Republicans rebel over port, eavesdropping and security

In the case of the port deal, the political considerations are clearly paramount for Republicans and are compelling. Public opinion appears to be against allowing an Arab company to manage some port terminals in the US, Democrats are hammering Republicans on the issue, and the White House has been unable to provide much political cover to its allies.

When it comes to the debate whether to allow eavesdropping without warrants on terror suspects, the politics are more muddled. The White House has had huge success defining that issue as anti-terrorist surveillance.

A perception that conditions in Iraq show little improvement is not helping the relationship. The president and his Congressional allies have been at cross-purposes before, but it has never reached the level of the port confrontation.