Port Security Politics

A political storm swirling around the sale of U.S. port facilities to an Arab owned company has united Republicans and Democrats in a Casablanca movie-type moment.

We're shocked, they say, shocked that President Bush would allow Arab ownership of these terminals. Never mind that almost a third of all port facilities in the U.S. are already foreign-owned or that port security would remain in the hands of the U.S. Coast Guard and customs officials.

Amidst charges of xenophobia, the move puts President Bush at odds with leaders of his own party. But in the end, it does nothing to improve security at U.S. Ports, which a former Coast Guard Commander calls a "House of Cards."

Hear about the sound and fury and the politics of U.S. port security.

Guests:

David Sanger, White House correspondent for The New York Times

Congressman Curt Weldon (R) Pennsylvania

Juliette Kayyem, lecturer in public policy and homeland security at Harvard's Kennedy School of GovernmentJ. Christian Bollwage, Mayor of Elizabeth, New Jersey

Jack Beatty, On Point News Analyst