Sabato On Portgate: A Godsend

Larry Sabato, of Sabato's Crystal Ball, had this to say about the Congressional Republican response to the Dubai Port controversy, via Reuters:

"In a way, the port deal was a godsend to them," Sabato said. "It allowed them to put a lot of daylight between themselves and a very unpopular president.

"I'd bet you that most Republicans on the ballot this year end up citing their opposition to the port deal to show how independent they are -- that they are independent Republicans, not 'Bush Republicans."'

He's absolutely right. This was a great opportunity for members of Congress to distinguish themselves from the president. While this type of split may not be good for the party in general terms, for vulnerable Republicans up for reelection this was indeed a "godsend."

In a way, the visceral reaction by fellow Republicans was also a bit of a godsend for the President as well - it allowed him to see the light without his normal partisan blinders. If Republicans had hesitated and weren't so openly against this deal - if they tried to pretend that this was good for the country, as the president did - they would've handed this issue (and possibly national security issues in general) to the Democrats. If this had happened, the President would've battled with Democrats and lost; his approval ratings would be even worse than they are now. I wouldn't be surprised if, privately, the President thanked Congressional Republicans for kicking his ass on this one.