MORE TARIFF COVERAGE: Jason Soon links to this article, which theorizes the tariffs are evidence of Bush's pragmatic nature:

So Bush is a hypocrite, right? Not exactly. In fact, the contradiction is explained by politics. The Bush administration wants freer trade, but it has to manage this goal around a number of roadblocks in the US political system.

Bush sacrificed free trade principles in regards to steel to win over Congress so he could get that whole fast-track trade negotiating power later:

To secure trade negotiating authority, Bush either has to buy support with pork barrelling or make concessions. He's working to secure that authority. Before Christmas, he won that authority from one branch of Congress, the House of Representatives, with a one-vote majority. But it was costly. He had to agree to consider imposing temporary restrictions on steel imports, to come back to Congress for separate approval for sensitive agricultural items and to restrict access to textile imports from developing countries. And he still has to win the support of the other branch of Congress, the Senate, for the negotiating authority. This is expected in April. More concessions may have to be made.

That Victorian weirdo Chuck Dodgson has more.