You know how reporters write things like, “sources say,” and you know they’re really going to reveal their own opinions? Robert Novak is guilty of just such a comment in his column today. He declares that “conservative action groups” were “disappointed with George W. Bush” in 2004″ but “supported his re-election in 2004 and stick with him today” because he might be able to shift the Supreme Court to the Right.
Methinks the truly disappointed conservative action group is named “Bob Novak” — who opposed the War with Iraq, doesn’t like the president’s policies toward Israel and has various other problems. Sure, conservatives are irritated with Bush over a variety of policies. Some don’t like the new drug benefit, others his immigration approach. But this is a president who went to the polls in 2004 with a 95 percent support rating among members of his own party — an unheard-of number. They didn’t just vote for him grudgingly. They liked and admired him. Robert Novak doesn’t for various reasons, and that is his right, but he shouldn’t hide behind “conservative action groups” who rallied their troops for Bush for reasons that extend far beyond the Supreme Court. Like, how about the war on terror?