It’s obvious. Highly partisan Democrats seem to think now is the ideal time to launch a powerful attack on the Bush administration. Those in this camp have a deep, mean-spirited, intense hatred of Bush. They cannot forget the 2000 Bush win over Al Gore and the 2004 win over John Kerry and have spent most every day since the 2000 elections trying to damage and/or destroy anything Bush proposes.

Now they are using the CIA leak matter, the indictment of Lewis “Scooter” Libby, the failed nomination of Harriet Miers for a seat on the Supreme Court, the indictment of Texas Congressman Tom DeLay, the threat of a major Senate judicial committee fight over the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito, and the questionable federal government response to Hurricane Katrina to try to discredit Bush and call for a housecleaning in the White House.

Added to these situations, some of which Bush may have mishandled and others which were out of his control, is the Iraq war, the “war” on terrorism, and the more than 2,000 American troops who have lost their lives in this fight which was launched after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Like him or not, it has been a challenging time for Bush. He looks good in some cases, ineffective in others and questionable in other matters.

The latest Democrat issue is the manner in which the Senate Intelligence Committee, chaired by U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., is handling the two-year investigation into pre-Iraqi war intelligence problems.

The committee’s first report, numbering more than 500 pages, didn’t pull any punches and said there were major errors in U.S. intelligence gathering as well as that among counterparts in England, France, Israel and Russia.

A second report has been in the works since the 2004 first report and Democrats now are saying this report has been delayed in order to protect the Bush administration.

Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller serves as vice chairman of the committee and he said, “the American people still want to know – now more than ever – why the United States went to war, whether they were misled and whether our intelligence was misused.”

Rockefeller claimed: “Any line of questioning that has brought us too close to the White House has been thwarted.”

Debate around the Intelligence Committee’s report and actions has become so intense and partisan that earlier this week U.S. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reed, a Nevada Democrat, surprised Republicans by calling for a secret closed session of the Senate to discuss what he said was the Intelligence Committee’s lack of action.

Ignoring past senate procedures and courtesies, Democrats sprung this action without notifying senior GOP Senate members. Republicans said this action was a “slap in the face,” a “personal attack” and an act of political partisanship.

Roberts said it was a “public stunt” to attack all Republicans and “me personally” for not completing all our work in the yet-to-be-completed Phase II investigation.

Roberts claims Senate Democrats on the committee have obstructed the Phase II study by refusing at a May 17 meeting to compare prewar statements on the Iraq matter made by a variety of elected officials including some Democrats serving on the intelligence committee, and what these same individuals are saying today.

“Senators voted for a regime change,” Roberts said. “Senators voted to go to war.”

It is likely some Democrats on the Intelligence Committee may have been quite outspoken in their fears about Hussein’s capabilities. Now, they have changed their tunes.

The Kansas senator also noted that in 250 interviews with intelligence analysts, none of these individuals said they had been pressured or manipulated in any way for a political purpose.

There is another factor in the growing bitterness within the Intelligence Committee which has been simmering behind the scenes since Roberts assumed the leadership position on this important and highly visible committee.

Sen. Rockefeller does not like to play second fiddle. It rankles him that a country-bumpkin from Kansas is chairing this committee and that whenever the committee breaks for a recess, Roberts is the senator the media wants to interview.

Rockefeller is standing off to the side, cooling his heels and this is embarrassing for a man with the Rockefeller name and his many credentials.

In fact, it is reported Rockefeller has had his aides keep track of the TV time Roberts garners compared with what the West Virginia senator racks up.

This political jealousy, the egos within the Senate, the constant game of “get even” in the Senate and in the House, the intense dislike of anything associated with Bush and the Democrats’ desires to do anything to weaken Bush in his remaining years in the White House all play a major role in what is happening today in Washington.

Partisan Democrats think they have their foot on Bush’s throat and they want to increase the pressure and take the life out of his presidency.

It isn’t a one-way street as mean-spirited members of both the GOP and Democrat parties play this game. It is a no-holds-barred, dirty business and the environment seems to be getting worse, not better. Such actions cause many to wonder what the 2006 and 2008 elections are likely to be like.

It isn’t good for the country and it certainly doesn’t reflect credit on those engaged in such activities – not only the various individuals but the entire Washington scene.

Roberts has been a square-shooter from the time he first entered politics. He is the type of individual who fits the statement, “What you see is what you get.”

He is not vain, he doesn’t seek the spotlight, he doesn’t take himself too seriously, he is honest and he tells it like it is. Perhaps this makes him some kind of an oddity in Washington, but our government needs more individuals such as Roberts. Rockefeller has so much going for him it is unfortunate he does not capitalize on his many talents and assets and follow the course taken by Roberts.

Roberts is a fighter. He is not going to back down in the face of pressure. If he makes mistakes, he will admit it, but he will fight for what he thinks is in the best interests of the country. In Roberts’ mind, his country comes first; partisan politics are second.