Working for consensus, Generalissimo Bush-style

Maybe it's just me, but if I was looking at a situation where even people I considered allies were taking me to task over something I did, I would do everything in my power to fully explain myself in the hopes of regaining their confidence.

For the sake of argument, let's say that, as president, I, oh, I don't know...ordered that American citizens be subject to warrantless surveillance in a heretofore plainly illegal abuse of power. One based on the flimsiest of legal interpretations that would be generously described as "wishful thinking." I'd probably send a platoon of lawyers to all the relevant parties, ready to cite chapter and verse on every possible precedent for my actions. But that's just me. This is El Presidente's "America," where the only answer is to send in your hatchet man to rough some people up. From The Moonie Times' Insight on the News:

Rove counting heads on the Senate Judiciary Committee

The White House has been twisting arms to ensure that no Republican member votes against President Bush in the Senate Judiciary Committee�s investigation of the administration's unauthorized wiretapping.

Congressional sources said Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove has threatened to blacklist any Republican who votes against the president. The sources said the blacklist would mean a halt in any White House political or financial support of senators running for re-election in November.

"It's hardball all the way," a senior GOP congressional aide said.

The sources said the administration has been alarmed over the damage that could result from the Senate hearings, which began on Monday, Feb. 6. They said the defection of even a handful of Republican committee members could result in a determination that the president violated the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Such a determination could lead to impeachment proceedings.

Over the last few weeks, Mr. Rove has been calling in virtually every Republican on the Senate committee as well as the leadership in Congress. The sources said Mr. Rove's message has been that a vote against Mr. Bush would destroy GOP prospects in congressional elections.

"He's [Rove] lining them up one by one," another congressional source said.

Mr. Rove is leading the White House campaign to help the GOP in November�s congressional elections. The sources said the White House has offered to help loyalists with money and free publicity, such as appearances and photo-ops with the president.

Those deemed disloyal to Mr. Rove would appear on his blacklist. The sources said dozens of GOP members in the House and Senate are on that list.

So far, only a handful of GOP senators have questioned Mr. Rove's tactics.

Some have raised doubts about Mr. Rove's strategy of painting the Democrats, who have opposed unwarranted surveillance, as being dismissive of the threat posed by al Qaeda terrorists.

"Well, I didn't like what Mr. Rove said, because it frames terrorism and the issue of terrorism and everything that goes with it, whether it's the renewal of the Patriot Act or the NSA wiretapping, in a political context," said Sen. Chuck Hagel, Nebraska Republican.

After all, why explain when you can intimidate the principled and bribe the servile? Dear Leader will have to start strutting about in epaulettes and riding breeches for this administration to get any closer to whatever Central American junta it's styled after.