Head Fake

Tristero over at Digby's said it well, but I'd like to pile on.

The nomination of Scalito is a classic Rovian political move. When you are down, when you are losing, when you've lost your mojo, ATTACK!

There is not a candidate on god's green earth that Bush could have picked that is worse than Samuel Alito. He's a selection to the right of Scalia, if that's possible, and he's damned proud of it. His nomination brings the right-wing loud-mouthed nutbars back into the fold despite the treason in his administration. Watch the American Taliban scream with delight and writhe in the aisle over Scalito, getting much media attention and putting Bush back up on his godly pedestal.

But this nominee does something far more important. It diverts the media's attention. Because of denial the Iraq war story doesn't have "legs" (literally/unfortunately for thousands of soldiers). The PlameGate scandal has all the perfect earmarks of a media story, but Fitzgerald plays by the rules and doesn't leak. So that story now goes dark....either temporarily or permanently. A Libby trial would be good TV, but that's months away at a minimum assuming Libby doesn't continue to impale himself to protect the mob bosses. So just exactly what do you think the media monster will consume now?

That's right. A dog fight unfolding over months between the right and left over Scalito, including the drama of an impending nuculur fight and the Presidential hopes of anyone in the gang of fourteen. A fight where Bush get's to look principled, strong, challenging and all that Rambo bullshit that the public seems to devour these days.

For Bush, public chaos equals peace. Chaos provides cover for his stupidity and ineptitude. When the eye of the Bush created hurricane shifts from right over his head, he gets blown away like a cheap tent. Scalito is the perfect choice to deftly move the calm hurricane eye back where Bush likes it, over him, while the rest of "the people" he's so fond of mentioning experience high winds and tidal surge.

It will take great skill by the Dems to play their cards correctly. Reid (pretty much alone) has generally handled Bush well. He's gonna get another chance to demonstrate that skill straight-away. I would like to hope that the media whores won't fall for it.

But then I'm not hope-stupid. Remember, I told you about cornered narcissists....