EVEN REPUBLICAN STRATEGISTS ARE TALKING IN TERMS OF THE GOP BEING UNFIT TO GOVERN AMERICA

I have to admit that it crossed my mind that Rove masterminded the whole Foley thing to blow the NIE leak and Woodward's book out of the news. And that is what happened-- not the Rove part; that NIE and the Woodward book disappeared. And so have everything else. Like I said a few days ago, any legitimate news you want to get out there has to be couched in terms of the Foley scandal and cover-up. It certainly seems to have captured the public's attention. If Rove masterminded it, it was the biggest blunder of his life since it certainly appears to be sinking whatever chance the Republicans have-- not counting outright electronic election stealing-- of holding on to power next month.

Bush can barely get a word in edge-wise. People don't want to hear about anything that doesn't relate to drunken Republican powermongers molesting children in the halls of Congress. And wait 'til the evidence starts coming out that Foley was having physical sex with the boys, not just cyber sex! Sunday's WAPO has a story about how the Republicans' last gasp at delivering a message about why they should be returned to power-- a stretch in the best of circumstances-- is being drowned out by FoleyFoleyFoleyHastertFoley. "It's sucking all the air out of the room... It's a tough time; there's just total saturation right now," says doomed Republican rubber stamp Clay Shaw, another Floridian.

And regardless of all their denials and fingerpointing the Republicans know their goose is cooked. "Back in Washington, Republican strategists acknowledge privately that, even under their best-case scenario, Foley's sexually charged messages and allegations that House leaders were too passive in responding to them will remain an all-consuming distraction for GOP campaigns for the next week." All they can do is hope the stories die down and pray that the stories about Foley having actual sex with the boys don't get on TV.

Beyond specific races-- like John Laesch's once quixotic-looking challenge against Hastert and the race in PA-10 that is shaping up to be a rout for Chris Carney against Don "The Choker" Sherwood-- "many strategists in both parties believe the scandal might echo principally as a metaphor for a GOP leadership that over the past year has drawn more attention for ethical lapses and partisan turmoil than legislative achievements."

The Post quotes a "frustrated" Republican operative, who would only talk under cover of anonymity, as saying that the GOPs mishandling of the Foley scandal "speaks to our inability to govern and do the right thing. It says everything about who we are as a party." This, of course, is reflected in what appears to be a general Republican meltdown, a meltdown so great and so apparent that even if they try to steal the elections electronically people will know-- and know for sure. And this time there won't be a pathetic craven patsy like Kerry to throw in the towel.

On the other hand, I keep hearing from friends with military connections that Bush is positioning America forces to attack Iran before the election. Will people fall for this? hard to believe they would but... never underestimate you the stupidity of people who have grown fat and self-satisfied.