Too bad there’s not a “panic room” that we could lock Bush, Cheney and Rove up in, and throw away the key!!!

By MARTHA RADDATZ

ABC News has been told the White House is in “panic mode” over the recent defections of Republican senators on the president’s stay-the-course policy in Iraq.

Senior Bush administration officials are deep in discussion about how to find a compromise that will “appease Democrats and keep wobbly Republicans onboard,” a senior White House official told ABC News.

The official said the White House “is in panic mode,” despite Monday’s on-the-record briefing by White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, who played down any concern over the recent spate of GOP senators who have spoken out publicly in support of changing course in Iraq.

The Republican defections are seen as “a crack in the dike,” according to the senior White House official, and National Security Adviser Steven Hadley is most concerned.

Bush administration officials are currently discussing options about how to get out of “this conundrum with the Republicans,” while giving Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, time to implement the troop surge strategy in Iraq, according to a senior White House official.

“We’re not retreating or announcing troop withdrawal,” the official said, but, “we need to buy more time for Petraeus.” The White House has not reached any kind of consensus about what to do, despite the high-level discussions.

More at ABC