I've read a lot on Rove's statement today and the counterattack. First let me observe that when powerful Democratic senators start making speeches and going on the attack, the MSM takes notice, if nothing else, conflict makes a good storyline. So a lot of our problems with the MSM up to this point, I believe, are due in no small part to the lack of opposition, except during election time.
Let's be suspicious here. Rove knows that putting out a statement like he just did would roil the waters. Why roil the waters? I can't see that he would make such a mistake. I can't see why he would create a controversy that wouldn't benefit him somehow.
What is the "Rathergate" twist to this? What issue does this develop that makes Iraq a nonissue? It does seem like an attempt to make everyone who opposes the war a "liberal." Not a bad strategy, except that it doesn't stop the body bags from coming home.
Let's think chess. What moves is he planning two or three moves down the board? This does apparently have something to do with setting up another phony baloney press conference on June 28. What could Bush say or do then that is strenghtened by attacking the liberals or Democrats or disloyal Republicans? What would turn this ship around, even temporarily?
Can you be against the war and for the war at the same time? I was reading someone today who pointed out that Nixon protected himself against the Vietnam War by not being for the war, but against the protesters. By not have anti-war protesters now, Bush can't use that tactic. What kind of alternate reality is Rove going to try to create next?
Nixon also used the "secret plan" to win the war, but that also was a crock. Could Bush be ready to propose some kind of "secret" strategy?
Whatever it is, I don't think a lame press conference is going to work. And I think the press, embolden by the polls, is about ready to jump all over him on the war, especially when the generals say he's nuts.
What this is about, clearly now, is to somehow turn the polls. These people were never about governing, only about staying in power, by the laziest means available -- public relations. So the thinking here is that they don't want to think their way out, they would want to use another song-and-dance routine. What are the parameters of that routine?
One might think it would be to go to war against Iran and its budding nuclear power, even if it is just an aerial scrape. Maybe that's it. There was talk of a June war against Iran, and we are running short of June. And it could be the reason why we are getting the patriot talk again. And 9/11 to boot. And a war, or threat of war, usually turns the polls around pretty quickly.
That's got to be it. Get ready for Iran to be the new Saddam/Bin Laden. This makes more sense given that Bush has started sending food to North Korea to make them behave.
Wait a minute! Still a lot of talk about foriegn fighters coming in from Syria. Boy, we are right in the area, they aren't very strong. The Israelis would probably all too happy to help out.
I'm amending my previous guess. Expect an annoucement that Syria is the newest threat to the U.S. They might even be accused of hiding Saddam's nonexistent WMDs. This is got to be the tactic.
Anybody agree?
