Ellington

George W. Bush and Haley Barbour are facing the fight of their political careers right now, but their fiercest critics aren't on the left. They're on the right.

For Bush, the nomination of Harriet Miers--an unknown quantity--to the Supreme Court has upset (perhaps "disappointed, depressed, and demoralized") the hard right.

For Barbour, the decision to support inland gambling has raised hackles with the religious right in Mississippi, which tends to oppose gambling (though I've never really understood what the theological argument against it is supposed to be). Lovable right-wing crank Matt Friedeman apparently thinks that legalizing gambling will even hurt Barbour's chances of becoming president (because we all know that a socially conservative lobbyist from Mississippi, who often comes across like a midnight televangelist, will play really well in the swing states):

But there is another wrinkle. From time to time, prominent religious leaders call Mississippi to ask a question. "What do you think of Haley Barbour?"

Post-Katrina, Barbour's stock has risen nationally and some want to know if the governor is a credible, true-blue social conservative whom they should consider supporting for a White House run.

Don't expect Wildmon or others to give a thumbs-up to Barbour, no matter what they think of likely Republican pro-choice contenders like Rudy Giuliani or Condoleeza Rice.

A bridge, it seems, has been burned.

If that's true, then the bridge was obviously gasoline-soaked to begin with. As a liberal, I can only see this as good news for 2007 and 2008.