Bush facing "Republican Revolt" and "GOP Infighting" against "GOP rebels"

The battle between Bush and GOP Senators (and Colin Powell) greatly escalated yesterday when Bush did the kind of press conference he usually does to bash Democrats against his fellow Republicans. The media has clued in to the fact that Bush and Rove's well laid plans to use the torture issue against Democrats has backfired because, believe it or not, some Republicans are finally standing up to him.

AP called it a "Republican revolt""

The president called a Rose Garden news conference to confront a Republican rebellion led by Sens. John Warner of Virginia, John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Susan Collins of Maine.

To the administration's dismay, Colin Powell, Bush's former secretary of state, has joined with the lawmakers. Powell said Bush's plan to redefine the Geneva Conventions would cause the world "to doubt the moral basis" of the fight against terror and "put our own troops at risk."

The Washington Post called it "GOP Infighting":

President Bush warned defiant Republican senators yesterday that he will close down a CIA interrogation program that he credited with thwarting terrorist attacks if they pass a proposal regulating detention of enemy combatants, escalating a politically charged battle that has exposed divisions within his party.

An irritated Bush, raising his voice and gesturing sharply at a Rose Garden news conference, excoriated legislation passed by a Senate panel Thursday that is intended to conform U.S. detainee practices with the Geneva Conventions. Bush insisted on legislation more specifically defining what is banned so intelligence officers would not worry about being charged with war crimes.

The New York Times headlines blares "Bush Says G.O.P. Rebels Are Putting Nation at Risk" :

President Bush made an impassioned defense on Friday of his proposed rules for the interrogation and prosecution of terrorism suspects, warning that the nation’s ability to defend itself would be undermined if rebellious Republicans in the Senate did not come around to his position.

Probably the most striking revelation was Colin Powell's assertion that Bush's plan will put American soldiers at even greater risk. Bush has already sent soldiers unequipped to an ill-planned war. Now, a former top military official stated that Bush is devising policy that will unnecessarily endanger the troops.

Bush is playing politics with the safety and security of America's armed forces. Could it be that the media and some Republicans have finally realized that Bush really is that craven? There's still plenty of time for these GOPers to cave. But, they've made it clear: Bush cares more about politics than he does about solid policy.