Allen eager to help shape Bush's vision of an "ownership society"

[Rose Siding]

Claude "Fingers" Allen didn't start his life on the wrong side of the law:

WaPo March 2005

....And although his parents were staunch Democrats, he chose to become a Republican, saying he identified more closely with the party's platform.....

In his new post, Allen said he is eager to help shape the president's vision of an "ownership society" that gives people more choices -- but fewer guarantees -- on everything from Social Security checks to health care coverage.

It looks like the position he held was the equivalent of Bruce Reed's in the Clinton administration. Reed was a lot more "out there", wasn't he? Maybe that's just the difference between one president who actually had a domestic policy, and one who doesn't.


Here's something odd. Did the WH cover up the reason for Allen's resignation? On Feb 9th, the Trib reported:

Allen’s office referred a request for an interview with him this evening to the White House press office, which wasn't immediately available to comment on a report first made today by The Swamp.

But White House spokesman Scott McClellan said tonight that Allen is seeking more time with his family and cited purely personal reasons for stepping down after a few tough years in high-level posts.

And a week later, he was hosting "Ask the White House". Why would they have put him out there like that if they knew he was under investigation? Faux pas by a characteristically incompetent WH or a cover up?

Like Ms Noonan always says, it would be irresponsible not to speculate.

But wait, they did know about the investigation-

The night of Jan. 2, after an alleged incident at the Target in Gaithersburg, Md., presidential spokesman Scott McClellan said Allen called White House chief of staff Andy Card to tell him what had happened. The next morning, Allen spoke in person with Card and White House counsel Harriet Miers.

McClellan said Allen told Card and Miers that it was all a misunderstanding and cited confusion with his credit card because he had moved several times. "He assured them that he had done nothing wrong and the matter would be cleared up," McClellan said.

The president first learned of Allen's planned departure and the January incident in early February. But since Allen had passed the usual background checks and had no other prior issues that White House officials were aware of, "he was given the benefit of the doubt," McClellan said.

Now, can we responsibly speculate about how much security clearance comes with "the benefit of the doubt"?

[BOSSHOG]

1. Incorrect procedure, but who are we talking about??

Just because you pass a background check does not mean you get a free pass with future indiscretions (unless of course you work for bush.) A Seaman Apprentice in the Navy would have his security clearance suspended until such a matter was cleared up; and that act would not necessarily result in his getting his clearance reactivated. He may go from Ship's Yeoman to the deck department.

[Rose Siding]

4. It's unbelievable that the WH wouldn't have checked this out

-the executive branch being in the business of executing the law and all.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. The ownership society

Where the elites own the masses.

[oasis]

8. Steal to possess and own. That's the GOP modus operandi.(n/t)

[reality based]

3. You mean they just took his word for it? Yeah, right.

[Catrina]

6. Or, since they seem to go out of their way to hire criminals and

incompetents, they were pleased with his little scheme, which they thought was exceptionally clever and might be applied somehow as a 'domestic policy' ~ it wouldn't be at all out of character for this cabal to have invited him to explain his 'technique' of managing to get a refund and still manage to hold onto the 'merchandize!

Bush's brother Neil was into grand theft and received only a slap on the wrist and lots of financial assistance from family friends for his efforts. Bush being shocked by this is a joke. He deliberately hires criminal types, they're easier to control.

I wouldn't be surprised if Allen claims his Target activities were conducted to test out some 'domestic policy' theories he had about 'consumerism' as connected to 'security'. He'll declare that Target's security is 'on target' and recommend them for national security positions in the government. The President will appoint them to Homeland Security and Allen will be re-instated and given a medal of freedom.

So, how many more WH official mugshots will there be before it becomes obvious that if the country is to survive, this administration has to be impeached, all of them?

[raysr]

5. He'll be on the "pardon" list.

[MrBenchley]

7. Did he get a heads-up from law enforcement

that he was going to be arrested?

[Rose Siding]

9. You'd think the press might have gotten a whiff of this before yesterday

This is funny: For a change bush didn't deny knowing him, but the Corner is taking a shot at it-


CLAUDE ALLEN

I wrote a book about the Bush White House. I know the names of many people who worked in the Bush White House. I've read every story there is to read about the Bush White House. I've been a political journalist for almost a quarter century, worked in a Republican administration, and gone to many right-wing parties. So let me say this about accused thief and former White House policy bigshot Claude Allen:

WHO?

http://corner.nationalreview.com/06_03_05_corner-archive.asp#092102

[KoKo]

10. Nevermind...the link works it was just "busy."

[MrBenchley]

11. atrios has linked to a whole page of the Corner fluffing this loony....

Again and again and again.....

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-03,GGLD:en&q=%22claude+allen%22+site%3Acorner%2Enationalreview%2Ecom

What's especially funny about "who?" is that the post directly below Podhoretz' clearly says, "top White House aide and one-time federal appeals-court nominee Claude Allen".

"FALSTAFF
My king! my Jove! I speak to thee, my heart!

KING HENRY IV
I know thee not, old man: fall to thy prayers;
How ill white hairs become a fool and jester!
I have long dream'd of such a kind of man,
So surfeit-swell'd, so old and so profane;
But, being awaked, I do despise my dream."

--Henry IV, part 2, Act 5, Scene 5

[MrBenchley]

12. Great line at tbogg: Claude's a refundamentalist