Things aren't looking that good for Karl

Despite the misdirection, spin, counterattacks, and distractions spewing out of the White House (Roberts a week early, anyone?), the Republican Noise Machine is having trouble controlling the debate on Karl. The White House press corps grows a spine, Cooper contradicts Rove's testimony, Powell produces the missing CIA memo, Scooter Libby gets dragged in, retired CIA agents go public protesting Plame's treatment, the memo turns out to have Top Secret stamped all over it, the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal (!) go back to front page Roverage only 24 hours after Bush's dramatic bait n' switch Supremes announcement, and now it appears that Bloomberg news will report a new bombshell tomorrow: Libby and Rove committed perjury before a grand jury.

But that's not all. Reports have been trickling in to the blogosphere all week: when it comes to this story, for once, the man on the street knows what's going on. In diners, in bars, on the sidewalks, in VFW halls, Mr. and Mrs. Average Voter are both aware and pissed off:

I was posting "Fire Rove" flyers on Chicago's Near-North Side last Sunday & would have gotten a lot more done except i had to get into a conversation about every fourth or fifth light pole. I was ASTONISHED. (A) i didn't initiate a single conversation; i was buried in sunscreen, sunglasses, & a big floppy hat & was intent on my tape gun. Other people wanted to talk to me. (B) EVERYONE knew EXACTLY what i was doing & why. I didn't get a single "Who's that guy in the picture?" (C) EVERYONE agreed! (D) The people i talked to defied categorizing by appearance, age, race, sex. Two middle-aged white men who claimed to be Republicans ("life-long," "staunch" -- is there any other kind?) said "fire the SOB!" Same words, different dudes, hours & blocks apart, & no one i know says "SOB." At first i felt that making the flyers was just juvenile acting out or trying to recapture youthful outrage, but it turned out to be a really fun Sunday. I think i'll do it again this weekend.

-- Posted by Anonymous to lefter, warmer at 7/21/2005 05:55:08 PM

La la la.