Can You Put a Price on National Security?

Apparently Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) thinks there is. For $400 million, he's agreed to vote for the extant version of the Iraq/Afghanistan supplemental - that is to say the version with withdrawal provisions.

But there is a silver lining: Queen Loon Maxine Waters has prmised to whip against the bill. Thank god for the crazies.

Earth to Karl Rove

Wow, just wow. Bush's legendary loyalty strikes again. This afternoon's press conference merely reiterated the president's support for embattled AG Gonzales at a time when any competent effort at damage control would throw Gonzo under the bus. This story is a tempest in a teacup but unfortunately, both Schumer and Emanuel feel that they haven't gotten sufficient credit for pointing this out and will react accordingly. What do I mean? They won't stop till they've had satisfaction which is unnecessary pain. Throwing them the AG might just be sufficient.

This isn't the hour for the White House to be truculent but rather for it to pick its battles. Hill Republicans aren't crazy about the guy and I'm not putting retribution past them. I keep getting the feeling that this White House isn't 100% comprehending the reality of a Democratic majority and another example of his misguided loyalty just reinforces that impression.

UPDATE: If I can give them any credit for the mishandling of this mess (they could have thrown some competent, friendly prosecutors out on their ass too - at least Demos might not have caught the scent for a while longer), it's that they didn't axe Fitzgerald and today's Post suggested was under consideration. Oh and I'm pretty angry with Senator Fitzgerald for giving us that hack - anyone with their head screwed on right understands the craven, self-serving motives of Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame and realize that there really was no case here (to say nothing of the bad precedent) - others would have been sufficient.

Just a little detail called the Constitution...

Democrats in Congress are at it again. A bill, HR 492, the "District of Columbia Voting Rights Restoration Act of 2007," is expected to come before the House for a vote this week. It proposes that DC residents be allowed to vote in US House races in Maryland. Sounds pretty innocuous, right? After all, DC famously decries "taxation without representation" on its license plates; others claim that opposition to giving DC a voice is a matter of racism. The District is, after all, 60% black and went 89% for Kerry in 2004 (off the top of my head, I think San Francisco went "only" 85% for him).

Well uh, actually folks, there's a pretty damn good reason why DC votes. Little thing called the Constitution - you may have heard of it? There's a lot of people in Congress who seem to believe they're recommendations. Or to quote Pirates of the Caribbean, Democrats often seem to say "Hang the code, and hang the rules. They're more like guidelines anyway. " Unnecessary pop culture references aside, that musty old document proclaims in Section 8 that

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States

In modern English - DC's not a state, Congress has jurisdiction over it and it doesn't get its own representation. I've always wondered if this was because they never really intended DC to be a place of residence, merely one for the bureaucrats?

Now for the pragmatism: if Congress is going to force this sort of BS down our throats, this is relatively tame. After all, Maryland abutting the district is bright blue - throwing in DC isn't going to change anything. However questions need to be asked: is this going to cause a reapportionment of seats after the next census? If so, who's losing a seat? (Based on recent historical trends I'd have to guess another coastal state). If nothing then this is pretty much tame.

Why am I willing to not scream absolute bloody murder? Because this is a lot more palatable than making DC its own state (God forbid). The Constitution clearly didn't intend that to happen. And again on a pragmatic level, we really don't need two more Democratic loons in the Senate (51 is plenty, thanks) or any more kooks in the House. It's not racism folks, it's pure party politics.

...Unless of course they're willing to consider my other idea: separate Illinois into two states: Chicago and another part (they can keep Illinois or call it Corn or Soy - their pick), while ceding East St. Louis to Missouri. It'll give us two more Republicans in the Senate, a few in the House we can give Dick Durbin to Missouri (I almost feel bad doing that), and downstaters will no longer have to pay for Chicago's screwed up schools/Chicagoans will no longer have to pay for farm bailouts. Everyone wins. Except Missouri. Sorry guys.

Wow

This will have some people screaming. Great homage to daisies at the end.

Beware the Pander Bear?

Great new release from RNC Research here. Best line by far is Conan's:

"Hillary Clinton marched in today's St. Patrick's Day Parade, and spectators accused her of pandering to voters. They might be right because Hillary was wearing a button that said, 'Kiss me, I'm also Jewish, black, Puerto Rican, and a huge Yankee fan.'"

Just as true now, though these days she's also trying to be everything to everyone on Iraq...

Helped Wanted; Attorney General

Well some said Gonzo's political career had less than a week to go - it may be less than that. According to Politico, Republicans are actively searching for replacements. These might include:

--Former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee, the "Law & Order" star who is now considering seeking the Republican presidential nomination.

--Olson, who was Bush's first solicitor general and now is a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Washington.

--Larry Thompson, who has been general counsel of PepsiCo Inc. since leaving his first-term job as deputy to Attorney General John Ashcroft.

--Retired federal judge Laurence H. Silberman, who was named by Bush to be co-chairman of the Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction.

--George J. Terwilliger III, a former deputy attorney general and acting attorney general who was a leader of Bush's legal team during the Florida election recount.

Bush apparently hasn't spoken to Gonzales since last week.

Money Makes the World Go Round...

