Poor Cenk Uygur! Every time you turn around, he is hyperventilating over some alleged "scandal" in the Bush administration that he is convinced will finally bring down the hated President Bush. This time, it's the news that the Office of Special Counsel is beginning an investigation that grows out of the dismissal of several U.S. Attorneys:
The new investigation, which will examine the firing of at least one U.S. attorney, missing White House e-mails, and White House efforts to keep presidential appointees attuned to Republican political priorities, could create a substantial new problem for the Bush White House.
Cenk is convinced that this is the long-awaited "big one." I'm afraid, though, that he is destined to be disappointed once more. Despite the Democrats' best efforts, there is no evidence whatever that there was anything improper about the administration's decision to replace eight U.S. Attorneys, who serve at the pleasure of the President. The missing emails are from the Republican National Committee, if they really are missing--it's been reported that Patrick Fitzgerald obtained them all in connection with the Valerie Plame investigation, so whether there is actually anything missing remains to be seen. And the suggestion that there is something wrong with "keep[ing] presidential appointees attuned to Republican political priorities" is simply incorrect. Following the administration's policy directives, which in a democracy generally are, and should be, based in part on political considerations, is part of the job description of any political appointee, such as a U.S. Attorney.
The fact is that the Bush administration has been the most scandal-free of any administration in memory. To my recollection, Scooter Libby is the only significant member of the administration who has been indicted. Sadly for the Democrats, opposing their policy preferences is not a crime; nor is defeating them in elections. Not yet, at any rate.
Reader Comments ( Page 3 of 4)
31. You bunch of liberal brain dead people. Katrina??? How old are you people? I've heard all my life that if a big hurricane hit the levies would fail. What did New Orleans do during all these years to protect themselves? Continued building, danced in the streets, partied, refused to leave, allowed hundreds of buses to be flooded instead of using them to haul potential victims or idiots out of harms way. And now they want to go back to the CHOCOLATE CITY to rebuild again knowing its still a risk? How stuiped are you people!!! They had YEARS of warnings and knowledge of what would happen if a storm that large hit and casulty reports were estimated far higher than actually happened. Mr Chocolate City Nagin should have been arrested not re-elected for his unexcusable lack of planning and the total failure of the plans that were in place along with the govenor, it is ultimately their responsibility to have plans in place to react to catastrophes in their state. The federal government is there to help when that help is requested. And first of all NOBODY is prepared for a natural disaster of that magnitude. Especially when the people you expected Bush to save with a wave of his hand, were raping, stealing, killing, shooting at rescue helicoptors, complaining at shelters that the food was not good enough that they wanted Soda instead of water. But in your litte pea brains you re-elect Nagin and blame Bush. I wish one of these days you people would think for yourselves and not believe everything the media tells you.
David at 3:16PM on Apr 25th 2007
32. Is this guy serious? Least scandalous administration? He's either a comedian or a clown.Like a true republican, out of touch with reality.
Roberto at 4:29PM on Apr 25th 2007
33.
I guess when you compare it to outright treason like Iran-Contra the scandals of the Bush administration are rather tepid by comparison. Then again maybe that's just because nothing was investigated for the first 6 years.
Peter at 4:37PM on Apr 25th 2007
34. Tom,
Buy a history book and you can tell the distinction between the classical liberalism of the founders and modern liberalism. They are not only different political philosophies but usually diametrically opposed. Conservatives today are the ones fighting for freedom and liberty around the world. Modern liberals are sacrificing our future freedom at the alter of big government.
Greg at 4:52PM on Apr 25th 2007
35. Possibly if Rove et al would not delight in demonstrating their contempt for America, like planting Jeff Gannon in Press Conferences, then maybe the administration would have a little more support.
The problem is they are slam dunking their contempt and are going to get slam dunked for it.
Bob at 4:55PM on Apr 25th 2007
36. regardless of all these technical/legal details, we all know the bush administration is corrupt. if a good part of a country has a "gut" feeling, despite being fed all the 5 o'clock news propaganda (ie; that afghanistan is doing better than before we came in) and karl rove is notorious as a "mastermind" and i am still left to wonder why we, as voting citizens, take part in the loopholes and technicalities of an administration that is very obviously corrupt. IT'S ALL VERY "FISHY"
we all know that we are at war for unethical reasons. 2 NEGATIVES DO NOT EQUAL A POSITIVE. americans and foriegners die to supply this money/power. in 5-6 years, we have moved no further as a society/country/civilization because of this war. the areas that we are at war with report a severe negative effect on their lives, yet we are still paying the taxes and electing the officials, and sending the troops. ALL I CAN ASK IS.... WHEN WILL WE BECOME THE NEXT HIROSHIMA? these people are pissed religious extremists and we are just making it worse. THE EPITOME OF EXTREMISM IS A "WAR AGAINST EVIL" or also known as, our american war on terrorism.
