Bush tripped up Repubs with port deal; Dems put Repubs on defensive

[ProSense]

Dubai Firm to Transfer Ports' Control

By DAVID ESPO and ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writers
3 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - As congressional leaders warned President Bush that both the House and Senate appeared ready to block a Dubai-owned company from taking over operations at some U.S. ports, the company said Thursday that it was prepared to give up its management stake.

Snip...

The move came as the White House, facing a Republican rebellion in Congress, played down President Bush's veto threat and said he was trying to find a compromise to resolve the uproar over the Dubai-owned company's plan to take over significant operations at several U.S. sea ports.

Republican congressional leaders had told Bush at a White House meeting earlier Thursday that both the House and Senate appear ready to block the takeover, GOP officials said.

Snip...

Senate Democrats also demanded a vote on the issue, and while Republicans struggled to prevent one, they conceded they were on the political defensive.

"I admire what the House did," said Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "They said we know the president feels strongly about this. We know he said he's going to veto this. But we're going to do it because we think we have an obligation to our constituents."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060309/ap_on_go_co/ports_security_46

[ProSense]

1. Dubai Port Company to Divest Itself of American Holdings

Dubai Port Company to Divest Itself of American Holdings

By Jonathan Weisman and Daniela Deane
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, March 9, 2006; 2:00 PM

The United Arab Emirates company that was attempting to take over management operations at six U.S. ports announced today that it will divest itself of all American interests.

The announcement appears to head off a major confrontation that was brewing between Congress and the Bush administration over the controversial deal.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/09/AR2006030901124.html?nav=rss_politics

[fooj]

4. Why the admiration for the House doing what it is SUPPOSED to do?

"I admire what the House did," said Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "They said we know the president feels strongly about this. We know he said he's going to veto this. But we're going to do it because we think we have an obligation to our constituents."

That's their job. Hello!!!!!!!

[gasperc]

2. whatever happened to the 45day review??

oh boo fucking hoo, Bush won't get the chance to sell out our national security to the terrorists after all

[moobu2]

3. What an embarrassing defeat for

that no political capital having lame ass duck

[0007]

5. Yeah but...it sure stinks.

[ProSense]

6. Dilemma?

MARGARET WARNER: So, Norm, the congressional reaction, at first, it sounded a little cautious. How do you read it now? Was this enough to avert a collision?

NORMAN ORNSTEIN: No, it wasn’t. And while a number of Republicans breathed a sigh of relief that, at least in the short run, they have averted a disaster, and some were saying publicly, well, it’s fine now, many, privately, were almost as cautious as Democrats. And it’s partly because of that first scenario that Simon mentioned. In fact, what Dubai Ports had offered earlier, what the administration had been talking about, was having a kind of separate U.S. entity. That wasn’t acceptable to Congress. If this is done now through the backdoor, where D.P. has any role at all, Congress is going to go ballistic, and it’s going to be a disaster, I think, for the administration.

http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=2199