Except for a few historical glitches, the President's party has supported him through thick and thin, scandals and errant policy decisions be damned. However under President Bush, not even this tenet of party politics can hold itself together. Granted, Republicans stood blindly behind George for nearly six years. They were behind him at the precipice of his popularity when he wanted to dismantle Social Security, continue the wretched war in Iraq into 2, 3, 4 and now the beginning of the fifth year. Unfortunately not even the conservatives can stand their President anymore.
Robert Novak, ardent conservative supporter and 'journalist' weighs in:
Republicans in Congress do not trust their president to protect them. That alone is sufficient reason to withhold statements of support for Gonzales, because such a gesture could be quickly followed by his resignation under pressure. Rep. Adam Putnam (Fla.), the highly regarded young chairman of the House Republican Conference, praised Donald Rumsfeld in November only to see him sacked shortly thereafter.
But not many Republican lawmakers would speak up for Gonzales even if they were sure Bush would stick with him. He is the least popular Cabinet member on Capitol Hill, even more disliked than Rumsfeld was. The word most often used by Republicans to describe the management of the Justice Department under Gonzales is "incompetent."
(snip)
Regarding Libby and Gonzales, unofficial word from the White House is not reassuring. One credible source says the president will never -- not even on the way out of office in January 2009 -- pardon Libby. Another equally good source says the president will never ask Gonzales to resign. That exactly reverses the prevailing Republican opinion in Congress. Bush is alone.
Well, Bush isn't alone yet. He is trying ever so hard to keep his loyalists as close to him as possible. He selected them for loyality and obviously not for competent governing. As the examples of incompetence increase seemingly day by day, Bush is holding onto his sinking ship of men, blind to the fact that his ship is full of gaping holes. In the end, he will find himself in the open sea, with his growing chorus of critics hastening his demise (though probably not before January of 2009). No matter when he goes out, he will be seen as the worst President to ever have tried to preside over the course of the United States.
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