Monday, there was the Coast Guard's report about the huge gaps in U.S. intelligence which was making it difficult for them to determine if the ports deal was posing a risk to national security.
Of course, the White House considered the report a waste of time since they had already done their own review of the deal and answered their questions about the security issue, so they greenlighted it.
The Coast Guard, the intelligence community, and CFIUS were convinced that the transaction had received a proper review, so the 45-day review wasn't needed.
So today:
President George W. Bush on Tuesday stood by his support for allowing a Dubai-based company to run terminals at six major U.S. ports, as lawmakers raised concerns about a Coast Guard report on security issues.
"If there was any doubt in my mind or people in my administration's minds that our ports would be less secure or the American people in danger, this deal wouldn't go forward," Bush said, as the U.S. Congress held another day of hearings on the contested takeover bid.
For some reason, it appears that the White House really doesn't want to do this 45-day security review, and they all are saying whatever they can pull from their collective buttocks in order to appease and calm Congress. Well, some members (read: Frist) may be coming back to their side, but Americans are still voicing their disapproval.
The takeover by the United Arab Emirates-based company pushed Bush's approval rating to an all-time low of 34 percent, according to a new CBS News poll.
Yeah, the poll is already under attack by Newsbusters for, supposedly, contacting more Democrats and Independents than Republicans.
And to make things more interesting:
Sen. Evan Bayh (news, bio, voting record), a Democrat from Indiana, introduced new legislation requiring greater scrutiny of business deals involving foreign countries. A bipartisan group of senators had introduced legislation on Monday to give Congress the power to block the deal.
Ah, Bayh! How I love thee!
Now, the Coast Guard is saying that the additional information and assurances (a.k.a. bribes and demands) it received confirmed that the takeover poses no significant threat. If that's the case, then why doesn't the White House stop its "everything is A-OK, so just let us do this already" banter and sit back quietly while the review takes place? That is, if there really is nothing to worry about?
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