The Presidential Hissy-fit

At today’s press conference, our President threw a hissy-fit. In response to a softball question lobbed about the MoveOn:

I felt like the ad was an attack not only on General Petraeus, but on the U.S. military. And I was disappointed that not more leaders in the Democrat Party spoke out strongly against that kind of ad. And that leads me to come to this conclusion: that most Democrats are afraid of irritating a left-wing group like MoveOn.org — or more afraid of irritating them than they are of irritating the United States military. That was a sorry deal. It’s one thing to attack me; it’s another thing to attack somebody like General Petraeus.

Bush is being wholly disingenuous. In the past, he hasn’t given the slightest fuck about attacking “somebody like General Petraeus” when politically convenient. His people mocked and ridiculed General Shinseki before Congress, and the Press. He had no problem with Rumsfeld sacking General White, his Secretary of the Army. When John Kerry’s and John McCain’s military records were slimed by Bush’s surrogates, he issued only tepid condemnation.

Bush is clearly irate that people would question Petraeus, but not because he gives a damn about Petraeus — he’s clearly willing to trade on Petraeus’ reputation to sustain his Iraq folly. But he’s fully invested in the General because he’s made Petraeus a proxy for himself on Iraq. Questioning Petraeus on Iraq is the same thing as questioning the Decider, and nothing makes Bush pissier than challenging his fucked up judgment.

His own credibility on Iraq shattered after one too many Mission Accomplisheds and Plans for Victory, Bush sought another source of credibility and authority on Iraq upon which to feed, like Nosferatu. He selected Petraeus to be that man, not only because he had a reputation and credibility, but because he, like Bush, believed in sustaining the war in Iraq. Bush has a knack for finding convenient people to use for cover.

Petraeus is, in effect, Bush’s homunculus — not because Petraeus is being dishonest, but because Bush chose him precisely because his views on Iraq echoed his own. By attacking Petraeus, MoveOn was attacking Bush’s judgment, and his decisions, by a proxy. MoveOn’s ad was, in my opinion, clumsy and politically inept. But the fact is it hit home — not at Petreaus, but right at President Hissy-fit.

When Bush has used up Petraeus’ reputation and credibility to sustain Iraq — when his usefulness is over — he won’t have any problem discarding him. He may even give him a medal.

But he won’t become so distraught when Petraeus’ judgment or credibility is questioned.