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Does it pass the smell test? That depends on who is doing the sniffing.

How bad is it? It could be worse. This could be coming up sometime other than the middle of the summer - the "silly season" - when the press reports about kids, and summer, the beach, people frying eggs on sidewalks, watermelons, sharks, etc., are not happening

Beyond that, though, there are a couple of things here that really are not good at all.

First, there is the fact that this is beginning to smell like a Klintoonesque reverie on what the meaning of "is" is. Too much parsing. Too soon after Klintoon.

Second, even though we like Mr Rove, and what he has done over the years for President Bush, he has become the center of attention and not President Bush, who is supposed to be the center of attention. This means, regrettably, that Mr Rove has failed in his primary duty - he has become visible, and taken the spotlight off of the Presidents agenda for this, his final, term in office.

Third, there is the possibility here of technical violations of obscure statutory law of which we are currently unaware. Or, at least, the possibility of an allegation of a violation of some obscure statute, of which we are currently unaware. This provides grist for the journalistic mill. Which keeps this alive. Which means that it creates a smell. And if there really is some violation or other, however obscure, this will be a serious problem after Labor Day when people begin to actually pay attention. In which case we go beyond "smell" to "stench". And "stench" is something with which we cannot live.

Fourth, and perhaps most significant - what does this distraction do to the rest of President Bush's agenda? We don't have a lot of time left, folks, to actually get things done. There is this fall, which will be more or less consumed by a Supreme Court confirmation. And that assumes there will only be one. If there is more than one, this could spread over into '06. Half of '06 will be consumed by the Congressional mid-term politicking. Then there is election season '06. Part of '07 will be taken up by a new Congress figuring out where the rest rooms are located. Most of '08 will be consumed by Presidential and Congressional primaries and actual campaigns.

My point is this - from now until early spring of next year is "prime time" for the President to get things done. We don't need a lot of high-visibility distractions between now and then. Particularly as relates to the Presidents primary on-scene day-to-day political adviser.

"My point is this - from now until early spring of next year is "prime time" for the President to get things done. We don't need a lot of high-visibility distractions between now and then. Particularly as relates to the Presidents primary on-scene day-to-day political adviser."

I see. So, in order for Leftists to achieve political victory, all that's necessary is for them to "make an issue" of just about anything or anyone.

Strangely, they seem to be quite willing to do that. And they're doing it now. And they've *been* doing it since Bush took office.