Bush Changes his Tune re: Firing the Leaker

[the old gringo]

President Bush was hedging his bets today, by saying that anyone in his administration who was found to have committed a crime in a federal investigation of the leak of a covert CIA agent's name would be fired. Note the new framing: anyone who is found to have "committed a crime", not anyone who leaked the name, as he has insisted for the last two years.

How low can the man stoop? How much more will the American public stand for?

[Straight Shooter]

1. I guess it depends on what the meaning of "committed a crime" is.

Nope, I don't think Americans will fall for it, except for his clueless worshippers.

[mcscajun]

2. A whole lot...they're used to watching jugglers and magicians...

...especially that one trick where one of the balls gets tossed into the air and Never Comes Back.

Distraction, obfuscation, subterfuge...these are the tools to keep all the balls in the air and the missing one out of mind.

[wellstone dem]

3. illegality

means someone found out, so you have to fire them.
immorality doesn't matter.

lesson learned.

[leveymg]

4. I believe he said "dealt with" not "fired"

His phrasing was coached back then too.

Dealt with: "Okay Karl, how many cards? Scooter, you gonna ante up there, boy?"

[lojasmo]

12. Actually: "Taken care of" was the term he used

He's keeping his promise....really. :eyes:

[leveymg]

13. I'm corrected.

Of course they're being very careful with him. If dropped, he might explode - Gawd, what a mess.:nuke:

[sinkingfeeling]

5. Flip-flop, flip-flop,flip-flop!!

[Roland99]

11. Time for us to use that meme against him! I'd love to hear Dean use it!

[formercia]

6. does he pardon the leaker before or after he fires them?

ya know it's gonna happen....

[emulatorloo]

9. if Bush pardons the leaker, he won't have to fire him

because the pardon will take care of that whole "convicted of a crime" thing, now won't it.

[cliss]

7. Can you imagine that?

President Einstein here is saying he won't fire somebody, "unless they've been convicted". Imagine, the deputy chief of staff, walking around with security clearance, access to all kinds of sensitive information, and Your Truly won't do anything until this creep is convicted.

You're right: this is a new low. For Bush, for the US. And for the world which is watching: disgust.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

8. In other words, being indicted is no longer grounds for firing

We have to wait a couple of years for the trial to see if Rove is convicted.

[gratuitous]

10. What happened to avoiding even the appearance of impropriety?

Once again, with Republicans in charge, government is not to be undertaken by selfless public servants working for the common good, but merely the plaything of corrupt individuals who haven't yet been convicted for their crimes.

But I guess it IS comforting to know that should someone in Bush administration actually be convicted of a crime, that Bush will promptly get rid of that person, and revoke his security access. Does Bush say if this applies should the person convicted appeal the conviction, or will they maintain their office and clearance pending any and all appeals?

Corrupt, corrupt, corrupt.