I suggested to Mr. Froomkin that the White House press corps is the most hopeful group in this country's history. They've shown up day after day, week after week, month after month for over seven years hoping Bush and his surrogates would give an honest answer, or merely an answer, and it's been an exercise in futility. But, it's not all bad for the reporter and the reportee. This little game has allowed Bush to spout his lies when he so chooses and allowed the "corpse" to draw their handsome salaries and related perks. It has been bad for fellow Americans but what the hell. No one promised us a rose garden.
Posted by Sally at December 21, 2007 05:36 AMAlternet had a great article up yesterday, "Bush, Maliki break Iraq law to extend occupation" detailing how our Democratizing Duo violated the Iraq constitution and existing Iraq law by bypassing the parliamnet in extending the UN occupation mandate.
And the Security Council had no problem whatever with the blatant illegality of the whole maneuver. So much for spreadin' democracy, eh?
Another little story to ignore, WH "press" corpse....do they imagine their "job" is too "help" the administration accomplish its goals? Are they directly told this or are they subjected to threats of loss of info and access should they perform independently?
Posted by euzoius at December 21, 2007 08:05 AMThanks, Turkana. Everyone knows what a lying, weasly bullshitter Bush is; hardly the traits of a successful front man. And he looks like it's dawning on him that he's committed his career caping screwup.
Bush knew. The deed would've bubbled out of sycophants Gonzales & Meirs like Coke & Mentos, each toadying up to the Boss who elevated them from deserved obscurity. Addington would've gloated about it in measured, calculating, pseudo-tough guy cadence that masks his supremely cowardly soullessness while indulging his repressed, barely concealed sadism. Bellinger would've confided in Hadley like jaded Borgia lieutenants discussing their preferred poisons.
Bah, Bush knew. And who cares what the WH press corpse and the villagers think, do or write? There's more & better information out there than they can provide. For example, Larry Johnson/No Quarter sees 2 felonies and commenter Cee references Jonathan Turley quoted in Raw Story seeing 6 possible crimes. But the real story is they've committed worse than crimes, they've committed blunders: they've lied to & antagonzed federal judges. And those judges are coming after them packing heat. The White House 4 and functionaries like Tenet, Pavitt, McLauglin, Ashcroft and Chertoff all have some explaining to do, not just to stay out of jail, but to stay off the scaffold. A little pressure and they'll turn on each other like the worms they are.
The Bush administration is riddled with perpetrators who can not reasonably be expected to reliably investigate themselves. These extraordinary circumstances require the appointment of a Special Counsel to conduct an independent investigation. Forcing the Democratic leadership to demand that is the next step. Thanks again.
Posted by Pvt. Keepout at December 21, 2007 08:11 AMOne small editorial correction, Turkana. Given the long time moribund state of journalism in the USA, the proper spelling is "press corpse".
Posted by DeminNewJ at December 21, 2007 01:04 PMTo be fair to the press corp, someone did recently ask about Scooter. Of course, the White House said that there was still a civil suit active, so they still couldn't talk about it.
Posted by Sandy at December 21, 2007 03:42 PM