Maureen Dowd has some insightful points. For once.
I’m not really a fan of Maureen Dowd. I think she could be a very columnist/political commentator, if not for her annoying habit of referencing everything even remotely serious to pop culture ( e.g. “the political situation in Iraq/The White House/ The California Recall is just like Seinfeld/The Rat Pack/ American Idol, etc.”). Oh yeah, and if not for about a half dozen other things that piss me off about her.
I don’t know if she’s thrown American Idol into one of he columns yet, but it wouldn’t surprise me. The first two items on that second list, however, have been featured before.
But ripping Kool Mo D isn’t the issue. Today at least. Her latest column brings up three interesting points: 1) Colin Powell may be sick of the circus freak show this administration has become and wants out. 2) The comedy troupe of Rumsfeld/Rice/Wolfowitz/Groucho/Harpo etc. wants to hasten the Secretary’s departure. 3) Bush wants Powell to stay on, mostly to maintain his pathetic charade of presenting a “moderate” group of advisors, but BUSH IS NOT THE ONE MAKING THE CALLS.
Point one is in reference to a Washington Post story that contained leaked information purporting that Powell would refuse to serve in a second (god help us all) Bush term. Powell, of course, denies this, but we all know that that is just what one does in these types of scenarios.
Point two has been out in the open for a while. A few entries back, I linked a story on Newt Gingrich blasting a scathing and very public attack on the State Department. Newt and his posse of orcs hate anything with even a hint of multinationalism. Since international relations is pretty much what the State Department does, one can guess the former speaker’s regard for diplomacy. He was careful to praise Powell himself, but no one really believed that part of the tirade. It was clear at whom the attack was aimed. And Gingrich is not alone in demonizing the State Dept. (Incidentally, the column bandies about some names of people who might replace Powell should he decide not to serve a second term. One of those names is the Lizard himself. Please. I stand a better chance of becoming the next Secretary of State than does Gingrich. The guy is a leper, even to scumbags like Rusted and Co.)
Point three is something I’ve debated with a number of people. The issue is: Who’s really in charge here. Is it Bush, or does he have his puppetmasters jerking him around at every turn? I tend to favor the latter opinion. Case in point: The idea for this past Iraq war. While I’m sure that the Chimp took little convincing, the plan did not hatch fully formed from his simian skull. This was the work of the comedy troupe aforementioned. Examine the following: Iraq, tax policy, energy policy, domestic law-enforcement post 9/11, “defense of marriage” acts and related bits of nonsense…the list goes on. Now ask yourself who the driving force(s) is/are behind these policies. Answer: Someone who walks upright and has opposable thumbs, not Bush.
Back to Kool Mo D, I think the thrust of her column is best summarized in this line: “Mr. Bush might be trying to signal his respect for Mr. Powell, but the president is not always privy to the start of a grandiose neocon scheme.” If Powell leaves, so be it. The last modicum of respect I had for the guy was lost during his presentation to the UN. And of course, should Bush lose the next election, all of this becomes a moot point. So let’s just hope for that.
Gingrich Blowing Smoke out his Arse