Last week was rough for U.S. President George W. Bush. A top official in the White House was indicted, his Supreme Court nominee withdrew her name from consideration, the U.S. military sustained its 2,000th death in Iraq, and opinion polls show a majority of Americans unhappy with their president. While there are many grounds to disagree with U.S. policies, no one should take pleasure in these misfortunes. In addition to their human costs, a paralyzed and weakened U.S. presidency is not good for the world.
All second-term U.S. presidencies labor under the prospect of eventual departure from office. Typically, this situation -- being a "lame duck" -- does not set in until after the off-year congressional elections, when the president's continuing appeal (or lack thereof) to voters is evident to other politicians and they no longer feel compelled to heed his wishes.
With his White House distracted by the investigation into who leaked the name of CIA agent Ms. Valerie Plame and a string of miscues of recent months, including the mishandling of the response to Hurricane Katrina, Mr. Bush appears to have become a lame duck earlier than expected.