President Bush, Speaker Pelosi and Syria
Do you remember Speaker Pelosi and her crew going on a little diplomatic excursion to the Middle East? Do you also remember reports that President Bush issued no statement before Pelosi’s trip? Other reports stated the President voiced objections after the trip to Syria. And then came the defense from Pelosi’s crew that they had informed the President about the trip prior to leaving and he expressed no opposition. In rather abrupt fashion the story quickly lost steam and became fish wrap. There was little reason to continue thinking about it since Pelosi would not be facing any consequences via the Logan Act or any other reason.
With stories offering headlines like ‘Thanks to Pelosi, Rice meeting with Syria‘ or ‘Pelosi was ‘bad’ but now Condi will go talk to Syria‘ or ‘Nancy Forces Condi Off Her Butt‘, the partisan faithful are making noise about talks with Syria. It is fair to toot your horn when what you want has appeared to happen. So could all this joy be produced over an elaborate and unlikely illusion?
If the reports were accurate and providing I have remembered them correctly, what if the reason that the President was reported to have not expressed objection prior to Pelosi’s trip was true. Then why would he object after the trip was completed? I can only think of three reasons. What Pelosi told the President before the trip is not what she did on the trip. Or the results of what she told the President would happen, did not. Or the President knew Pelosi would jump at the chance to go international and he would test the water with her trip.
Both parties would prefer the political protection of no Iraq problems in 2008. The only time bipartisan cooperation occurs is when both parties believe they are in trouble. So why not cook up a scheme. The President gets political cover for not publicly relinquishing his stand on Syria. Pelosi looks good to her party faithful and the heat from the opposition is played for effect to look authentic to the public. In politics, that’s a deal. A cheap price to pay for more options. And a stalemate on Iraq is bad for both parties so this path works like a political truce on one item. No harm, no foul for them.
Stanford Matthews
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