Circling 'round the ports

TIME:

Republican sources tell TIME that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee proposed the basic terms of a deal designed to give the White House a graceful way out, while also allaying the concerns of the many lawmakers in both parties who have said the deal could be a threat to our security. Under the Frist plan, the deal could stand a good chance of ultimately going through after the extended review. Frist aides apparently proposed the terms to representatives of the company and the White House late Friday. Neither has formally responded but both seemed interested in the idea, according to a Senate Republican aide. "This avoids a direct clash," the aide said. "It solves everyone's problem. The President doesn't have to cancel the deal or veto anything."

Well, it doesn't solve everyone's problem. While the President gets what his administration wanted without telling him, this deal sounds like little more than a puppet show designed to save face. And if it is little more than smoke and mirrors disguised as review, I'm not sure how that's going to placate the American people enough to make them accept the deal as it stands.

But if I had to guess, I'd imagine if this deal goes through, about 40% of the country will end up backing the President on the deal. After all, if Iraq, economic numbers that don't help the working class, Katrina, and the myriad of other failures haven't made people change their mind, I'm not sure this will either.