Unpleasant Reality

Hulse writes: "Intramural fights in politics often have an element of calculation if not orchestration, and the White House's political shop is no doubt aware that allowing Congressional Republicans to put some distance between themselves and Mr. Bush in an election year could serve the party's long-term interest."

But there are genuine signs that some Republicans consider it a fitting moment for Congress to declare its independence.

" 'If there was ever a good time for Congress to figure out oversight, it would be in the sixth year of a presidency,' said Representative Roy Blunt of Missouri, the No. 3 House Republican, well aware that the party in power typically loses seats at the midpoint of a president's second term."

In the House

Joel Havemann writes in the Los Angeles Times: "In a biting rebuke to President Bush, a lopsided and bipartisan majority of a major House committee voted Wednesday to nullify portions of a deal that would hand operation of U.S. port facilities to a Dubai company.

"Congress and the White House advanced on a collision course as the House Appropriations Committee approved a measure that Bush had promised to veto -- and attached it to a bill the president dearly wanted."

Kenneth R. Bazinet and Michael McAuliff write in the New York Daily News: "When the bill goes to the full House, likely next week, it will set up a showdown between the GOP leaders and Bush, who has never used his veto power before. To do it this time, Bush would have to cancel vital military and hurricane relief funding.

"White House officials vowed the President wouldn't blink. One aide even suggested Team Bush would put the blame on House Republicans if Bush has to uncap his veto pen.

" 'They will slow down funding for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and for the Gulf states hit by Katrina,' the official said."

Meanwhile, Bush was rebuffed by Congressional Republicans on two other fronts yesterday.

As Joanne Kenen writes for Reuters: "Bush's plan to cut $36 billion from Medicare ran into stiff opposition on Wednesday from dozens of his fellow Republicans in the House of Representatives.

"The move creates doubts about getting Bush's 2007 budget through Congress -- and is another sign of growing tensions between the president and his fellow Republicans in Congress.

"In another headache for Bush, a top Senate Republican said he was putting on the back burner the president's proposal to expand tax-free Health Savings Accounts, a major component of the administration's effort to reduce health care costs."