Rope-a-dope

Suddenly, Bob Woodward is back in the good graces of liberals with his now higly anticipated new book, State of Denial, a book that, in no small way, ravages the Bush administration for various egregious acts of mendacity regarding the Iraq war. Other tasty bits apparently reported are that former White House chief of staff, Andrew Card, urged Bush to punt Rumsfeld -- twice. And even Laura Bush moved into the fray with Card, fearing the arrogant yet clueless Rumsfeld was damaging hubby.

Considering Woodward's recent Bush hagiograpahies, this book appears to be a rather amazing turnaround for a man who himself had been ravaged by lefties and liberals during the Plame investigation when it was learned -- very late -- that he had been one of the insiders privy to the White House leaks. That he had kept this a secret incensed many. More than a few chimed in with a variety of epithets and harsh remarks about his coziness with the White House. Now, the whole thing is looking like a giant rope-a-dope move, which is coming out on the heels of the brutal NIA report that the White House has also not been terribly successful at dismissing. I doubt this was intended but Woodward has really round-housed the White House with this one. I suspect the West Wing tea-time chats with Karl Rove are effectively over.

Now, after looking like an idiot in disparaging the consensus agreement of sixteen intelligence agencies that Iraq is going to hell and breeding terrorists around the globe, Tony Snow finds himself in yet another elbow tuck, buffeting himself against bruising questions and trying to trivialize Woodward's burnt offering as just so much stuff we already know.

We've read this book before. This tends to repeat what we've seen in a number of other books that have been out this year.

Well, if accounts so far are any indication, no it doesn't.

It seems Woodward was privy to an internal intelligence estimate by the intelligence division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which said,

Insurgents and terrorists retain the resources and capabilities to sustain and even increase current level of violence through the next year.

Pretty sure I haven't heard that before. And I especially like the part about Kissinger being the one advising Bush to "stick it out." No doubt this comes from some ghastly need by Kissinger, before he dies, to see his previous failed experiment carried out to the bitter, bleak end -- if there ever is an end -- just to see how it all plays out. It seems there never was a sionara Saigon for Henry.

And just how many criminals has Bush surrounded himself with in this administration? I swear, I've lost track.

Nonetheless, Snow is certainly living up to his name. A more apropos moniker for a White House press secretary is hard to even imagine. Unless, of course, one ventures from the sublime to the ridiculous with something like Tony Bullshitfirehose.

In any event, it looks like the ol dog still has some bite. I had my doubts Bob, but if this book is everything it seems, hey man, nice shot.