Conservative Political Action Conference

All the well-known conservatives and their lobbyists gathered in Washington this past week to hear their favorite speakers, including the Vice President who goaded them to campaign this fall as the only party that could protect the US from Al Qaeda. The one sour note came from Bob Barr of all people. He is the former Congressman from Georgia who led the Clinton impeachment effort, but is now strongly criticizing Bush for actions over NSA spying, much to the anguish of the attendees. In a debate with Viet Dinh, one of the authors of the USA Patriot Act, Barr said:

Are we losing our lodestar, which is the Bill of Rights? Are we in danger of putting allegiance to party ahead of allegiance to principle? Do we truly remain a society that believes that . . . every president must abide by the law of this country? I, as a conservative, say yes. I hope you as conservatives say yes.

He also elicited a concession from Dinh: that the administration's case for its program comes down to saying "Trust me." Dinh said:

None of us can make a conclusive assessment as to the wisdom of that program and its legality, without knowing the full operational details. I do trust the president when he asserts that he has reviewed it carefully and therefore is convinced that there is full legal authority.

Obviously less than half of the country is presently willing to believe assertions by President Bush. The majority are beginning to review his record and claims on Iraq, Katrina, the economy, the environment, and health and conclude that trust is the last attribute they associate with this administration.