Madam Speaker, Bring Rove's Contempt Citation to the Floor for a Vote

While the name "George W. Bush" will not be on the ballot this November, the damage the forty-third President has done to the Constitution will abide long after he retires to Crawford. No President in history has doned a veil of such swallowing secrecy on its activities, both foreign and domestic. No President in history has demonstrated as much distrust in the American people. And no President in history has wielded executive privilege with such reckless abandon.

Bruce Fein, associate deputy attorney general in the Reagan administration, wrote in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee that under Bush's tenure, "The executive branch has vandalized the Constitution every bit as much [sic] the barbarians vandalized Rome in 410 AD." Rove's refusal to comply with a Congressional subpoena compelling his testimony about the politicization of the Department of Justice and the prosecution of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman is just the latest example. Each time these acts go unanswered, the Congress is diminished. It's coequal stature has already been compromised.

President Bush has stated unequivocally that he had nothing to do with the U.S. attorney scandal, the outing of CIA operative Valeri Plame, the destruction of CIA videotapes of detainee interrogations, and the prosecution of Gov. Siegelman. This is precisely why the President's claims of executive privilege are so ludicrous. Communications between current or former aides of the White House and an executive department, of which the President has no knowledge, are a hard sell on executive privilege grounds. When such communications concern potentially illegal activities, of which the President would disapprove (if he knew) or, in any case, could not by law authorize, claims of executive privilege fall by the wasteside.

Should Congress again refuse to mount a serious challenge to what Fein calls, "the executive branch's counter-constitutional theory of executive privilege," it may well "sound the death knell of congressional oversight and the public's right to know what their government is doing and why." It was Congress's unwillingness to shirk its constitutional obligations that brought White House counsel John Dean before them to testify, and exposed the full extent of President Nixon's scandal. What if they had instead just ceded the field?

When historians look back on the presidency of George W. Bush, what will they say of the Democratic Congress sent to challenge him? That each member fully and faithfully discharged their oaths to support and defend the Constitution -- or that they stood idly by while the promise of our forefathers and the possibilities endowed to us faded from consciousness?

Update: Speak of the devil... The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has just ruled that White House aides must obey Congressional subpoenas, rejecting out of hand the administration's specious executive privilege arguments.

McCain Pins Hopes on Fearmongering and Falsehoods

When Sen. Obama secured his party's nomination in June, Sen. McCain pledged to Obama and all Americans "a respectful campaign" grounded in a "civil, substantive debate on the issues." In a month's time, McCain has not only broken his pledge, but unleashed one of the most negative, deceitful and empty campaigns in American history. In just the past week, for example, McCain has accused Obama of sacrificing American soldiers on the altar of political expediency, scolded Obama for honoring the DOD's request that he not visit with troops on the campaign leg on his trip and, in an incredulous new ad, identified Obama as the sole architect of America's energy woes.

The New York Times editorial board -- the same people who endorsed McCain in the GOP primary -- has appropriately devoted today's page to McCain downward spiral on the "Low Road Express," a descent made possible by McCain's investiture of Karl Rove and disciples (Inc.) with the responsibility of carrying out his "high-minded" pledge on civility and substance. Shocking how it turned out.

Alas, all betrayed by the broken promise of civil, substantive discourse really should have seen it coming. After all, McCain abandoned almost every principled position he held to secure the nomination and rally the GOP behind him. Once a proponent of fiscal responsibility, comprehensive immigration reform, and affirmative action, the new McCain has reversed himself on the Bush tax cuts, steered towards an enforcement-only approach on immigration, and supports the same legislation to end affirmative action in Arizona that he opposed in 1998. And these are just a few examples.

To be fair, not all of McCain's flops have been to the negative. After criticizing Obama's long-held belief that we must invest more troops and resources in Afghanistan, McCain now supports Obama's call for an additional 3 brigades in Afghanistan. Until recently, McCain believed that Americans' concerns about the economy were merely psychological -- or as his top economic adviser put it, "we've sort of become a nation of whiners." McCain has since abandoned efforts to cure us of "mental recession." And, last but not least, McCain no longer concerns himself with mischief on the Iraq/Pakistan border or advocates the installation of a missile defense system in Czechoslovakia. On these developments, we applaud the Arizona Senator.

On balance, however, McCain's words and deeds suggest that he is not interested in civil, substantive discourse -- just fearmongering and falsehoods.

Think Kaine Is Too Nice for Primetime? Think Again.

