Robert Novak reports on an uncomfortable truth about the Bush White House, valid even following the outbreak of absurd overreaction by the media about VP Cheney's hunting accident.
Bush-bashers delighted in exaggerating Cheney's post-accident conduct as a metaphor for everything wrong with George W. Bush's presidency in its sixth year. Nevertheless, there are supporters of the president (and the vice president, as well) who believe the handling of the accident does reflect structural problems in the Bush White House. Those defects were present from the start of this presidency and remain, in the absence of a basic reconstruction after Bush's re-election.Republican malaise in Washington derives less from anemic poll ratings than from overriding concern about how the Bush team functions. This anxiety is enhanced because Republican criticism of the White House is seen as evidence of disloyalty and consequently discouraged.
The critical shortcomings of the Bush administration on both strategy and tactical execution won't be overcome without personnel changes. It's long overdue, but seems increasingly unlikely to happen in time to matter.
Posted by Alan at February 19, 2006 09:10 AM