If you oppose me, you're a racist

That's the logic of the administration arguing for the port deal. That should be a red flag right there.

No reasonable conversation takes place once that charge is made.

Reasonable people of good will can disagree on this issue, but it is a disservice to the reasoned arguments of those opposing the port deal to suggest that if you don't agree with the administration, then you must be a racist.

Disagree on the port deal? You must hate arabs. Disagree on the president's amnesty program for illegals? You must be racist against Mexicans. Disagree on Harriet Miers? You must be against women.

It's an insult to those who believe differently from the administration and it speaks to the apparent weakness of their argument that these charges are leveled.

In truth there is a HUGE difference between a publicly traded company based in London (P&O) which held this contract and Dubai Ports World which is owned by the government in Dubai...a part of the UAE which the 9-11 report singled out as the country that housed the banks financing the 9-11 plot.

You don't hear that difference from the administration. You hear charges of racism and you hear name calling.

It's shameful and if these are the talking points for the president, he'd better get some new ones because this won't work.

Tone Deaf?

How can the administration get it so right (in my view) on the war and so wrong on immigration and the ports?

This baffles me. In the case of the president's immigration (amnesty) program I have made clear my thoughts about it, but the port thing confirms that there is a serious misunderstanding on the part of the administration when it comes to the whole package.

There is an uproar by conservatives as well as liberals when it comes to port security. And rightly so.

What confuses me is why in the world would the administration hand a stick to the democrats to beat them with?

That's what's happening with the port situation and that's what is going to happen with the border situation.

(UPDATE: read about it here, here, and here......here is Frist's press release...Rick Santorum distances...if it concerns national security and Jimmy Carter is for it, for many that will seal what you think about it.)

(UPDATE II: President Bush has now threatened to veto any legislation that attempts to thwart the effort for an Arab company to control key ports. Let me get this straight: McCain/Feingold was not worthy of a veto or a veto threat, but this is?!

This will never be allowed to fly and the president will waste more political capital on another silly thing...a terrible waste.)

Cheney Hunting Accident

Veep shoots a friend accidentally. President should be notified. And the public should get the truth of the accident reasonably quickly and in a reasonable manner. Those were the only points I wanted to make yesterday.

As always, people run to the red corner or the blue corner. Those who hate the president find ways to have this fit their desires. And those who protect and defend the president find ways to excuse anything that might have been done wrong or poorly.

Now Harry Whittington has had a heart attack due to the birdshot that 'migrated to his heart.'

To all those who said yesterday 'it was no big deal'...what about now?

Prediction: Dick Cheney will not be the Vice President six months from now. Better practice saying 'Vice President Rice.'

*** UPDATE: VP spoke with Brit Hume of Fox News (transcript).