The Third Estate Sunday Review presents a chapter of Bob Woodward's State of Denial that did not make the final cut. Woodward had intended it to run as the preface. After it was pointed out to him that it was "too frank," he yipped, snapped and howled to have it included as the epilogue until he was hit over the snout with a rolled newspaper.
Behind Stoic Face, Elites Have Doubts About the Administration
At the start of August, as elites who had championed the war, opposed it (small numbers) or stood on the sidelines with a "I'm up for anything!" attitude, the Bully Boy's bonafides were being questioned.
As polling came in showing that the people would not be moved and that the feelings against the war were entrenched, elites began to worry. Bully Boy was already thought to be out of control, even by some War Hawk elites, over his trampling of the Constitution. The attacks from the administration on Judge Anna Diggs Taylor (fifth circuit) would alarm even a few of the die hards who began to wonder if the true heir to Richard Nixon was now installed in the Oval Office and what it might take to dislodge him. In think tanks and boardrooms, in Georgetown salons and on spacious estates, the word was out: BULLY BOY GOING DOWN.
The only question was how and who was going down with him? Donald Rumsfeld had always struck too many as both arrogant and corn-pone. The lack of supervision was the least of his problems. Like Dick Cheney, Rumsfeld had rubbed far too many (who mattered) the wrong way. Both would be easily dispensed with an establishment hit-job but Cheney would be portrayed as someone stupid yet caring. Rumsfeld would just be stupid.
Colin Powell? The owners of the press had already invested too much air time and ink turning him into Saint Colie. To do a turn around at this point might confuse the masses. It was decided he would be portrayed as unwilling and rumors were floated that he gave his United Nations testimony at gun point.
Condi Rice? The gal-pal segment of the media wasn't going to let her fall on her face. There was something so uncontrollable about Helene Cooper's devotion to Rice (it was feared Cooper might fall on her pen to save Rice) that alarmed the sections of the family in control of The New York Times. Besides, Gwen Ifell had done an end run around the press by going to big oil and pleading that Rice not be part of the limited hang out. Hearing the sounds of gas pump money being shut off, PBS had no choice but agree to the demands of those who had made Condi that should other establishment outlets commence a hit job, they would air a three hour tribute to all things Rice.
The rest mere bit players in the drama save one, the Bully Boy himself. Though not the embracer of the establishment that his father Prescott was, Poppy Bush was still "one of them." Limited hang out had to allow for Poppy to be protected. Realizing that, an oedipal narrative was decided upon. The son who slew the king to take the throne.
Variations on this theme had been floated before but it was decided that to really sell this point, harridan Big Babs must be redeamed as well.
With those elements locked-down, I was contacted to and instructed to stop my planned book (David Corn's Full Of Beans and Sometimes An Outing Is Just a Banana) and begin writing the slow take down of the Bully Boy. Was I up for it? Up for it, I was giddy with delight.
[Third Estate Sunday Review note: This was a parody piece.]