Ooohh, Scary

The AP story on Bush's press conference is headed Bush Warns Dems to Take Offer in Firings.

Really. Or else...what?

A defiant President Bush warned Democrats Tuesday to accept his offer to have top aides speak about the firings of federal prosecutors only privately and not under oath, or risk a constitutional showdown from which he would not back down.

Okay. Well. Shorter Bush: "surrender or I'll fight with you!"

Constitutional showdown? That's the threat? And that would be worse than the last 6 years...how?

In case anybody hasn't noticed, we're in Year 6 of a constitutional crisis that until this year was characterized by repeated abject surrender on the part of the legislative branch. (Hence my election slogan.) 'Constitutional showdown': already happening. Not exactly a threat. I mean, really: what worse can he do? What have they got to lose?

Happily, it looks like the Democrats (with, it seems, at least tacit approval of a few Republicans) do plan to put up a fight:

Democrats' response was swift and firm: They said they would start authorizing subpoenas as soon as Wednesday for the White House aides.

"Testimony should be on the record and under oath. That's the formula for true accountability," said Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Yup. That's the formula, all right. It's good that the people who understand that are finally in a position to act on it.