Tuesday, February 21, 2006

GOP Governors Threaten to Block Port Deal - Yahoo! News
A little something I've noticed from the "liberal media" lately as George's approval numbers go sliding down the slope- any Republicans that distance themselves from this administration get top ink. This story is sitting at No. 1 right now on the AP wire.

Robert Menendez and Hillary Clinton, who proposed legislation in the Senate that would block this deal, get a whole one sentence in this story. And interestingly enough, they throw in a word of support for the deal from Jimmy Carter.

The message I get from this story about this very unpopular idea is that: a)Republicans are blocking it b) Democratic efforts don't matter and c)throw Jimmy Carter to the wolves.


WASHINGTON - Two Republican governors are threatening legal action to block an Arab company from taking over operations in major U.S. ports and some GOP lawmakers say the deal should be closely examined.

In the uneasy climate after the Sept 11 terrorist attacks, the Bush administration decision to allow the transaction is threatening to develop a major political headache for the White House.

New York Gov. George Pataki and Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich on Monday voiced doubts about the acquisition of a British company that has been running six U.S. ports by Dubai Ports World, a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates.

The British company, Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co., runs major commercial operations at ports in Baltimore, Miami, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York and Philadelphia.

Both governors indicated they may try to cancel lease arrangements at ports in their states because of the DP World takeover.

"Ensuring the security of New York's port operations is paramount and I am very concerned with the purchase of Peninsular & Oriental Steam by Dubai Ports World," Pataki said in a news release. "I have directed the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to explore all legal options that may be available to them."

Ehrlich, concerned about security at the Port of Baltimore, said Monday he was "very troubled" that Maryland officials got no advance notice before the Bush administration approved the Arab company's takeover of the operations at the six ports.


It goes on to mention two Republican Senators statements before they even get to the Menendez/Clinton legislation.

Anywhooo- I hope they get this blocked. It seems like a really bad idea. As one person at Kos put it- "I can see the hearings now, with Condi Rice saying, 'No one could have anticipated the terrorists infilitrating the Dubai Ports World company'"

It looks like the "Be Very Afraid" campaign the Bush administration lives by is now backfiring in their face.