Karl Rove Behind Osama Tape?

Bush’s liberal enemies have noticed that stupid statements from Osama bin Laden are a political boon to the president.

So one logical conclusion is that the recently released tape is some sort of White House conspiracy to strengthen the president’s hand.

One doesn’t expect to see this sort of theory in the mainstream media. Yet it happened on CNN:

Just before reading e-mailed responses to his “Cafferty Files” question of the 4pm EST hour on Thursday afternoon’s The Situation Room on CNN, “How important is the new Osama bin Laden tape?”, Jack Cafferty proposed a conspiracy existed in the timing, one meant to help Bush justify his NSA wiretapping: “The last time we got a tape from Osama bin Laden was right before the 2004 presidential election. Now here we are, four days away from hearings starting in Washington into the wiretapping of America’s telephones without bothering to get a court order or a warrant, and up pops another tape from Osama bin Laden. Coincidence? Who knows.” One viewer endorsed Cafferty’s conspiracy theory: “It seems suspicious. Every time the Republicans get into trouble, bin Laden sends a tape. Is it possible bin Laden’s working out of the White House?”

Another viewer expanded on this theory:

Jon in Westchester writes, “Osama’s new tape is extremely important. Bush is desperate to justify illegal spying. You can’t suspend the constitution without screaming ‘terrorist threat.’ Besides, the Republicans need a major distraction from the Abramoff mess. Bush couldn’t stay in office without bin Laden.”

The liberal hate-Bush crowd can’t decide whether they want to paint the Administration as stupid, or brilliant but evil.

In this case, at least a fair number go with brilliant but evil.