Harboring Terror: Bipartisan "Line in the Sand" Over Bush Veto Threat

"In regards to selling American ports to the United Arab Emirates -- not just NO -- but HELL NO." -- Rep Sue Myrick (R-NC) in a letter to President Bush, quoted on PoliticalWire.com

President Bush promises to veto any attempt to block the UAE port deal.

But politicians on both sides are lining up against him.

Gov Bob Erlich (R-MD) has called for further review. The Port of Baltimore is in his state.

Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) calls the President "politically tone-deaf." The Port of Miami would be affected.

In New York and New Jersey, party lines and state lines don't matter as politicians raise concern for their ports. Sen Robert Menendez (D-NJ) has joined Sen Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) in promising legislation to ban firms owned by foreign governments from controlling operations at US ports. Rep Vito Fossella (R-NY) announced his opposition to the deal.

Republicans represeting people thousands of miles away from the ports have also lined up to oppose the President on the deal.

Landlocked Politicians Join the Fight

Sen Norm Coleman (R-MN) promises a hearing next month regarding the deal. He held a hearing on port security last year before the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. He chairs the subcommittee.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) demand President Bush delay the takeover and review the security risk. (WashPost, AP, PoliticalWire.com)