WhatchooTalkin'Bout?

This is freakin' amazing; via Dan Froomkin at the WaPo:

All you really need to know about the White House's post-Katrina strategy -- and Bush's carefully choreographed address on national television tonight -- is this little tidbit from the ninth paragraph of Elisabeth Bumiller and Richard W. Stevenson's story in the New York Times this morning: "Republicans said Karl Rove, the White House deputy chief of staff and Mr. Bush's chief political adviser, was in charge of the reconstruction effort." Rove's leadership role suggests quite strikingly that any and all White House decisions and pronouncements regarding the recovery from the storm are being made with their political consequences as the primary consideration. More specifically: With an eye toward increasing the likelihood of Republican political victories in the future, pursuing long-cherished conservative goals, and bolstering Bush's image. That is Rove's hallmark.

And here's a little heads-up on tonight's speech by President Bush (on the ground in New Orleans or thereabouts--not sure exact locale) from Think Progress--the distributed talking points. Now you can get your Talking Ken Mehlman Doll (with Kung Fu Grip and Blank 1000-Yard Stare) shtick ready for your pre-speech party. This is my favorite:

* This is going to require difficult decisions in Washington. It’s going to be important that we don’t have the same ol’ same ol’ that we see in Washington. Tough choices will be to have made and President Bush is willing to do that.

Good one! That had me rolling in the aisle.