The Sunday Deck Bass

Since one shouldn’t step all over the possibility of more posts from DeeH at the Nevada Democratic Party convention, the Desert Beacon’s weekly Sunday Deck Bass will be much more concise this round. The highly uncoveted, utterly unwanted, award for flipping and flopping by politicians and public notables could be presented to any of the following in good conscience.

President George W. “I will not insert myself into the campaign” Bush for scheduling a May 27^th fundraiser in Phoenix, AZ for Republican candidate John Sidney McCain III, [TP] and for launching a thinly disguised political slam during what should have been a dignified address to the Knesset. [BFP]

President Bush garners another nomination for his performance at the poshly elite Sharm el-Sheik resort. “America is deeply concerned about the plight of political prisoners in this region, as well as democratic activists who are intimidated or repressed, newspapers and civil society organizations that are shut down and dissidents whose voices are stifled," Bush said. "I call on all nations in this region to release their prisoners of conscience, open up their political debate and trust their people to chart their future," Bush said.” [AP] How interesting that this should come from a Chief Executive who has presided over the ‘death’ of habeas corpus, wasn’t going to allow acquittals in Guantanamo Bay show trials, and who, himself, labeled those who would engage in Middle Eastern diplomacy “appeasers?” This, from the Commander in Chief whose Defense Department assembled a team of shills to manipulate press coverage of his ‘pre-emptive war’ doctrine?

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne earns his nomination for a nicely executed spin in mid-air when he first stated that polar bears were to be placed on the Endangered Species List because “unfortunately he had to follow the law;” a statement which Kempthorne immediately recanted. [TP]

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham receives his first Deck Bass nomination for his “support for veterans.” Senator Graham was ever so delighted to campaign alongside fellow Solon John McCain in his home state during events on January 27^th replete with Boy Scouts, and members of Veterans’ organizations. [YDN] However, when it came to answering a direct question about supporting the New G.I. Bill Graham did a tap dance worthy of Vaudeville to avoid a direct reply. [TP] Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell tried to give Graham-McCain cover by attaching their dismally meager version of the G.I. Bill to another piece of legislation under discussion – the amendment failed. [The Hill] “Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said the vote is a “message to Bush-McCain Republicans that the U.S. Senate will not stand for political games at the expense of our nation’s first responders and veterans.” [The Hill]

Although Senator Graham (R-SC) made a good run at the hook for this week’s Sunday Deck Bass, the clear winner is President George W. Bush. This is the President’s ninth Deck Bass, putting him one ahead of the nation’s worst Governor, James Gibbons.