Broder Skewers Bush But Praises Other Republicans and Lieberman

By: E&P Staff David Broder, who has been relatively gentle with President Bush over the years, called him "lawless and reckless" in his latest column.

The full quote: "Bush was elected twice, over Democrats Al Gore and John Kerry, whose know-it-all arrogance rankled Midwesterners such as myself. The country thought Bush was a pleasant, down-to-earth guy who would not rock the boat. Instead, swayed by some inner impulse or the influence of Dick Cheney, he has proved to be lawless and reckless. He started a war he cannot finish, drove the government into debt, and repeatedly defied the Constitution."

But Broder reverted to his usual establishment approach in the rest of the column. For instance, the Washington Post Writers Group commentator praised various conservative politicians he feels are "independent" -- including the Republican senators (John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and John Warner) who opposed Bush on some aspects of the bill governing treatment of detainees.

Broder also wrote that it's "important" to re-elect Sen. Joseph Lieberman -- the Bush/Iraq War supporter who lost Connecticut's Democratic primary but is still running to keep his seat. And Broder expressed support for conservative Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) over liberal Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) in the Buckeye State's Senate race.

Brown is the husband of on-sabbatical, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Connie Schultz of The Plain Dealer in Cleveland and Newhouse News Service.