It seems absurd to imagine Republicans unleashing this morass upon themselves just to keep Iraq out of the news and it's far more likely than someone closely associated with the page program or the pages themselves may have been the catalyst of this episode. It is certainly plausible that some deep anger at Foley and the GOP leadership was simmering over this situation and that, if one was going to nail the pricks about it, now would be a pretty good time to do it. Nonetheless, the Republicans may not suffer quite as much as people might expect. In fact, the trusty "base" of the GOP is downplaying the Republican aspect of the Foley scandal and blaming their usual suspects: liberalism, tolerance, diversity. Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council and James Dobson are adamant that their "pro-family" constituents "turn out for the GOP" because "the alternative is terrible." This is what is known as unshakable faith.
Needless to say, the Foley kerfuffle has certainly taken the focus off Iraq, which is always a plus for Republicans when 58% of Americans think Bush lied the United States into Iraq, 66% disapprove of Bush's handling of the war, and 61% are now opposed to it. Sometimes it's necessary to bite the bullet. And don't forget, we've still got Karl Rove's "October surprise" to deal with. Any guesses as to what that might be? If there is anything that would shift focus from, not only the scandal-plagued Republicans and the failing war in Iraq, it is a brand new sexy war with Iran.
Rational minds probably don't want to believe that Rove would have Bush launch another illegal war just before a crucial election. But we do not have rational minds in the White House. At least, not in any normative sense of the word. Their actions may strike them as perfectly rational: do what ever it takes to win and if that includes illegal wars that might inflame the Middle East, well, so be it. What else have they got? Though the Navy refuses to acknowledge a mission to Iran, the USS Eisenhower "strike group" deployed on Oct. 3 and is expected to make way to the Persian Gulf. Clearly, the Republicans have never suffered for selling the American public the same bill of goods over and over again. Despite the lies, despite the deep-seated corruption, despite the demonstrable disaster wrecked upon the Middle East, Rove and his acolytes are probably still convinced that the American public can be bought off by yet another stupid, illegal, unnecessary war neither the military nor the country nor the world can afford. At this point two things remain to be seen: will they do it? and will the American public buy it once again? It almost makes one wish that cheap gas is all that it would have taken to sway American voters.
An astronomer who has worked on a number of NASA projects, Ken lives in Baltimore, where he devotes his scientific training to observations and inferences about current affairs, politics and the media.
He authors Shockfront and The Bonehead Compendium.
