Explaining the firing of eight US Attorneys and the attempted cashiering of all 93 of them in 2005, Press Secretary Tony Snow enlightened his audience last Friday as follows:
" This is as far as we can go: we know that [Bush advisor Karl Rove] recollects having raised it and his recollection is that he dismissed it as not a good idea", Snow told reporters. "That's what we know. We don't know motivations...I don't think it's safe to go any further than that."
Well I guess that clears that up! And we let these people lead us into a war?
As expected, Paul Gigot, Editorial Page Editor for The Wall Street Journal, sees this as much ado about nothing. That would be the same Paul Gigot who popped a hemorrhoid when the Clintons fired a few people in the White House Travel Office. What the Rove-Cheney people were contemplating in 2005 was the housecleaning of all 93 US Attorneys. Apparently they were investigating too many of "us" and not enough of "them". There was no thought of investigating their abilities or accomplishments. They serve at the pleasure of the President so off with their heads. Talk about your Nixonian enemies list!
No one is suggesting that George Bush knew anything about this. The President has "plausible deniability". Actually, the President has plausible deniability regarding just about every decision made in the White House over the last six years. It's truly sad that no one in America believes that George W. had any idea what Rove & Co. were contemplating. We assume he's clueless. Do you think that John McCain, had he been elected, would hide behind double-talking aides and cabinet ministers? Congratulations Kansas, you're getting the leadership you elected.
America put these people in office for all the wrong reasons and we are now paying a terrible price. We have a disaster in Iraq. The Katrina rubble remains where the storm left it. Wounded soldiers are returning to be treated with third-world medical care. Why would anyone care if a Presidential candidate memorized, read or even owned a Bible? Who gives a rat's ass where a candidate stands on gay marriage?
We will be suffering through another 20 months of this administration and hopefully, America will use the time to think about the qualities the next President will need. That person will require the positive outlook of Ronald Reagan, the honesty of Harry Truman, the experience of GHW Bush, the intelligence of Jimmy Carter and, the charisma of Bill Clinton (mostly so you can get elected). Whoever it is, let's just make sure that we don't permit two dozen farmers in Iowa and a flock of right wing religious zealots in South Carolina to make the choice. That's the road map that got us where we are today.
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