[White House]

Bush and the Bugman.

Allow me to draw your attention to a revealing article about the relationship between Bush and Tom DeLay. Now that DeLay's star is waning, Bush is apparently hanging him out to dry--not at all surprising for this White House, where hanging out former loyalists is standard procedure. But in this case, the article describes how the relationship has always been rocky. It's revealing because it shows a lot more about Bush than he would probably like. For instance:

Even before DeLay's announcement that he would abdicate his leadership post, top Bush advisers tell TIME, the President's inner circle always treated DeLay as a necessary burden. He may have had an unmatched grip on the House and Washington lobbyists, but DeLay is not the kind of guy--in background and temperament--the President feels comfortable with. Of the former exterminator, a Republican close to the President's inner circle says, "They have always seen him as beneath them, more blue collar. He's seen as a useful servant, not someone you would want to vacation with."

Now, as the Abramoff scandal unfolds, Bush (along with all the other corrupt Republicans) is desperately trying to innoculate himself against the backlash.

Bracing for the worst, Administration officials obtained from the Secret Service a list of all the times Abramoff entered the White House complex, and they scrambled to determine the reason for each visit. Bush aides are also trying to identify all the photos that may exist of the two men together.

But here's an interesting thing. Bush used the Bugman to get his proposals through Congress, and the Bugman loyally allowed himself to be dissed by Bush (he didn't speak at either election convention, for example). I think DeLay recognized that was the cost of doing business. But now, with DeLay fighting for his life, he may not be so loyal. As the central player in Congress since Bush was elected, DeLay isn't trash Bush can throw out like he did with Ashcroft, Powell, and others. DeLay was the foreman of the sausage factory, and if Bush disses him too brutally, DeLay might decide to go out swinging, too. And that would be mighty fun to watch.