The border, the base, the president and 2006

It seems as though the GOP is in a two-minute offense.

Note the first three paragraphs from one New York Times' story (really astounding quote):

WASHINGTON, May 13 — Some of President Bush's most influential conservative Christian allies are becoming openly critical of the White House and Republicans in Congress, warning that they will withhold their support in the midterm elections unless Congress does more to oppose same-sex marriage, obscenity and abortion.

"There is a growing feeling among conservatives that the only way to cure the problem is for Republicans to lose the Congressional elections this fall," said Richard Viguerie, a conservative direct-mail pioneer.

Mr. Viguerie also cited dissatisfaction with government spending, the war in Iraq and the immigration-policy debate, which Mr. Bush is scheduled to address in a televised speech on Monday night.

Laura Bush via the A.P.:

WASHINGTON - Some election-year advice to Republicans from a high-ranking source who has the president's ear: Don't use a proposed constitutional amendment against gay marriage as a campaign tool.

Just who is that political strategist? Laura Bush.

The San Francisco Chronicle:

President Bush will address immigration reform in a nationally televised speech tonight from the Oval Office, and the Senate also is to take up the issue today. Tax cuts passed by both chambers last week await the president's signature. Votes on constitutional amendments to forbid same-sex marriage and flag burning are expected in June. And a series of smaller measures aimed at suburban voters will be taken up throughout the summer.

There is some question as to whether the flurry of activity will overcome voter worries about the war in Iraq, the price of gasoline and the leadership of the Republican president. Republicans remain divided over fundamental matters such as how to balance the budget and whether to focus their efforts on their conservative base or swing voters in the suburbs.

Bush has one noteable skeptic on immigration, the Boston Globe:

But Hagel, sponsor of compromise immigration legislation that the Senate is scheduled to discuss this week, expressed skepticism. About 75 percent of the National Guard's equipment is in Iraq, and some Guard troops have already endured up to four tours of duty in that war zone, Hagel said.

Patrolling a domestic border is ''not the role of our National Guard," he said on ABC's ''This Week."

In fairness, it seems as though Bush's plan is to use the guard as a force-multiplier, or a technology based support staff. The numbers he appears ready to propose are less than the Pentagon said were available. (CNN has some details.)

Bush may call for a temporary deployment of the Guard to enhance the Border Patrol. This has all the hallmarks of a political gesture designed to appease conservative voters, to preserve an increasingly tenuous GOP majority.