Sex, Lies and Republicans

"This is the case, despite the serious Republican defections--and the urgings by the most senior of these Republicans that the president shift his strategy and draw down some U.S. troops or see Congress cut off funds and end the war altogether.

"This is the case, despite news of a forthcoming administration report--to be delivered to Congress this week--that concludes the Iraqi government has met none of the political or security 'benchmarks' that Bush himself once urged them to meet in exchange for continued U.S. support.

"This is the case, despite the fact that nearly everyone around him is at least very skeptical of the surge's prospects. (One must assume that Dick Cheney is an exception, and perhaps the only exception necessary.)

"Unlike earlier talks of this sort, in which Bush's speechwriters at least assembled some stray facts and passed them off as evidence of progress, this speech--which seemed entirely improvised--was founded on nothing but faith."

But Power Line's John Hinderaker applauds the president's stance:

"I've been struck many times over the past several years by how clear and candid President Bush is in describing and explaining his policies. He said again that he welcomes 'a good, honest debate' about the war. Unfortunately, however, there is no honest debate going on. Most Democrats want to lose in Iraq so they can blame the Republicans and gain political advantage. Some Republicans care less about whether we win or lose than about their re-election next year. Neither group is in a position to tell the American people, honestly, what it wants. So President Bush is pretty much alone as a voice of reason and candor on the war."

I'm still stunned by the politicization described by the former surgeon general, who says he was required to mention Bush three times on every page of his speeches. TPM's Spencer Ackerman can hardly believe it:

"Admit it: when George W. Bush is gone, you're going to miss him. Who else would politicize the surgeon general's office? Who else would embed junk science into a mostly ceremonial post? And who else could turn a congressional hearing into strengthening that sinecure into an exploration of political corruption?

"Richard H. Carmona, U.S. surgeon general from 2002 to 2006, testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform about the Bush-inflicted horrors he experienced during his tenure. Some of Carmona's experience will be familiar to administration-watchers, like a dismissal of global warming as 'a liberal cause' by senior officials. Health and Human Services cronies struck references to stem-cell research from his speeches while instructing him to mention President Bush three times on every page. Come election time, the nation's doctor was to prescribe voting for the GOP ticket . . .

"Carmona is hardly the first, or even the fifteenth example of the administration's politically motivated suppression of science. For instance, James Hansen, muzzled from speaking about climate change. Susan Wood, restricted from approving an over-the-counter contraceptive."

Even the conservative Captain Ed cannot abide this:

"There is one facet of the Bush Presidency that historians will universally and roundly condemn; the politicization of governance that, top to bottom, has interfered with many of the vital functions we expect the government to carry out . . .

"Just because the Surgeon General is nominally a political appointment in that the post is filled by someone nominated by the President doesn't mean that the job itself should be politicized. And to believe that reports and studies that would have an immediate impact on the health of American citizens should be held hostage to some myopic political views promoted by the White House is outrageous."

Finally, another president agonizing about his image:

"President Nixon and his 1972 re-election campaign tried to tie Democrats to the mob, gay liberation and even slavery, according to newly released papers and tapes betraying bare-knuckle tactics from the dawn of the Watergate scandal.

"Still, even as Nixon's lieutenants explored every avenue for defeating Democrat George McGovern and nullifying critics of all stripes -- 'hit them' was a favorite phrase -- the president brooded over his reputation as a hard man whose gentle side was not being seen by the public. Nixon called that side of him 'the whole warmth business.'

"In 1970, he wrote an 11-page, single-spaced memo detailing his acts of kindness to staff and strangers and expressing regret that he was getting no credit for being 'nicey-nice.' "

Maybe the whole warmth business was undermined by the whole enemies list business.