FBI arrests terror suspect in Oregon, Republicans rally behind President Obama in open display of bipartisan unity

By Michael J.W. Stickings

(Update: Glenn Greenwald is quite right that the FBI more or less thwarted its own plot -- and that there hasn't really been "an iota of questioning or skepticism," just unthinking celebration.)

The FBI "thwarted an attempted terrorist bombing in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square before the city's annual tree-lighting Friday night," The Oregonian is reporting:

A Corvallis man, thinking he was going to ignite a bomb, drove a van to the corner of the square at Southwest Yamhill Street and Sixth Avenue and attempted to detonate it.

However, the supposed explosive was a dummy that FBI operatives supplied to him, according to an affidavit in support of a criminal complaint signed Friday night by U.S. Magistrate Judge John V. Acosta.

Mohamed Osman Mohamud, 19, a Somali-born U.S. citizen, was arrested at 5:42 p.m., 18 minutes before the tree lighting was to occur, on an accusation of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. The felony charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The arrest was the culmination of a long-term undercover operation, during which Mohamud had been monitored for months as his alleged bomb plot developed...

The investigation involved the FBI, Oregon State Police, Portland Police Bureau, Corvallis Police Department and Lincoln County Sheriff's Office...

"This defendant's chilling determination is a stark reminder that there are people -- even here in Oregon -- who are determined to kill Americans," said Oregon U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton. "The good work of law enforcement protected Oregonians in this case -- and we have no reason to believe there is any continuing threat arising from this case." 

In response, Republicans spent Saturday rallying behind President Obama and praising the efforts of law enforcement to keep Americans safe.

"The successful resolution of this very real threat in Oregon shows that the president's approach to fighting terrorism is working," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ken.) in an impromptu press conference on the steps of the Capitol, flanked by several other Republican senators.

"Law enforcement is clearly the way to go," added Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.). "After years of getting it wrong with heavy-handed military operations under the previous regime, there is hope that we can actually do this right. And maybe we don't have to do it by decimating the Constitution and ignoring civil liberties."

"Who'd a thunk?" joked Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), as his colleagues guffawed awkwardly.

Appearing on Fox News Saturday afternoon, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) simply said, "I'm impressed. We've been harshly critical of President Obama, but maybe he knows what he's doing. This is very encouraging, and maybe, just maybe, we'll have to admit we were wrong."

ABC News is reporting that Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) has drafted a letter on behalf of his Republican colleagues expressing their unanimous and unwavering support for President Obama's leadership. He intends to deliver it to the White House personally on Monday. (ABC News is also reporting, citing an anonymous Inhofe aide, that the senator may even reconsider his long-standing global warming denialism. "If he's wrong about the war on terror," said the aide, "maybe he's wrong about everything.")

Meanwhile, Republican House leaders were similarly effusive in their praise. Appearing on CNN, incoming Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Vir.) said that "there is no denying it, the president is on top of things, and we are on board."

"The American people demand leadership, and they have it in the Oval Office," remarked soon-to-be Speaker of the House John Boehner. "It's time to put partisan bickering behind us. The Party of No is no more. We get the message."

Even Vice President Cheney and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani were positive.

"9/11," said Giuliani on MSNBC. "9/11. NYPD. 9/11. NYFD. Thumbs up!"

"I used to think you could beat terrorism by waging preemptive wars around the world and torturing without regard for even a shred of human decency," Cheney groaned, sitting alongside Giuliani. " I guess I was wrong. I still covet blood, and lots of it, to feed my impulse for destruction and degradation, but I've got to hand it to the president. The guy's smart," he sneered. "Not like that... that... pfwahhh... bldszorltrrr... grrrrrrrrrrrr..." (It is not known what he meant, as his speech descended into a series of prolonged grunts.)

"This makes me proud to be a Democrat," asserted Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) to no one in particular. "I may have been McCain's flunky during the campaign, and I may really be a Republican, but that's my story, and I'm sticking to it, until I change my mind and stick it to my party again. I'm #1! I'm #1 I'm #1! Joe-mentum all the way!"

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has apparently holed up at one of his many residences around the country with his wife Cindy and best pal Sen. Lindsey Graham. It is suspected that, having spent the past two years selling out whatever principles he may once have had, if any, he is trying to recover an ounce of credibility so as to be able to comment publicly without looking like a shameless fool. CNN is reporting that he may appear on The Daily Show next week to beg Jon Stewart for forgiveness.

Ex-President George W. Bush, signing books all day at various undisclosed locations, was unavailable for comment.

And Sarah Palin? As of yet, she hasn't commented either on Facebook or Fox News. But it is known that she is busy working on her next TV show, Sarah Palin's Massachusetts, a six-part series for TLC in which she takes classes in English composition and Russian literature at Harvard, sings revisionist James Taylor tunes around a campfire in the Berkshires ("When you're down and troubled, and you need a helping hand, and nothing, oh, nothing is going right, just close your eyes and think of me, and soon I will be there, telling you to get off your lazy ass you good-for-nothing welfare loser"), goes yachting around Martha's Vineyard with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, and, of course, stages an all-too-real tea party in Boston Harbor, all while using her husband and kids as props for political gain. 

It is not clear how long this period of unity, and Republican humility, will last.