 45 day investigation process that was clearly warranted under the circumstances.

Further, several media reports have cited ties between Administration officials and DP that raise questions about the basis for the approval of this sale by CFIUS. As you know, the CSX rail corporation, where you previously served as Chief Executive Officer, sold its port operations to DP in 2004. Moreover, the President's nominee for Administrator of the Maritime Administration, David Sanborn, was DP's Head of Operations for Latin America while this transaction was being reviewed by CFIUS. In light of these connections, Congress needs to learn more about the relationship between CFIUS members and DP, and whether Administration officials could have unduly influenced CFIUS's approval process.

Therefore, in the interest of full disclosure and the transparency appropriate under these circumstances, I request that you provide to the relevant committees in Congress all documentation and information relating to contacts between Administration officials, CFIUS members and staff, and DP, including any lobbyists or registered foreign agents working on behalf of DP.

Given the national security implications surrounding this transaction, it is essential that lawmakers have access to this information so that Congress can conduct meaningful oversight.
Sincerely,
John F. Kerry

[mzmolly]

67. I don't think so given Mehlman said he planned to run on "National Sec"

I think they are so used to not being questioned that they assumed it would happen unbeknownst to Americans.

The

[yellowcanine]

68. It is not a ploy. This is Keystone Kops stuff. Just like "Peppergate"

This White House is running on empty going up hill. When the gas finally runs out and they start going backwards down hill it ain't gonna be purty.

[Festivito]

69. It's WIN-WIN for him. More $ for dad, and separate him from other Repubs.

If it goes through, dad makes a tidy profit, closer rich friends, and the boys stem to inherit a pile with no death tax(which they desperately want made permanent). And, a few RepubliCONs can separate themselves from Bush before they run in '06.

If it fails the RepubliCONs running for House and Senate still show themselves separate from Bush and RepubliCON control -- WHICH THEY ARE NOT. And, his chances of being impeached are further reduced.

WIN WIN.

The only fault I see is if the Bush base see through him. Face it though, the CIA could release a tape of Bush talking to Osama, asking for the attack to be on 9/11 and to use four planes, and his base would still pray to Bush more than they'd pray in church.

This Porkgate, er, ah, portgate is important, but not as important as some of the scandals it obfuscates.