[mburbank]

I think it is ballsy, but I think this time it won't work. If they were counting on apathy, they'd be golden, and apathy may yet allow them to squeak by. But I think their strategy is based on kind of wishful thinking madness. They have been insular too long and nothing will pierce te bubble. Poll numbers in te thorties haven't.

I think they honestly believe that people are not just okay with and/or unconcerned about warrantless eavesdropping. They think that as long as they can get that 'terrorist surveilance' brand out there, people will be positively in favor of it and it ill rekindle Bush's popularity.

But if they talk about it too much (and they kind of have to, having nominated Hayden) they may end up facing a different brand. It's very hard to deny that the President broke and is breaking the law, and that hayden ran the illegal program. People do ike Terrorist surveilance. But they don't like a President who breaks the law.

W is laying it out there. Personally, I think he's pretty fucking cocky for a guy less than a third of the country thinks is doing a good job.