Reply #4: I think Rove's tactic is to keep

[Vladimir]

Iraq kicked, no matter whether the news is good or bad. I remeber reading an editorial to the effect that:

- Bush leads on foreign policy in polls but loses on domestic issues

- This is irrespective of how weel that foreign policy is doing

- Hence Bush's ratings rose in April because Iraq was on telly more; even though it is a disaster it makes people more likely to have Iraq as their primary election consideration.

- Hence, Rove's plan is to keep talking about Iraq, and to make sure that when people vote in November they vote on foreign policy, not domestic issues. Then Bush wins, regardless of how bad a shape Iraq is in.

- So in effect, the obvious may well be true here: they don't really care when this gets out and the military asked CBS to sit on it for a few weeks while they 'sorted out' Fallujah, or the hostages, or whatever.