President Has No Political Capital; Fears Veto Looks Weak

Posted at 10:07 am on Wednesday, March 15, 2006, in Uncategorized, and tagged bush, iraq.

The president has been tyupically reported as (or at least conveyed) a man who had great balls, politically. Quite the contrary. The president has had no balls, politically (any ballsy-move has been by Cheney/Rove), and the ports deal is just the latest example of the president’s mishandling of a political situation.

The president asked the Dubai firm to withdraw their offer, despite insistence from the White House that the deal is safe and firm, in order to not have Bush use his (first) veto. Bush feels that if he uses a veto, it is a sign of weakness, not strength. Is he right?

For one, Bush has all the political power; the GOP controls ths Senate, House, White House, and the Supreme Court. If Bush can’t get support with that lineup, it suggests that his stance was faulty. But this also lends support for the conclusion that this White House, not only have they spent any political capital gained in the election, is leaning towards becoming lost in the mystique of being a lame duck administration. The president’s team has gambled their success on the success of their Iraq policy. Time may run out; we will be involved with Iraq for generations.

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