Brian Goettl nailed it this time

I've been too busy to keep up with of the political ramifications of the port deal. My exposure has been sound bites and news headlines for the most part. I must admit that I didn't like the idea of a middle east company being involved so intimately but knew so little about the parties involved that I could not really express an intelligent opinion.

Throw in the recent congressional debate/pressure/posture and I got even more confused. The I read this this morning and though it's not related to the port deal, I think Brian Goettl nailed it this time.

From the Conservative Edge:

Did the GOP revolt save Congress for the GOP

John Podhertz of the New York Post has an article today, in which he posits that the GOP revolt on the Dubai World Port deal, has helped President Bush. You can read his opinion here.

I, on the other hand, think that the GOP revolt may have helped Congressional Republicans. Why? For the GOP, the 2006 elections need to be about local issues not national sentiment. If the elections are nationalized, (Like Howard Dean wants)the GOP will lose the House and possibly the Senate.

But if each incumbent Republican can tailor his campaign to his district, the chances of the GOP holding Congress is far greater. That is why the GOP revolt is probably good for Republicans in Congress.

I would even be willing to place a bet, that Bush is aware of the politics of the port deal, and stood his ground for the express purpose of allowing Republicans who needed space from Bush, to get some breathing room. Expect to see more of this as the year unfolds.

Posted By:Brian Goettl @ 3/10/2006 9:51:00 PM

http://www.conservativeedge.com/ (No direct link so look for the headline.)