Hey Media, Did You Know Gullible Isn't In The Dictionary?

By now, you may have seen all the breathless headlines and stories about moderate Republican congressmen visiting the White House to tell President Bush that their patience on Iraq is limited and that they will abandon him in September if things don't improve. OMG!

Besides the fact that these meetings make the headlines every few months or so (I can recall a similar one just last month when the first funding bill was being negotiated), you'd think the media would show a little more skepticism because... let's see for starters... we know from a story earlier this week that come the September 'deadline', Republicans will just ask for more time to put lipstick on the pig. Shouldn't people with short-term memory problems not go into journalism?

There is also the fact that such a detailed, immediate leak about the meeting means that the people involved in it-- White House officials, GOP congressfolk-- wanted the story out there. It makes the White House look open to criticism and makes the rubberstamp GOP caucus look like they are standing up for their angry constituents. You know something fishy is up when Drudge features the headline so prominently.

If these Republicans were actually serious about their frustration, they would've voted with Democrats last week to override the President's veto. They didn't. They would also fight to put some real teeth into the Iraq funding bill that the House is deciding today. They won't.

Tim F. at Balloon Juice has the proper skepticism on this kabuki political theater. He also notes that many conservative Democrats may join the GOP in stripping the funding bill of any teeth and giving the President the blank check for indefinite war 'clean' bill he so desperately wants (though other sources add doubt to that).

What's waiting if they stay strong on the bill? Another presidential veto, of course.

[UPDATE: The House passed a new funding bill, paying in installments based on progress.]