Also from Novak: potential signs that Giuliani's not fundraising as much as he'd like. While nothing's definite, as today's Note pointed out,

5. Heaven will need to help Hillary Clinton and/or John McCain if they are not the gross cash leaders in their respective party first-quarter fundraising derbies.

6. Every one of the Big 6 has the potential to be the big money story of the quarter.

7. It is possible that every one of the Big 3 Democrats will outraise every one of the Big 3 Republican candidates, which will cause the Old Media to go ga-ga-ga.

8. The only one of the Big 6 who appears to have the potential to be a first-quarter break-through candidate in terms of web fundraising is Senator Obama.

It's a perception game. Everyone with an eye to the race (myself included) is waiting with baited breath for the quarterly financials to be reported.

Law & Order DA as President?

Fred Thompson's better known as DA Arthur Branch of Law & Order than as the Senator he was previously, which is a sad statement on our polity. But he's making noises about running for president. I'm not going to judge but provide links to others' opinions.

• WSJ's John Fund's interesting interview with Thompson
• The Post's Chris Cilizza lays out "The Case for Fred Thompson"
• On This Week yesterday, Donna Brazile (I think) suggested that Thompson's candidacy may simply be a "stalking horse" for McCain, with whom he is close friends. The argument goes that Thompson would put together a campaign, gather some momentum andgarner some headlines, then endorse McCain
• From Novak's Inside Report:

  Actor-politician Fred Thompson's unexpected expression of interest in seeking the Republican presidential nomination has attracted an equally unexpected favorable reaction, especially among social conservatives.
  
  In Tennessee Republican politics, former Sen. Thompson was allied with Howard Baker and Lamar Alexander in the state party's more liberal wing. However, his voting record in the Senate was solidly conservative. He is viewed by the Christian right as more acceptable than any of the three Republican candidates leading in the polls: Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney.
  
  Nobody is sure that Thompson really will run. He has been reported in line as successor to radio commentator Paul Harvey to fill one of the most prestigious and profitable broadcasting niches.

  Novak also touches on one of Thompson's other assets: he might get Frist's nomination, whatever that's worth after Schiavo.
  

What do you think?

Romney: Open Mouth, Insert Foot

Thus far, Mitt Romney seems to have run a flawless campaign. That he did so is on some level unsurprising; he seems to be running it with a Third Way business-political outlook. No longer though. Speaking last night in Miami to the Cuban community, Romney finished his speech with Patria o muerte, venceremos! Bravo for speaking Spanish, Romney, but next time stay away from Castro slogans? Apparently the line, "Fatherland or death we shall overcome," is vintage Fidel, a conclusion to many of his speeches over the years. Whoops.

Beyond the fact that a Romney staffer is looking for another job this morning, this could have consequences. Romney's been aggressively courting the Cuban community, with one of the community's heavyweights, Al Cardenas, cutting radio spots for him and chairing his Florida campaign. His concern is understandable given the amount of support McCain seems to have in the state (remember when Charlie Crist ditched Bush to campaign with McCain late last cycle?) and the fact that Florida's angling to move way up in the primary calendar (which is a topic for another day, but it's bad for democracy).

The damage is done and it'll be interesting to see if Romney's shunned by the Cubans for his idiocy. But what will be more interesting to see is how his thus-far lillywhite campaign manages damage control. Can they handle it or are we going to begin seeing some cracks?

Wow

This is the first ad that's made me say that in a while. It's anti-Hillary, in the mold of Apple's infamous 1984 Ridley Scott ad, and while it's explicitly pro-Obama, his camp decries all knowledge.

Gathering of Eagles Wrap-Up

Apparently the Gathering of Eagles in Washington yesterday was a smashing success. That of the anti-war folks? Not so much. Oops. Not that the media cares to report that. Malkin's got the full run-down here.

Gems from the Journal

I'd missed it until the White House public liaison sent it out to the "White House Jewish Leaders" email list of which I am a member (don't ask, I don't know - but please don't disabuse them of the notion that I am in fact a Jewish leader!), but yesterday's WSJ op-ed is priceless. Though I'm unclear on the questions of constitutionality it raises towards the end, its satire of Congress's micromanagement is dead on. Even more, it highlights Pelosi's fundamental dilemma with her out-of-control majority. Both flanks - the progressives and the Blue Dogs - are both getting restless. I don't think anything too drastic will happen, but given that there are roughly 40 conservative Democrats, Pelosi can't afford to offend. Next few months should be priceless.

POLL: Iraqi Life Better Now Than Under Sadaam

Despite what George Stephanopolous's claiming on This Week right now, a new British poll finds that Iraqis perceive their life as better now than under Sadaam. Beyond the main finding, the most intriguing is that only 27% of Iraqis think their country is plagued by a civil war. This in contrast to the whole of the Left here, for whom "civil war" is a buzz word.

In the meantime, the Iraqi government is beginning to act with some assurance on things like the new oil bill. Am I the only one who believes that such confidence and the surge are unrelated? Funny what happens when you demonstrate your commitment and work for greater security.

Chuck the Schmuck Strikes Again

Has Senator Chuck Schumer been using AttorneyGate for political advantage? Looks like it. Surprised? Shouldn't be. Apparently Schumer's been mixing his roles as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, taking testimony from that fired New Mexico attorney and the next day using parts of that same testimony to slam Senator Pete Domenici in a press release. CQ's got the story here.