All Intensive Purposes

. . . [E]ngineering a confrontation with Iran is a key part of [the White House's] plan to resuscitate the president's dismal approval ratings in time to survive election day. . . . [T]he question we hear more and more from Democrats: how do we prepare for whatever it is Karl Rove has cooked up this election season? . . . [T]his is loser talk. The 'how will we defend ourselves' conversation is an example of the malady itself masquerading as the cure to the disease. . . . [Y]ou do everything you can to maintain the initiative. And that pretty much always means bringing the attack to the other side. . . . With respect to what's coming on Iran, what is in order is a little honesty . . . . The only crisis with Iran is the crisis with the president's public approval ratings. . . . The Iranians are years, probably as long as a decade away, and possibly even longer from creating even a limited yield nuclear weapon. . . . [T]he only reason to ramp up a confrontation now is to help the president's poll numbers. . . . This is a powerful message because it is an accurate message. . . . The period of peril the country is entering into isn't tied to an Iranian bomb. It turns on how far a desperate president will go to avoid losing control of Congress. Go to his heart. Go to his weaknesses. . . . [T]he man is a laughing stock, whose lies and failures are all catching up with him.

// posted by t.s. @ 1:45 PM