Some Political Updating

Tom DeLay left Congress with a sneer instead of a tear. I don’t think anybody who cares about Congress doing a good job for America will miss him.

Karl Rove seems to have escaped indictment in the CIA agent identity leak investigation. He has already been demoted in the Bush Administration, from lap dog in the White House back to attack dog on the campaign trail. His defense of memory lapse echoes Richard Nixon in the Watergate aftermath, “I was not lying. I said things that later seemed to be untrue.”

Bill Frist seems to be the most ineffectual Senate Majority leader in recent history. Dennis Hastert may be the most hard nosed and least charismatic Speaker of the House since - oops what about Newt Gingrich, the jerk who is trying to rise from his disgrace a la Nixon? The Republicans are getting a deserved bad rap for the Congress they control. This fall’s election will determine whether control of either or both chambers changes, somewhat of an uphill battle for Democrats, but one with definite possibilities.

Bush made his second Iraq visit the other day, staying almost twice as long as his Thanksgiving visit in 2003 - 6 hours instead of 3. Fear for his safety was so great that only his half dozen personal insiders in the US and no Iraqis knew about the trip until his plane had landed. He then proceeded to advise the Iraqis on what he knows best - how to lose money in the oil business but still end up with a profit - it helps to have family and friends in high places.

Bush came to Seattle yesterday for a fund raiser for Congressman Reichert. This first term Republican, who represents my district of east side suburbia, is trying to frame himself as a moderate, but his voting record is at least 85% aligned with Bush and he apparently welcomed GW’s support. I hope that support is enough to enable a Democrat to take the seat.

Bush declared a huge Pacific Ocean area a National Monument, raising eyebrows of environmentalists and ire of environmental exploiters. In fact, the area has been on the protective track since the Clinton Administration, and is so remote to be of little current use for exploration. I expect it was done to have something for the positive side of the Bush legacy on the environment, though it cannot begin to balance the environmental harm he has caused.

John Kerry is starting to awaken like an old volcano. Hillary is planting her feet every so firmly on both sides of the center line in the middle of the road. Al Gore is working to convince interviewers of what he says he has learned - that he makes a good government executive but a bad national candidate. One effective campaigner, John Edwards, seems to be in oblivion. With George W. Bush equaling or exceeding the longevity record for lame ducks, the Democrats are getting a lot of time to develop prospects, but it seems too early to focus on anyone new.