their war is pointless. our war is pointless. killing and fighting for what? MONEY AND POWER. WHY WON'T WE JUST ADMIT IT?
k at 7:17PM on Apr 26th 2007
37. keyster,
You've learned Hinderaker's Law well; If a Republican is CONVICTED of a crime, it's a "non-scandal" but if a Democrat is charged of a crime, it's a SCANDAL!!
You're such a good student of Hinderaker's; you should be proud. Now, write a post about how Nancy Pelosi should be in stocks because she went to Syria.
MWR,
lil_turk at 5:47PM on Apr 25th 2007
38. Greg,
My mind is made up. Lots of people who were once self-identified Republicans are sick of Bush. So all the chaff that's left are the people who are fantasists.
Anyone who doesn't yet know that Saddam Hussein wasn't involved with 9-11 should go to this site and understand why we despise "Arbusto": http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/21/bush-on-911/
Got it, slowpokes? FOX footage that clears it all up.
lil_turk at 5:53PM on Apr 25th 2007
39. Lil_Turk
That footage you link to does clear things up just in a different way than you claim. You really need to review it. The president is clear that his administration never claimed Iraq was behind 911. Instead what 911 did was to make us understand that we need to take threats like Iraq more seriously before the results became catastrophic for America. If you have an argument to counter that point fine, but get off this nonsense that conservatives claim that Iraq was behind 911.
Greg at 6:22PM on Apr 25th 2007
40. People keep trying, and hoping, but it won't happen, because common sense will tell you that his term is almost done, and the damage sadly is done, and if they were going to do it, they should have done it years ago, WILL NEVER EVER HAPPEN, KEEP DREAMING, HE DOESN'T HAVE THAT LONG TO GO. NO MORE BUSHES AND CLINTONS IN THE WHITE HOUSE, PASS THE WORD, WE NEED NEW, NEW, NEW BLOOD AND DIRECTION.
SLL at 8:04PM on Apr 25th 2007
41. Some people live in an alternate reality. This is the most corrupt administration in the history of the United States. It does not respect the Constitution, our laws, or human life. Someday the history books will portray the Bush period as the Dark Age of our Democracy. I wonder if it does not bother people like you that you are an enabler for a fasist regime.
Ray at 7:57PM on Apr 25th 2007
42. Greg,
Conservatives DO claim that Iraq was behind 9-11 all the time and I'm just waiting for people like Hinderaker to point out that polls like this are embarrassing: http://www.zogby.com/News/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1169 Sixty-five percent?!
If you and other Bush supporters wanted an honest discussion about all things Iraq, YOU WOULD START by talking to your deluded compatriots everyday about their fantasies about Saddam, 9-11, and WMD's: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,200499,00.html
(Don't forget to read paragraph 11)
And I don't need to review that clip because I've memorized it. If this statement by Bush is true, "Nobody has ever suggested that the attacks of September the 11th were ordered by Iraq," then why did every American get it wrong pre-war and why do most Republicans continue to get it wrong today?! I can't get it through thick Republican skulls that the Iraq War is something THEY should be enraged at Bush for, because his admin. fooled all of us!
Cheers,
lil_turk at 8:19PM on Apr 25th 2007
43. Lil_Turk
I am a regular news reader and watcher and I cannot recall any respectable conservative claiming the Iraq was responsible for 911, and certainly not anybody from the Bush administration. If you see it regularly please let me know. It is time to name names and not just some poll that is probably ambiguous at best. If there is some ill-informed conservative out there that believes that Iraq was behind 911 I would not be embarrassed in the least. As you should not be embarrassed for the idiot liberals in the world (Rosie O’Donnell).
Greg at 8:44PM on Apr 25th 2007
44. Bush and Rove have come to the great conclusion of fabricating reasons to invade a country and impose democracy on people who don't want it. What a sweet idea
tony at 8:47PM on Apr 25th 2007
45. WHETHER IT IS A DEM OR REP....PRESIDENT......
UNLESS THERE IS BLANTENT TREASON ETC..........
ALL THESE "COMMITTEES....ARE WASTING OUR TIME AND TAX MONEY............
WE HAVE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT.....
LINDA at 10:04PM on Apr 25th 2007