by Tan Copsey
After a day spent acclimatising to the realisation that the Democrats had really won something, I gleefully sat down in front of the box at 6 o’clock last night waiting for Bush to appear. The time spent watching the podium being set up and the BBC presenter spouting meaningless gibberish was made all the more bearable by the breaking news flashing across my screen – Donald Rumsfeld had resigned. I breathed a sigh of contentment and anticipated what would surely be an unprecedented dyslexic meltdown…..
Unfortunately it never came. I watched George W. face surely his most difficult press conference since 9-11 and not only survive, but succeed in totally marginalising the Democrats in their hour of victory. His speech was a just subtle enough re-assertion of the pre-eminence of the executive office, reinforced by a willingness to let the Democrats in on key decisions regarding Iraq. After the firing of Rumsfeld, the Dems will now be forced to back-up their bi-partisan credentials by confirming Bush’s nominee. The Democrats now have part-ownership of Iraq, despite having very little power to affect what actually goes on there. Whoever becomes the Republican nominee for President in 2008 will look back on this afternoon and thank Bush (or Rove) for a superb piece of politi
cking. Iraq won the Democrats these elections – it may not win them the Presidency in 2008.
