White House Watch: Standing by DeLay, somewhat
Senior White House officials are standing by Tom DeLay but only up to a point. White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said today that President Bush values DeLay as an ally and leader, but McClellan wouldn't go further because, he said, the legal process should first run its course.
"The president considers him a good ally and a friend who we have worked with very closely to get things done for the American people," McClellan said. Bush advisers are a bit shellshocked at the indictment. They are concerned that Texas prosecutor Ronald Earle, a Democrat, has enough of a case to at least embarrass DeLay indefinitely even if DeLay eventually is exonerated.
The larger problem is that the DeLay mess is only the latest in a string of setbacks for the GOP, and the party's leaders are concerned that the public may be getting the impression that the Republicans are abusing their power, have run Washington too long, and are leading the nation in the wrong direction.
In this context, White House advisers fear that DeLay's stepping down temporarily as House majority leader will severely damage Bush's agenda even further. His nickname, after all, is "the Hammer," and his rough tactics have not only alienated Democrats but also helped to force a rare unity among Republicans in pushing Bush's programs.
Another concern is the rising fear among GOP insiders that the Republicans could lose control of the House in November 2006. Some party strategists now say up to 70 or 80 seats could be up for grabs, most of them now Republican, in contrast to the usual 30 or 40.
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