Partisanship is in the eye...

ABC News:

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., wrote to Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., that repeated calls for investigations are hampering the [Senate Intelligence Committee]'s ability to focus on issues including Iran, North Korea, Muslim extremism and the military modernization of China.

"If attempts to use the committee's charter for political purposes persist, we may have to simply acknowledge that nonpartisan oversight, while a worthy aspiration, is not possible," Frist said.

It's clearly hypocritical, but it has me wondering. A panel which maintains a 8-7 Republican edge which votes to investigate the President for possible illegal surveillance would be done for "political purposes?" I can certainly see the benefit for Democrats if an investigation occurs, but how is it going to help the eight Republicans on the panel? Unless, I guess, it helps to separate them from the President's possible illegal spying program.

I'll say it again. If Republicans really thought Bush's spying program was completely legit, they would welcome the investigation. It would vindicate the program, and make Democrats look weaker on terror and willing to waste taxpayer time and money on a witch hunt.

Their reluctance only tells me that they are most certainly doomed if any oversight actually occurs.