After arguing an invasion of Iraq would trigger a wave of positive change throughout the Arab world, Charles Krauthammer, the neocon columnist, is not in much of a position to lecture anyone on foreign policy. Yet he does so today, making use of my recent article on Barack Obama's flubbed response at the YouTube debate. (See all those posts below). In piling on Obama, Krauthammer notes that after Obama vowed to meet with the leaders of Iran, North Korea, Syria, Cuba and Venezuela, there came

from the Nation's David Corn to super-blogger Mickey Kaus, a near-audible gasp.

That much is true. But pointing to Obama's slip-up, Krauthammer feels compelled to instruct Obama on how presidential summitry works. Next he huffs,

(1) Obama is inexplicably unable to think on his feet while standing on South Carolina soil, or (2) Obama is not ready to be a wartime president..

Obama did oppose the war Krauthammer cheerleaded. Which means he understands better than Krauthammer a key rule of foreign policy: think clearly about the consequences of your actions before acting.

KEEPING GONZO ALIVE. Besieged Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is the Terri Schiavo of the Bush administration: he must be kept alive at all costs. No matter how miserably he performs during congressional appearances and no matter how many times he's caught in a contradiction (or a lie), George W. Bush stands by his man. It's that famous Bush loyalty, some observers say. But Bush has readily bounced people when they became liabilities. It's that famous Bush stubbornness, others opine. But Bush has changed course when political reality dictated a shift. My one-liner on this (suitable for use on TV and radio shows) has been: Gonzales has fixed too many parking tickets for Bush over the years. In other words, he knows too much. And that may partly explain Bush's continuing embrace of Gonzales. But there might be yet another explanation: Bush and Cheney do not want to lose control of the Justice Department.

If Gonzales were to resign, Bush would be forced to nominate a nonpartisan figure of independent standing for the job--that is, someone he and Cheney could not rely upon to do their bidding. With various investigations under way and with Bush and Cheney still seeking to expand presidential power, they need the Justice Department on their side. They cannot afford to let anyone of independence to take its reins. Gonzales has job security.

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL.... Who's the neocon-est of them all? That is, of the GOP presidential contenders. In a piece in the latest issue of The Nation, I write:

The neoconservatives are not riding high these days. The Iraq War--their number-one cause--is a failure, and the public has turned on the war, George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, their top man in the Administration. Meanwhile, the so-called foreign policy realists appear to have the upper hand against the Administration's dwindling neocon cell in many internal policy squabbles. But the neocons are faring rather well when it comes to the presidential race. The leading GOP contenders are all die-hard fans of the war. And the newest star in the show--Fred Thompson, the former Republican senator from Tennessee, onetime lobbyist and TV actor who has all but officially announced his candidacy--might be the most neoconnish of all.

To read why that is, click here, though you might have to subscribe. And check out the latest edition of the Corn & Miniter webcast, which should be posted on PajamasMedia.com sometime today.

Posted by David Corn at July 27, 2007 11:55 AM