The thesis of the NYTimes “Congressional Memo” is that “even some Republicans say they worry that Congress is abdicating its oversight responsibility” in the matter of President Bush.

Writer Chris Hulse names one Republican who feels this way: iffy GOP Representative Chris Shays of Connecticut: “I believe our failure to do proper oversight has hurt our country and the administration. Maybe they wouldn’t have gotten into some of this trouble had our oversight been better.”

To his credit, but in the face of his initial assertion, Hulse also quotes Republican Representative Duncan Hunter (R-California) on the matter: “Maybe we should cancel every piece of Congressional business for the entire year so that the issue at Abu Ghraib can be milked until the election.” Of course, he then quotes Senator Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) saying that the Republicans trying to protect the Administration have led to the Administration’s lack of communication with Congress.

In his opening paragraph, he compares the Abu Ghraib with Watergate and Iran-Contra.

It eats newsprint.