This is the headline from a Tom Paine article today:

The GOP's Loyalty Fetish
by Paul Waldman, TomPaine.com

Conservatives value a simple belief in the absolute and perfect authority of George W. Bush more than personal responsibility.

The article is good as fire-breathing indictments of the GOP go. But it, like much of the other information being published about the Republicans and misses a small but very important point.

The loyalty of Republicans is not to George Bush. It's to power. It could be Lassie in the Presidency, a decided improvement by the way, and the GOP would rally around Lassie's every ... ah uh ... movement. As I mentioned in a comment on another blog earlier today, the time will come when the Republicans will throw Bush under the bus. But I just don't happen to think it will be now or over the UAE port deal. I think the big change will occur after the 2006 midterms.

Consider this. If the Republicans lose big, then tossing Bush will give them the scape-goat they need for 2008. If Republicans come out a draw or win in the midterms, then Bush has set the agenda for 2006 and a smooth transition (likely to McCain, you don't think all that McCain hand holding in 2004 came for free do ya?) can occur. If Republicans jump ship before 2006, they lose their scape-goat/agenda setter, money support from the GOP, and further jeopardize their chances in the midterms.

Remember, it's about power, not Bush. I suspect most of the GOP thinks Bush is an idiot. But like in 2000, they don't care as long as they "just win baby".