Bush Foiled by Republican Opposition

House GOP Defies Bush On Ports Deal

In an election-year repudiation of President Bush, a House panel dominated by Republicans voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to block a Dubai-owned firm from taking control of some U.S port operations.

By 62-2, the Appropriations Committee voted to bar DP World, run by the government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, from holding leases or contracts at U.S. ports.

Bush has promised to veto any such measure passed by Congress, but there is widespread public opposition to the deal and the GOP fears losing its advantage on the issue of national security in this fall's elections.

"This is a national security issue," said Rep. Jerry Lewis, the chairman of the panel. The California Republican said the legislation would "keep America's ports in American hands."

[What makes these Republicans bold enough to stand up to Bush?]

President Bush's unpopularity has become a drag on his party's prospects in the fall. Roughly three-in-ten registered voters (31%) say they consider their vote for Congress as a vote against Bush, compared with 18% who say they see it as a vote for the president; 47% say Bush is not much of a factor in their decision. This represents a marked change from a comparable point in the previous midterm campaign ­ in February 2002 ­ when by nearly four-to-one (34% to 9%) more voters considered their vote as one in favor of, rather than against, the president.

By a 50% to 41% margin, more registered voters say they will vote Democratic in this year's Congressional election. The Democratic advantage stems from the party's significant lead among independent voters, 51% of whom favor the Democrats, while just 32% favor the Republicans.
--Pew Research Center