The President fakes a hand-off...

Okay, I'm reading my latest missive from the DSCC as they describe the voting habits of Senator Jon Kyl (R-Arizona). Apparently, he votes with the President about 96% of the time. The line that got me thinking is where Anne Lewis, the letter's author, says that "he's found a politically convenient issue [and] this right-wing Republican Senator is proudly touting his independent credentials." The issue? The sale of management of U.S. Ports to UAE-based UAE-controlled Dubai Ports World.

Everyone seems like they're opposed to this one, everyone except the Administration. Republicans and Democrats alike are lambasting the Executive Branch, though to varying degrees, about how wrong this is. Here's a crazy thought: What if the President intended to give his party members a rally flag? Think about it. If it passes, then the President's friends in the UAE get their lucrative contracts and Georgie's off to think up something else. But, if the people don't like this idea, and clearly they don't, the President gives his party something better than coattails on which to coast through the mid-term elections. For a President whose coattails are rather unclean, he gives them a non-issue that his party can oppose vehemently, without really getting in any trouble over it.

Now this might be read as a cry out for all of the conspiracy theorists to unite, but I'm honestly just trying to think outside the box a little here. The public is upset about Katrina. The public is upset about the Iraq War. The public is upset about George. Who wants to be seen with him right now? Nobody. Why not find an issue that you can go either way on, and then make an arbitrary stand on it? This gives your teammates the perfect opportunity to say "I'm an independent thinker, and this is wrong. Vote for me and I'll fix it. I'll get us back on track!" This kind of idea brings all of the middle-of-the-roaders of the Republican Party back to their guy. Of course it gives the Dems something to scream about, but they're always screaming about something, right? Only because we have to.

I'm not saying that he officiated the deal, or even asked the U.K. company sell it to the Saudis, but I think that Mr. Rove is keen enough to see a good thing when he sees it. Assume your looking for some issue that you don't care about, but want to make a stand. Wouldn't just about anything work for you? Maybe you'd even try to appoint your personal attorney to the Supreme Court, just for shits and grins.