Republican Euphoria?

OK, if you listen to Rush and Sean, or read Drudge, you’re aware of the euphoria surrounding conservatives these days. The Republican Party seems beside it in glee because of the “turnaround” that supposedly has taken place in June for President Bush.

Let me make clear up front that I think Democrats are overly optimistic about the fall and are not likely to make the dramatic gains they hope for, especially with people like John Murtha, whom I admire, already planning to run for Speaker. history shows us that if there’s any way for Democrats to blow things, they will.

But what about this Republican euphoria? Look at the examples. They held on to a Congressional seat in …. SAN DIEGO? Oh, boy. When was the last time a Democrat won in San Diego? It’s not exactly a strong litmus test, is it?

And then there’s my favorite. Bush made a triumphant visit to Iraq for five hours — which is five hours longer than he ever spent in Viet Nam. Why was this such a triumph? What exactly was accomplished????? It was a photo op, people.

And, yes, the economy seems to be doing better, but Republicans never gave Clinton credit for his great economy and all the surplus he created, so why does Bush get credit for his? And what about that huge deficit? Didn’t see that under Clinton.

Karl Rove isn’t going to be indicted, but what about Cheney? And does anyone truly believe that someone in the Bush administration didn’t put a CIA agent at risk? Again, if this had happened under Clinton . . . . .

Meanwhile, Media Matters reminds us that all is not well in Bush’s World:

Ongoing violence in Iraq. Since Zarqawi’s death on June 8, insurgent attacks on the U.S. military, Iraqi civilians, and Iraqi police forces have continued unabated. On June 10, a U.S. soldier was killed while on patrol in Diwaniya. A series of bombs rippled across Baghdad on June 12, killing 27 Iraqis. On June 13, dozens died during rush hour bombings in Kirkuk and an Iraqi journalist was murdered by gunmen in Fallujah. On June 14, a car bomb targeting Iraqi police killed two in Baghdad.
Escalating violence in Afghanistan. As Salon.com reported on June 14: “Violence in Afghanistan has recently spiked, mainly in the south, as the remnants of the Taliban have been increasingly successful in their insurgency. In the past three weeks, the country has seen some of the worst fighting since the fall of the Taliban.” One U.S. soldier and one coalition soldier were killed in Afghanistan on June 13 as U.S. and coalition troops prepared to launch a major offensive against Taliban militants in the country’s southern provinces.

Haditha massacre. The military is currently investigating a company of U.S. Marines for “possible war crimes” arising from a November 19 incident in the Iraqi town of Haditha in which one soldier and 24 Iraqis died. While the company originally reported that the deaths were the result of an improvised explosive device and a subsequent firefight, eyewitnesses have alleged that the Marines murdered the civilians, including several small children.

Guantánamo uproar. After three detainees committed suicide in their cells on June 10 at the Guantánamo Bay detention facility, deputy assistant secretary of state for public diplomacy Colleen P. Graffy called the suicides a “good PR move to draw attention.” The comments quickly sparked an international uproar and renewed calls for the closure of the detention facility.

Slowing economy. A five-week retreat in stock prices has erased the 2006 gains in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the Nasdaq Composite Index. In its survey of U.S. economic conditions released on June 14, the Federal Reserve found that “[t]he economy flashed signs of slower growth heading into the summer but that didn’t help alleviate inflation concerns,” according to the Associated Press. Such concerns were fueled by the Department of Labor’s announcements in recent days of increases in both the Consumer Price Index and the Producer Price Indexes.

Trials of White House aides. David Safavian, the former chief federal procurement officer for the Bush White House, is currently standing trial on charges that he lied to government investigators about his dealings with disgraced former GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff. In October 2005, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, former chief of staff to Vice President Cheney, was indicted by the federal grand jury investigating the CIA leak case on charges of perjury, obstruction of justice, and false statements relating to special counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald’s investigation. Libby is currently preparing for trial, during which Fitzgerald may call several high-level Bush administration officials — including Cheney — as witnesses.