Krugman: Why does anyone still kow-tow to Bush?
Good for him [Senator-elect Webb, for telling off Bush]. We need people in Washington who are willing to stand up to the bully in chief. Unfortunately, and somewhat mysteriously, they’re still in short supply.
You can understand, if not condone, the way the political and media establishment let itself be browbeaten by Mr. Bush in his post-9/11 political prime. What’s amazing is the extent to which insiders still cringe before a lame duck with a 60 percent disapproval rating.
Look at what seems to have happened to the Iraq Study Group, whose mission statement says that it would provide an “independent assessment.” If press reports are correct, the group did nothing of the sort. Instead, it watered down its conclusions and recommendations, trying to come up with something Mr. Bush wouldn’t reject out of hand.
Emphasis added. I've been shouting this meme for quite some time now. It stuns me that even after The Great Repudiation of 2 November 2006, the suck-up to Bush reflex is still in place. And listening to the Washington chatter about how "rude" Webb was is pretty infuriating. I wish Webb had told him off even more harshly, but I'll rejoice at what Bush rejection I can get in today's debased political atmosphere.
Note to NYT: Set my Brother Krugman free! (Tom Friedman can be kept behind the subscription wall until he recants this "six more months in Iraq" nonsense.)
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He knows of that which he speaks. The world needs to listen more to him!