[Spotsy]

The Dems have several disgraceful goals in regard to Dr. Rice:

1) force Rice's resignation

2) once Rice has resigned, excoriate Bush for making Rice take the fall and not accepting responsibility for the 9/11 attacks himself

3) play the race and gender cards with respect to #2

4) neutralize Rice's potential to run for any political office, including the presidency


The commission is going to ambush Dr. Rice at the hearings this Thursday. I have tremendous faith in Dr. Rice's abilities, but her performance won't change the Dem's plans. The Dems already have their conclusions drawn and they aren't going to let facts get in their way.

My hope is that the Dems' game will only cause Bush to draw Dr. Rice in closer - as it did in the summer of 2002, when the Dems first started calling for her resignation.

[expatpat]

I like to believe that the WH is treating this like a chess-match, evaluating the opponent's possible moves several moves ahead.