Political Capital

Q But, Scott, I'm sorry, are you watching something different than we are? Because as far as we can tell, the congressional leadership has said, it's dead. The President has issued a veto threat heretofore, and yet it's our understanding that he did not repeat that during today's meeting, so --

MR. McCLELLAN: That's correct.

Q So why not? Why didn't he repeat it during the meeting?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, because we're focused on how we can move ahead together, and how we can resolve this matter. And that's what I was just stressing to you.

Bowing to ferocious opposition in Congress, a Dubai-owned company signaled surrender Thursday in its quest to take over operations at U.S. ports.

The Republican Congress that marched behind President Bush during his first term is now running away from him.

The GOP rebellion over the Dubai ports deal is the latest and most dramatic example. But from Katrina cleanup to domestic surveillance to Medicare cuts, Republicans increasingly have been refusing to move in step with the White House.

Posted by Eddie Tews at March 9, 2006 05:10 PM