"Implosive Harmonic Convergence"

Also known as: Shrubleroy--and his legion of cronies--will fade away with both a bang and a whimper.

Credit for this post's title goes to TPM--Marshall offers a heavy dose of irony re: the Miers nomination, the fact that the red meat evangelical crowd refuses to sink their fangs in, and that Operation Iraqi Sinkhole's "nominal aim [was] to create a secular, rule-of-law-based democracy which would end the cycle of repression, fanaticism and violence which spilled onto America's shores four years ago.

I'll withhold criticism of Marshall's point as to Iraq for now--I doubt seriously that Team Bush had ANY Iraqi plan, except perhaps a few speechifyings to bolster Shrub's tough-guy credientials--but a major political storm is bearing down on the Potomac. And a whole mess of wingnut heroes lack the means to escape.

The latest 'nut to feel the strong winds of change is Bill Frist--gee, when it's all over maybe he can star in his own reality show, although killing and dissecting cats most likely appeals to only a limited demographic. Instead, perhaps he could preside over his own blind trust--each week he and his relatives can meet behind closed doors to decide which bit of the family empire to jettison. Or, better yet, they can mark a couple of balloons with symbols representing assets, and display them before someone in a chronic vegetative state ("She's no longer looking at the HCA balloon. Call the broker.")

Meanwhile, Big Time, Other Priorities is now possibly a target of Fitzgerald's investigation, Tom DeLay's so desperate he's resorting to phone message spinning--and round-the-clock attack ads on Ronnie Earle--and, what was to be Shrub's crowning achievement, topping even the old man, has turned to leaden rubble. Citing Billmon again, the latest numbers, according to Peter Hart, demonstrate "[Bush's] trampoline [is] made of cement."

It now looks like the rush to war itself will be a focus of the Fitzgerald investigation, because the White House Iraq Group seems to be a major player in the attempt to smear Joe Wilson. This means large chunks of the administration might well be called to stand tall before the man. And without his coeterie of henchmen, Shrubusto will look even smaller.

The next few months will be really interesting...