ABC News’ The Note reported this morning that Republicans in Congress “have decided (for now) that their political interests (as in 2002 and 2004) lie in solidarity with the Bush Administration. ‘We shall all hang together’ is the unofficial mantra.” But behind the veneer of unity, is there more discontent than Republicans are letting on?
Earlier this week, William Kristol said, “”Almost every Republican I have spoken with is disappointed” in Bush’s handling of the Katrina crisis. Likewise, a White House briefing with lawmakers earlier this week reportedly included some Republicans highlighting their unguarded displeasure with the administration’s work over the last two weeks.
The New York Times reported today that senior House Republican officials said that, behind the scenes, some lawmakers were “pressing the Bush administration” to fire Michael Brown from FEMA. “He’s been compromised,” said one top Republican lawmaker.
But to fully appreciate what may be behind-the-scenes discontent, consider what Bob Novak’s been hearing.
When Republican House members participated in a telephone conference call Sept. 1, the air was blue with complaints about the handling of Katrina. There was much hand-wringing about Republican prospects in the 2006 elections. Politics aside, however, the GOP lawmakers were unhappy with their administration’s performance.
Rep. Mark Foley of West Palm Beach, Fla., not known as a shouter, was especially critical. Contrary to claims that FEMA’s Brown was doing just fine until Katrina struck, Foley has been at odds with Brown over the government’s handling of hurricanes that have hit his Florida district. Foley has stories of Brown’s denial of reality and FEMA’s inherent bureaucratic sluggishness.
Criticism of FEMA was even voiced at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, of all places. While all other Cabinet members were silent, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Alphonso Jackson blew the whistle. He said HUD’s readiness to send emergency housing to New Orleans was thwarted by FEMA’s red tape.
Rep. Christopher Shays of Connecticut is more liberal than nearly all his fellow Republicans, but he has tried to be a Bush loyalist. He is a member of the Homeland Security Committee and chairs the national security subcommittee of the Government Reform Committee. Consequently, it is noteworthy when he accuses the administration of ”a real sense of arrogance. Loyalty and never admitting a mistake matters more than the truth. It has a Nixon feel to me.”
Will any of this spill over into the public eye? Almost certainly not.
Last week, there was ample criticism in Republican circles about the president’s ineptitude. Newt Gingrich called the emergency response “impossible to defend.” Rich Galen, a Republican consultant in Washington, compared the president’s rosy remarks about progress in New Orleans to “‘Baghdad Bob’ saying there are no Americans at the airport.” The Washington Times, the Union Leader, and National Review — three of the most conservative news outlets in the nation — all expressed deep concerns about the president’s competency.
And then these guys figured out just how serious this is.
The reality is that Bush’s presidency, if Republicans abandoned Bush on Katrina, could very well have reached an unrecoverable state. It seemed to be heading in that direction, right around the time the president told a national television audience, “I don’t think anyone anticipated the breach of the levees.”
That was last week. This week, they’re in full Swift-Boat mode. I guess it’s cold comfort to know that, just below the surface, many Republican officials seem to be well aware of the administration’s incompetence, even if they won’t admit it out loud.