1 Boring Old Man

I’m still cogitating on why Bush would not sign the Preserving United States Attorney Independence Act of 2007 and Alberto Gonzales would make an appointment under the renounced Patriot Act provision when both he and the Administration are under so much pressure on this topic – and on record as denying they ever planned to use it as a method to get around Senate Confirmation of U.S. Attorneys. It’s tempting to jump conclusions and say that they’re exerting power just because they have it, like a bunch of playground bullies in Elementary School. And that may also be true.

But several things occur to me. First, if he vetos the bill, his veto will likely be over-ridden. This bill passed by 70% of the House and 94% of the Senate. He can’t get away with a Signing Statement I don’t think. This bill isn’t up for interpretation. It only "undoes" a provision of a previous bill. I don’t think he’s willing to put anyone up for U.S. Attorney. The Senate Confirmation process opens him up to great vulnerability. It killed Nixon. So stonewalling is his only choice, since Congress doesn’t have much in the way of power to enforce things left to them, except through the Courts – Courts Bush is close to controlling. So, I guess it makes some sense.

His vulnerability is sailing in open water. With the U.S. Attorney firing scandal, he’s only safe if he keeps people from tesifying, from being exposed on television. And his greatest vulnerability is the White House/GWB43.com emails. Like the White House tapes in the Nixon days, these emails could bring him down. He’s [they’re] more vulnerable than they’ve ever been…

They’ve got a lot of spinning plates in the air, and they’ve got a lot of Congressmen very angry, and they’ve got a war that can’t be won in the Middle East, and they’ve got domestic crises all over the place, and there are lots of operatives who see Scooter being sacraficed, and Bush and Rove not as smart as they think they are. Like with David and Goliath, one well-placed rock…