The Portgate scandal is crucial because Bush has violated his own doctrine

[kpete]

PortGate--the annihilation of Bush's purpose.
by hekebolos

The Bush presidency has not really been the "fuck-you" presidency. Really, it has been the "I can act like a king because I do national security and after 9/11 you can never be too careful" presidency.

And right here, it all comes crashing down. Because for many Bush supporters, it doesn't really matter whether Iraq helped or harmed national security. It doesn't really matter whether the domestic spying program assisted or hindered surveillance of suspected terrorists. It doesn't really matter whether the Patriot Act helps get new leads against terror suspects--because he's trying his best to do what he thinks is right, in their view, and if they agree with him on other issues, they'll be willing to forgive whatever mistakes have been made in his quest to protect the country, because he seems to care that much.

The Portgate scandal is crucial because Bush has violated his own doctrine. When Bush said that we need to justify holding a Middle Eastern company to a higher standard, he showed that he in fact does not agree with the key point of his own doctrine: namely, that in a post-9/11 world, you can never be too careful.

And regardless of whether DPW is a national security threat, the fact that Bush for whatever reason has not taken the same "whatever it takes to defend the American people" approach on this issue that he has taken on Iraq, domestic surveillance, the Patriot Act and torture--that fact paves the way for questioning the motives of the other activities I mentioned--because if Bush really took the "you can never be too careful" approach to everything, why didn't he stop the DPW deal?

Bush has reneged the entire premise of his presidency. And it's now time for us to capitalize.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/2/22/01237/1697

[HereSince1628]

1. Well, I think you've got a winning message.

[elehhhhna]

2. The obvious question is : WHO OWNS THIS GUY? Not us.

[JNelson6563]

3. Amen!

That is the whole point of it. Recommended.

Julie

[xiamiam]

4. Absolutely..and all iof the reasons to distrust him should be tied to the

incompetence and shortsightedness evident in this move....this is important because everyone is shaking their head and disbelieving...well, if the whole picture is laid out effectively..this administration is toast...carpe diem...

[LisaLynne]

5. That's so true.

I think that's the dissidence that won't go away. I think this is basically this Admin admitting that they know the propaganda they've been catapulting since 9/11 is crap. They don't really believe it. They know they're not making things safer by rounding up any person of Middle Eastern descent. That was just all show for those elements in our society who would judge a person by the color of their skin. I think that's why that element is feeling really, really uneasy right now.

For the rest of us, we knew BushCo was all about money and never really cared about national security or the American people -- or people in general all over the world. It's just that this really does prove they don't even believe their own rhetoric.

[Infomaniac]

6. This "you can't be too careful" policy takes a back seat when...

the Bushies and their friends have money at stake. This deal is about making money for Bush-affiliated entities. It is such a huge conflict of interest to have this deal rubber-stamped by this administration.