I read with great interest a recent veepstakes entry by Marc Ambinder of the Atlantic wherein Mr. Ambinder characterizes Govs. Kaine and Sebelius as solid "governing choices" but lacking in enthusiasm and surrogate skills. Many have suggested either explicitly or implicitly that Kaine is simply "too nice" for the VP spot on a Democratic ticket (an argument familiar to Kaine). We need an attack dog, they say, someone who can go toe-to-toe with the GOP and the media -- day-in and day-out. "[T]hey're not going to do all that well at the VP debates," Mr. Ambinder warns.

I can only assume that Mr. Ambinder and others of a similar mind have not seen the debate between Kaine and the 2005 GOP gubernatorial candidate, Jerry Kilgore (Virginia's attorney general at the time). I have seen my fair share of debates, but I must confess: I have never seen a thumping as bad as the one Kaine thrust upon Kilgore. Heading into the debate, Kilgore was slightly ahead of Kaine in the polls. As I watched, I remember feeling embarrassed for Kilgore (truly) and thinking to myself, "Wow, this race is over." And it was. Kaine trounced him by 6 points on election day.

At present, I cannot find a link to the debate video (I watched it online, so I know its out there somewhere), but the transcript should give you a taste. In any case, my point is this: don't underestimate Kaine, he'll make you look foolish and look like the nicest guy in the world doing it.

Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens Indicted

Ted Stevens, the longest serving and among the most powerful Republican Senators, has just been indicted on seven criminal charges. The indictment follows a four-year investigation into corruption of Alaska public officials which included a raid of Stevens' resort home in Girdwood, Alaska one year ago. The Department of Justice will roll out the details in a press conference scheduled for 1:20 EST.

The indictment is a political gift to not only Stevens' Democratic challenger, Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, but also Barack Obama, who has been criticized for substantial ad-buys and other investments in Alaska -- one of the reddest states in America. With GOP corruption in the air, Obama may stand a chance in the Last Frontier State.

And as the latest polling shows Begich with a 5 point lead over Stevens, we think it safe to say that come November, Mark Begich will be representing Alaska in the U.S. Senate.

Update: Here is a copy of the indictment. For more on the corruption investigation that led to the indictment, see the Anchorage Daily News case file.

Kaine's Nuanced Stance on Abortion Rights

Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia has had "very serious" conversations with Sen. Obama about joining the Democratic ticket and "ranks very, very high on the short list" according to sources close to the process. In Kaine, Obama has a loyal friend and confidant with executive experience and the ability to end the GOP's 44 year stranglehold on Virginia in presidential elections.

While Kaine lacks the military background and foreign policy experience that many pundits believe Obama needs, Kaine's biggest perceived liability is his nuanced stance on abortion rights. In the past twenty-four hours, friends and colleagues -- many of whom are astute political observers -- have raised the same question, isn't Kaine pro-life? Well, not exactly.

Kaine claims a personal, religious opposition to abortion, but nonetheless respects and supports a woman's right to choose. In other words, Kaine believes that while abortion is wrong, the decision is not his to make. Unsurprisingly, his gubernatorial opponent, Jerry Kilgore, characterized him as a disingenuous opportunist.

"It is a classic example of Tim Kaine recognizing the audience and delivering the message that the audience wants to hear," Tim Murtaugh, Kilgore's press secretary said [in 2005]. "One the one hand he [runs] . . . down his supposed list of pro-life credentials and on the other he gathers with liberal Democrats at a fundraiser and uses all code words of the pro-abortion crowd."

If Kaine is selected, expect to hear similar critiques from the GOP and conservative talking heads. Undoubtedly, we would also see some expressions of concern from the left; but a reluctant pro-choice candidate is not likely to incite riots on the convention floor.

Pawlenty to Address National Press Club on Aug. 6: Coincidence?

After an extended vacation, Our Republic has returned to a political climate rife with speculation over whom Sens. Obama and McCain will choose as their running mates. Of immediate interest is news that Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota will be addressing the National Press Club on August 6. McCain recently dropped a strong hint in favor of Pawlenty during a private meeting with a small group of New Hampshire supporters. "You are really going to like" Pawlenty, McCain is reported to have said.

Top aides to McCain have indicated that the presumptive Republican nominee will likely announce his VP choice after Obama returns from Europe and before the Olympics commence on August 8. As McCain can be expected to choose on or before August 6 to maximize press coverage, this begs the question: Why would Gov. Pawlenty address the Press Club -- that is, why would he be of interest -- if someone else were chosen?