Never a Texas Two-Step

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Fair or not, the Bush Administration must now spend time and capital trying to minimize collateral damage from people they have tried to keep at a safe distance. Fortunately for the White House, the President a year ago began sending mixed signals about DeLay. When conservative leaders held a $250-a-plate tribute dinner in April to show solidarity with him, no one from the White House spoke. But a few weeks earlier, when Bush spoke in Galveston, Texas, he went out of his way to praise DeLay—then unindicted in Texas but under fire—and even gave him a ride to Washington on his helicopter, Marine One, and his jet, Air Force One. In his remarks, Bush saluted DeLay's effectiveness, which no one could dispute, but didn't bother to mention his character. That was exactly the point.