Posted on 02/18/2006 8:51:14 PM PST by Theodore R.
Blame GOP Malaise on Bush's Team by Robert Novak Posted Feb 19, 2006
When Dick Cheney finally broke his silence by answering questions from Fox's Brit Hume last Wednesday, four days after the hunting accident, many Republicans could hardly believe it. They were stunned that the vice president indicated he had no regrets about the way the incident was handled. Every Republican I contacted had regrets in abundance.
Bush-bashers delighted in exaggerating Cheney's post-accident conduct as a metaphor for everything wrong with George W. Bush's presidency in its sixth year. Nevertheless, there are supporters of the president (and the vice president, as well) who believe the handling of the accident does reflect structural problems in the Bush White House. Those defects were present from the start of this presidency and remain, in the absence of a basic reconstruction after Bush's re-election.
Republican malaise in Washington derives less from anemic poll ratings than from overriding concern about how the Bush team functions. This anxiety is enhanced because Republican criticism of the White House is seen as evidence of disloyalty and consequently discouraged.
A vivid illustration is provided by Vin Weber, a former congressman who has been a major player in Republican politics for the past quarter of a century. While he now is a Washington lobbyist, he has remained deeply engaged in Republican politics (particularly back in his home state of Minnesota). Following the 2004 election, Weber was reported possibly to be coming to the White House as part of a staff reconstruction. In fact, Weber was willing to accept the economic sacrifice for him and his family by returning to public service.
But no call came from the White House because the president decided to stand pat in his staffing for a second term. Because Weber always has been a team player rather than an open-mouthed critic of his own administration, his comments on page one of last Wednesday's Washington Post attracted special attention. Weber specifically criticized Cheney, contending that the disclosure of the accident "should have been handled differently." In character, the White House let out the word that such mild criticism put this faithful Republican out of line.
Actually, as Weber surely would admit, the problems exposed by the Texas shooting were no aberration. But instead, they are systemic. Andrew Card, as Bush's only presidential chief of staff, has had an extraordinarily long tenure in that post of over five years, but has not dominated the presidential office in the manner of Sherman Adams and James Baker. Card always seemed less formidable than Bush political adviser Karl Rove, who with his additional title of deputy chief of staff mixes politics and policy.
If that is not complicated enough, Cheney is unique in the way he fills his constitutional office. Previous vice presidents either have been ignored or delegated specific duties, but Cheney is alone in emerging as an independent power center. A former White House chief of staff (in the Ford administration), Cheney is at least the equal of Card and Rove. Under this system, Cheney was able to keep quiet for 14 hours his accidental shooting of a fellow hunter.
The result was a week full of embarrassment and confusion, but the broader message is a dysfunctional White House that helps bring about a second term with an unclear domestic agenda and sagging party morale. Reports surfaced periodically during 2005 that new faces would appear in the interest of a more orderly, more effective administration.
Well-placed Republican sources reported that highly regarded Rob Portman, who resigned his congressional seat from Ohio to become U.S. trade representative, would come to the White House as chief of staff with expanded powers. As 2006 began, it was speculated that after the budget was presented former Sen. Phil Gramm would walk away from his lucrative commercial pursuits to become secretary of the treasury and a major positive force in the administration. However, talk of Portman and Gramm arriving appears to be wishful thinking.
The problem can be seen by the White House last week being more aggravated by Vin Weber's mild criticism than exposure of a dysfunctional staff system. The real cause for malaise is fear that the president will decide it is too late for a second-term reconstruction.
Mr. Novak is a syndicated columnist and editor of the Evans-Novak Political Report.
I'd say that professional commentators and pundits don't have consensus because they are very clearly making up the things they write.
There are almost no actual facts or real depth to their analysis. They are writing mostly just to please publishers and fulfill contracts.
The political talking head crowd is completely vacuous.
"vacuous". The perfect descriptive word for them. Thank you for your comment. Been wondering what twilight world I was in upon reading them the last month or so. I haven't personally or politically felt "disarrayed". :o)
No silly. D.S. = he has a Doctorate in Sh!t.
What the heck is he blathering about anyway? I thought Cheney did a GREAT job on this.
Of course the accidental shooting was a screwup. An accident.
But the way the press was handled was great IMO. It caused them to get completely unhinged, along with most of the loony left. Several polls including Rasmussen have shown that Americans overwhelmingly are ready to move on and don't see this whole incident as a big deal. Yet here we have the media and the left weaving these lurid conspiracy stories and acting like they were stood up for the high school prom. It's been... uh... fun to watch.
And we even got to see David Gregory in a classic temper tantrum in the White House Press room -- holding his breath, then screaming, then hurling his Gerbers around in every direction. This stuff drives another nail in the credibility coffin of the press.
All in all a fine job. Screw the inside the beltway talking heads that say this is a mistake.
TR, there was a time when Novak was considered conservative.
But, he's always been a 'Rat.
I will never forget listening to the "conservative" Gergan, either.
They are made up Old Media conservatives.
I take them, and Bill Kristol, with a grain of salt.
I just wish FNC would quit hiring folks of their ilk.
"And Bill Kristol."
YES, MA'AM!
Gergan wannabe.
I felt the same way. ;o)
Is it redundant to say: BUSH'S FAULT!
What Robert Novak doesn't seem to understand is out here in flyover land this whole Cheney hunting accident is viewed, no big deal a one day story (at best)or fodder for jokes.
I think that Novak is addressing a general malaise among grass-roots Republicans, not the dismay over the Cheney shooting incident. Paul Weyrich wrote a recent column saying that large numbers of Republicans will sit out the 2006 elections and may make Nancy Pelosi the Speaker.
Having said that, Novak does touch on several issues that should concern the Bushies and their loyalist sycophants. The Bush fatigue factor is beginning to set in with people. It happens in every second term. Happened to Eisenhower, Reagan and Slick. Usually occurs in the last two years. But since Bush&Company play their cards so close to their vest, that fatigue factor is setting in a bit earlier then expected.
Of course, the President won't get any relief from the liberal media. Even some Republican insiders are getting weary. So I think its fair to say, hold on tight, its gonna be a long 34-35 months till we reach the end of this Presidency in Januray 2009. I only hope the WOT and the conflict in Iraq doesn't suffer because of any non-related events.
Novak is a sour jerk who just can't accept that the rat is over. There is no maliase or mayonase or any other kind of maise within the real GOP. This fool should get out of Washington every so often and he'd find out.
Weber is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, just like McCain. They are the globalists par excellence...All they have to do is issue a press release and the media jumps like dogs for them. Novak is pimiping for membership. You have to sell us out a bunch of times or be willing to to get in. David Gergen is another example.
That's why Ken Bode's comments about Hillary were so widely published. He is CFR. Usually anything against her heinous is shot down fast.
http://www.geocities.com/benribqqq/cfr2005roster.html
Take hemlock old man.
Gee, Roberto, the pubs I've talked with LIKE seeing Cheney jerk the press around.
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