Sunday, September 17, 2006

Does this look like a happy guy?

No. He's definitely worried about something. More than worried: I'd go so far as to say he's probably shit a couple of good-sized bricks this week. The man is afraid, enraged and coming unhinged; you only need to see this from his press conference Friday, or this part of his interview with Matt Lauer on Monday to see that he's clearly on shaky psychological ground.

It hasn't been a good week for George. How sad for him, because it started with so much promise; the terrorized populace was scared stupid by a steady drumbeat of "9/11-terror-evil-kill ya family-BOO". Everything was going according to plan, until -- September 12. The 9/11 tower that Bush-Kong climbs up on whenever he needs to screech about good, evil and clashes of civilization started crumbling, and by mid-week it was in ruins.

People aren't co-operating. What was so hypnotic 5 years ago isn't working anymore. Even the NYPD have said "fuggedaboutit" to George's request that peace protestors not be allowed to march to the UN when he visits there next week. And worst of all is this pain-in-the-ass geneva convention thing. Nobody wants to play with Article 3 and change the definition for treatment of POWs so they can be legally tortured. George figured it was in the bag -- Article 3 could easily be revised to legalize whatever pain and humilitation terrorism suspects at CIA "black sites" have had to endure up to now. But there are even some republicans who think torture is not an effective way to get information, let alone win hearts and minds, so George doesn't get to play. Instead he gets to worry about whatever it is that's got him so grim-looking now. Grim and desperate-looking, like a drowning man.

Georgie is drowning, drowning in a shit-pool of his own making. Watching him lately is like watching a condemned man... he carps and cajoles, bargains, bullies and threatens, unable or unwilling to answer a simple question like "Did you approve waterboarding this detainee?". He's so shrill and hysterical: "We need this CIA program! The enemy wants to attack us again! We're running out of time! The enemy! The enemy!" This is not a man who feels positive and confident about his future, this is a man who is shitting his pants.

And we all know why. Because if that little pain-in-the-ass Article 3 isn't redefined to include his "coercive interrogation" methods, George will have major problems. If the republicans lose control of the house and senate (as they're expected to) and the democrats launch investigations, he'll be fucked, as will Cheney, Rummy and a whole host of others (because if Georgie goes down, he won't be going alone). Impeachment is the least of their worries; they could be making appearances at the Hague.

The midterms are closing in, less than 2 months away. The 9/11 anniversary, TV show and all, didn't have the desired effect. George's approval ratings are sinking. The Bush administration is desperate, and like cornered rats, dangerous. Get your beer and popcorn, sit back and prepare to be amazed at the politics of slime; I hope the democrats are ready, because they're in for a rough ride.