Caffeine High

I've always compared the Iraq War to Vietnam War. But is Dubya the Nixon of our time? I'm crossing my fingers and praying that he is. But also hoping that the Democratic successor (after Cheney leaves, of course) is more successful than Jimmy Carter was.

So if Bush's right-hand/right-brain man keeps getting nabbed by the media and bloggers for being the Big Bad Leaker in the Bush administration. Now, Bush has clearly said that the person responsible for the leak WILL pay a price. Assuming that Rove was the source for the Valerie Plame story (read this for complete story), Bush is thus obliged by his big mouth to pretty much fire Rove.

Ohhh, and look? It's the New York Times reporting under the headline "Rove comes under new scrutiny in CIA disclosure case":

The White House went on the defensive today amid a barrage of questions from Democrats and reporters about the presidential adviser Karl Rove and whether he had disclosed the name of a covert intelligence operative in retaliation for criticism of the administration's Iraq policy.

President Bush's chief spokesman, Scott McClellan, declined to repeat his earlier assertions that Mr. Rove, the deputy White House chief of staff, had nothing to do with leaking the name of the operative, Valerie Plame of the Central Intelligence Agency, to get back at her husband, a former United States ambassador who had publicly challenged Bush administration policy.

Nor would Mr. McClellan repeat his earlier statements that any White House staff person who had leaked the name should be fired.

I can only wish that the bolded portion is true. That'd complete the Bush=Nixon comparison. Except Nixon had an otherwise respectful foreign policy and a very moderate and admirable domestic/social policy. Oh, btw, a great NYTimes visual.

Dan Froomkin has an EXCELLENT review of the facts and unanswered questions in what some have called Plamegate (after the uncovered CIA agent Valerie Plame) to basically prove:

There is no longer any question that top presidential adviser Karl Rove is a key player in the Valerie Plame case......

If Karl Rove, Bush's top political strategist, longtime friend and deputy chief of staff is actually indicted by Fitzgerald -- which now appears to be a possibility -- it would be an enormous blow to Bush's second term. Until Fitzgerald wraps up his highly secretive investigation, however, that's all just speculation.

I may be setting myself up for a VERY BIG disappointment if Fitzgerald, the special prosecuter for this case, doesn't find anything conclusive.

But I'm too happy to think of that. I'm in Hypothetical Land. *weird fairy-like music* Stay with me as I go through the Possible Wonderful Things That Could/Should Happen.

- Rove is discovered to be a source.

- Bush, being the oh-so-loyal buddy that he is, won't fire Rove. Instead, he lashes at the "liberal media"

- Public outrage at the current failure of a president, as all news networks will replay a clip in which Bush distinctly says (kind of reminiscent of his daddy's "read my lips") that he will punish the person responsible, who is - in Hypothetical Land - his right-brain man Karl Rove.

- Bob Woodward writes a book on whether or not the Bush White House leaked Valerie Plame's name to ruin her career as retaliation for her husband's vocal criticism of their handling of the Iraq War.

- Oh, and the Democrats take both houses of Congress in 2006. DeLay (TX) is out. Santorum (PA) is bye-bye. Chafee (RI) and Snowe (ME) switched to Democrat. And to make this even sweeter, Arnold "Gubernator" Schwarzenegger is GONE FOR GOOD.

- Congressional investigation begins on the legality of the war in Iraq, and opposition to this "war on terror" grows.

- Congress passes resolutions demanding that the Commander-in-Chief start making plans to get our men and women out of Iraq ASAP.

- Congressional investigation on Guantanamo ousts people like ex-Attorney General, now-Supreme Court Justice Alberto Gonzales. But before Bush can appoint his replacement to the Supreme Court, incriminating information on how the administration suppressed the liberties defined in the Bill of Rights.

- Cheney is being investigated for violation of ethical environmental standards. Due to the increasing pressure (both political and cardio), he resigns the Vice-Presidency. The Senate refuses to accept Bush's first few appointments to fill the VP post, further downing his rock-bottom ratings.

- Bush Impeachment, 2006. Christie is seen weeping/sobbing in rapturous ecstasy as the news breaks out.

Oh wow... My currently caffeinated mood hit an unprecendented high as I typed "Bush Impeachment, 2006". Oooh. There goes the adrenaline...........

Bye kids, I'm too caffeine/adrenaline-high to continue.