Subpoenas are scarier than terraists, anyday

The Rove strategy seems to be convincing Americans in November that Republicans are the best choice, not to defend America, but rather to defend preznit.

Newly shorn of the daily policymaking duties he took on after the 2004 campaign and now refocused on his role as Mr. Bush's chief strategist, Mr. Rove is facing an increasingly difficult climate for Republicans, and an increasingly assertive Democratic Party.

The ambitious second-term agenda he helped develop has faltered even with a Republican Congress. His once-grand plans for creating a broadened and permanent Republican majority have given way to a goal of clinging to control of the House and Senate.

The prospect of Democrats capturing either, however, may be one of the best weapons Mr. Rove has as he turns to what he has traditionally done best: motivating his party's conservative base to turn out on Election Day.

Heading into the election, many conservatives are disheartened by the war in Iraq, upset at what they see as a White House tolerance for bigger government and escalating federal spending, and divided over issues like immigration. The abrupt resignation on Friday of the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Porter J. Goss, promised to feed the impression of an administration that is off balance.

But White House and Republican officials, trying to turn vulnerability to advantage, say conservatives could be united and re-energized by the possibility that Democrats could put Mr. Bush and his policies on political trial by winning control of even one chamber of Congress.

Lemons into lemonade, I always say. If your administration is incompetent and your GOP controlled Congress has relinquished its oversight duties, convince voters that it's a feature not a bug. And, frankly, he may be on to something. I'm not buying what the article states a few paragraphs later, that Rove thinks he can rally the base by touting Bush's stance on immigration and the prescription drug "benefit." And I doubt he'll be able to whip up enough frenzy -- in a midterm -- without the usual suspects such, as teh gay marriage. But positioning the GOP as the only thing between Democrats and uncomfortable grilling on such subjects as, "why are we at war with Iraq," and "so when did you stop illegally wiretapping American citizens" and "so what have we achieved in the area of ports security" may prove effective, especially since unseating GOP incumbents is a tough row to hoe. There may be just enough Republican voters out there who are terrified at the prospect that all they believed when they voted for the mendacious, malicious idiot was wrong. Violently wrong. And that a Democratic-controlled Congress, and the hearings and subpoenas that would ensue, will prove it.