[Strategerist]

Mainstream America didn't decide to require passports; Homeland Security did.

So do you want some sort of weenie wonk like Gore who is constantly micromanaging regulations of every department in office?

What happened is that this wasn't perceived as that significant by HS and the decision was made at a department level and the WH wasn't notified and nobody said "Hey, Prez, what do you think of this?" at a cabinet meeting.

[TomGuy]

the decision was made at a department level and the WH wasn't notified

A major policy shift is made in the Executive Branch, at the Department level, and the Chief Executive is not informed? Give me a break! GW knew -- and approved. This level of policy change doesn't happen without the Chief Executive's okay. GW is just trying to distance himself from the decision, now.