For Bush, This Could Not Have Worked Out Better

In all the blogger chatter on Kerik, an important point seems to have been missed.

This could not have worked out better for Bush.

For the campaign Bush got all the help he could ever want from both Rudy and Kerik. Rudy's personal popularity was still running very high. We all heard our R friends fantasize about Rudy on the ticket with Bush.

Kerik on the campaign trail with Bush was Bush's antidote to the 9-11 families.

Like Powell and McCain, Rudy has his independent political base and really didn't need Bush, yet his shilling for Bush was shameless. And Bush needed Rudy.

So Bush found himself in the very uncomfortable position (especially for Bush and Rove) of being in Rudy's debt.

But not any more.

Bush has not only been relieved of this debt, but has turned the tables now and has Rudy apologizing to him on national TV.

And Bush will pay no political price for this.

The media and blogosphere are all over this, but no one at work today even mentioned it. The Bushies very deftly cut this off just at the perfect time to leave Kerik politically ruined and Rudy, on bended knew begging for forgiveness.

Scott McClellen will have a few days of uncomfortable questions (probably already behind him) and that will be the end of it, with Rudy now safely in Bush's pocket.

This could not have worked out better for Bush.