In the recently published Gospel of Judas, Judas is portrayed as a martyr who sacrifices himself so that Jesus can fulfill his mission. He is the only one able to see the larger picture and is willing to do whatever it takes.
What does this have to do with Bush?
You don't think all of this going on is actually the White House falling apart, do you?
What's Karl Rove's master plan? Find out on the flip...
Ok, so they've got themselves a very, very unpopular president. What does Karl Rove do to ensure his mandate of Everlasting Republican Power? He has to find a way of creating a climate for Republicans that allows them to totally distance themselves from Bush while not appearing at all disloyal to the Republican Party. He needs an issue or three to unite those diehards behind the Republicans, but not as Bush loyalists.
The answer? In rough order of outrage, immigration, Civil Liberties, [Issue to be named later relating to Social Conservative Hot Button Issues].
The strategy is to get Bush to become so reviled that instead of the Democrats having a strong "anti" campaign, the Republicans will be able to tap into the rising "anti" feeling by having their own "anti-Bush" campaign, but this one is geared towards their base as well as conservative independents.
Immigration:
He gets the red-meat xenophobes riled up by Bush constantly harping on the issue of immigration and appearing to "appease" and "cave in" to his corporate buddies. Bush will continue to seem stubborn and weak on this issue. This allows Republicans to regain their conservative street-cred by lambasting the President and disagreeing with him on this issue, strenuously, while still voting for his tax breaks, disasterous judicial nominees, and pretty much anything else he wants.
Civil Liberties:
Here's where Karl will get back the libertarians by having Bush defend his secret spying activities which make real libertarians froath at the mouth. The congressional Republicans will make token objections and will act "concerned" and make like they'll hold investigations (just wait for this shame procedings) or some such empty gesture, but in the end the outrage will be all with the libertarians and Democrats, and not with the actual Congressional Republicans. Nothing will get done.
Issue to be named later relating to Social Conservative Hot Button Issues:
Here's where I think they need a trifecta to get this last group back into line, and it is the last primary area of sin Bush needs to take upon himself to give the perfect foil to Republican Outrage. I don't know if he pushes for stem cell research (watch for him mom, Barbara, to be diagnosed with something that might benefit from stem cell research, then he can justify it by it being a personal decision, or a personal conversion) or something less popular with most people that will get the social conservative wing of the nutosphere to get all up in arms. (support contraception?)
I'm not sure about the last two, they may be true stumbles, but the first one I'm sure was set up by Rove to allow Bush to absorb all the bad Karma of corruption, CIA agent leaking, weak economy, tax cuts for the wealthiest, high energy costs. Instead of taking the rising tide of anti-establishment feelings, of "throw the bums out" and letting the Democrats profit from this, Karl did what Karl does best, attack his opponents in their strength.
Instead of having the president on the forfront of the defense of these things, he diverted peoples' attentions away from the real problems and instead, gave the Republican base an issue they can really get their teeth into, and a wonderful platform for Republicans to run on, as traditional Republicans, and against the president.
Immigration makes no other sense for Rove to be running with at this moment. It has never been a winning issue for Bush. He's always been too cozy with this Corporate-cons to want true immigration controls. Instead, Rove has saved this as a two-fold weapon.
One, he uses it for that standard tactic, stirring up fear. Fear of foreigners, fear for one's job, fear for the economy, fear of brown people taking our country, "reconquista" to the conspiracy nuts.
Two, by taking a stand that is unpopular with his base, that is more closely associated with Democrats, at least to the Republican base, Bush is heaping the sin upon himself. In 2008, the election will not be about the Republican supporting the Glorious Bush Legacy (about as real as successful lessons on war from Rumsfeld), but instead it will about "taking the Republican Party back." Instead of ceding the high ground of indignation and disgust to the Democrats, the Republicans will attempt to steal it for themselves by running against their very own leader. It will be a spectacle of the poor goat, Bush, heaped with sin and being sent out into the wilderness of Texas.
It's brilliant, it's working, and we have to recognize it to fight it. Or, it's my brain working on too little sleep and not enough nutrition.
Think about it.
Plane Crazy