Snow suffers meltdown on Iraq anniversary

It's the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq and I don't particularly feel like reflecting on the lessons. I've been living, breathing and blogging this occupation for four years now and I don't usually get reflective about something until it's over. This is so far from over. It appears the the White House feels the same. Tony Snow lost his cool at the presser today.

During this morning’s press gaggle, Tony Snow told reporters that Bush will use the speech to attack the House plan for Iraq as a “recipe for defeat” that would “provide a victory for the enemy.”

CNN’s Ed Henry told Snow that since he was attacking the House plan, he should explain the Bush administration’s “recipe for success.” According to Henry, Snow “tried to turn it around on me,” asking Henry what his recipe for success was. When Henry objected to Snow’s question, Snow told him to “zip it.”

Snow later apologized to Mr. Henry, as well he should have. It was inappropriate for Snow to ask such a ridiculous question. As Henry pointed out, he's not the president. It's not up to him to come up with a plan. And clearly, since Snow appears not to have an answer - there is no recipe for success. The plan would seem to be hang on by your fingernails to the same old course and hope it works this time.

Furthermore it's this kind of slap in the face to civility that sets the tone for wingnuttia. It's small wonder the wingnuts want to kill Democrats and liberals when their own president has practically called them traitors himself, simply because they've questioned his policies. And Bush is the polite one. Cheney and Rove have come right out and accused the anti-occupation Americans of treason. Snow simply reflects their mindset. It's his job.

Blogtopia takes a lot of blame for coarsening the political debate, but it's misplaced. Like everything ugly in the poltical arena for the last six years, all roads lead to the White House.