Touchpoint Political Litmus Test

I love litmus tests. There should be more of them. Of course, I think there should be more racial profiling (which is in itself a political litmus test). A good test I've always dealt out is the Rosenbergs. If someone says they are innocent its a good bet they are from the kooky left wing of the Democratic party or worse, the Communist party. (Actually, I'd prefer that they came from the Communist party so I can retain what little respect I have left for Democrats).

Another great litmus test surfaced over the weekend. By now you've heard how Bush personally intervened to keep his Secret Service bodyguard with him after the agent was blocked from following the President by Chilean security guards.

The short of it is this: if you like Bush you saw a defiant, in control man, looking after his friends and unafraid to get in the mix of things.

If you hate Bush you saw a smirk and grand-standing. Perhaps you thought him a bit chicken for demading his body guard stay with him.
Some folks like on PowerLine believe that this was an assassination attempt. This may be true.

But the general political lense that one supports is immediately obvious.

The Washington Times has the headline: "In role reversal, president rescues Secret Service agent":

The president's lead agent approached the line of men as quickly as it closed and demanded to be allowed through. Within a few seconds, the confrontation began to escalate with voices being raised and shoving in all directions.

"You're not stopping me! You're not stopping me!" yelled the agent, as captured by several television cameras. "I'm with the president."

During the fracas, another Secret Service agent was roughly pulled from the tumult and pushed against a concrete wall by Chilean security. A few seconds later, after posing for yet more pictures about 15 feet inside the doorway, Mr. Bush and the rest of the party turned to enter the dining room. But the president quickly turned his head to the growing din just outside.

Mr. Bush calmly turned right as the other three continued on and inserted himself into the fight. The president reached over two rows of Chilean security guards, grabbed his lead agent by the shoulder of his suit jacket and began to pull.
A few Chilean guards turned their heads and noticed that the arm draped over their shoulders was that of the president, and the line softened. Mr. Bush pulled his agent through, who was heard to say, "Get your hands off me" as he passed roughly through the doorway.

Mr. Bush then adjusted his shirt cuff and said something to the first dignitary he passed as a grin crossed his face.

The post has quite a different take. Their headline: "Spats Over Security Roil Summit in Chile":

U.S. officials said Chilean police had been chafing for a week about a demand by Secret Service agents that they control the president's space, even when he was on sovereign turf. Now, it was payback time.

In the fracas that ensued, amid a flurry of half nelsons, one Secret Service agent wound up jammed against a wall. "You're not stopping me! You're not stopping me! I'm with the president!" an unidentified agent can be heard yelling on videotape of the mayhem.

It took Bush several minutes to realize what was happening. The president and the first lady walked on through the door onto a big red carpet, looking relaxed. They greeted Lagos and his wife, Luisa Duran. "You want us to pose here?" Bush asked Lagos with a grin, and they turned to face a wall of flashes.

Then Bush either realized he was missing something, or he heard the commotion. The president, who is rarely alone, even in his own house, turned and walked back to the front door unaccompanied, facing the backs of a sea of dark suits. Bush, with his right hand, reached over the suits and pointed insistently at Trotta. At first the officials, with their backs to him and their heads in the rumble, did not realize it was the president intervening. Bush then braced himself against someone and lunged to retrieve the agent, who was still arguing with the Chileans. The shocked Chilean officials then released Trotta.

Trotta walked in behind Bush, who looked enormously pleased with himself. He was wearing the expression that some critics call a smirk, and his eyebrows shot up as if to wink at bystanders.

Bush adjusted his right cufflink and muttered something to Lagos, took the first lady's arm and headed into the dinner of grilled fish.

Of course, I wouldn't expect less from the Washington Post. I particularly like their insertion of "smirk" in the piece.

Either, way this is another in a long list of litmus tests that will instantly show your true colors. Another one of my favorites: Dan Rather and memogate: were the memos fakes but accurate? You make the call.