Bush Awards Presidential Citizen Medal To Watergate Crook Chuck Colson»

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/12/10/bush-colson-medal/

Bush Awards Presidential Citizen Medal To Watergate Crook Chuck Colson»


Established in 1969, the Presidential Citizens Medal is the second highest honor for a civilian, recognizing Americans “who have performed exemplary deeds of service for the nation.” Past recipients include boxer Muhammad Ali, baseball great Henry “Hank” Aaron, civil rights icon Dorothy Height, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Today, President Bush honored 24 recipients of this year’s award, including actor Gary Sinise and Teach for America founder Wendy Kopp. Also included in that mix was Chuck Colson, “the first member of the Nixon administration to serve prison time for Watergate-related offenses.” Colson was President Nixon’s counsel from 1969-1973 and pleaded guilty in 1974 to obstruction of justice. Colson received a one to three year sentence, but served just seven months. David Plotz at Slate described Colson’s role in the Nixon administration:

As special counsel to the president, he was Richard Nixon’s hard man, the “evil genius” of an evil administration. According to Watergate historian Stanley Kutler, Colson sought to hire Teamsters thugs to beat up anti-war demonstrators, and he plotted to raid or firebomb the Brookings Institution. He eventually pleaded guilty to scheming to defame Daniel Ellsberg and interfering with his trial.

Since that time, Colson has become an evangelical prison reformer, running the nonprofit Prison Fellowship, which advocates for “privately run prisons and the delivery of all social services by faith-based groups.” However, according to author Allan Lichtman in “White Protestant Nation,” Colson has also remained involved in conservative politics:

Colson brought together politically conservative Catholics and Protestants for a statement of common beliefs, advised conservative politicians including Texas governor George W. Bush, and worked with Christian right leaders Pat Robertson and James Dobson on the development of political strategy. He disseminated conservative messages on sex roles, abortion, homosexuality, pornography, gay rights, and separation of church and state in his radio broadcasts and columns, reaching millions of Americans.

On October 3, 2002, Colson was also one of the co-signers of a letter from prominent evangelical leaders supporting an invasion of Iraq. More recently he has spoken out in favor of California’s Prop. 8, accusing the LGBT community of “anti-religious bigotry.”

[McCamy Taylor]

1. No! He should give one to the Illinois Governor, too! Colson was an evil SOB!

[amdezurik]

2. Well, just glad i never got one

i would be tossing it over the fence at the WH. And from now on any time they are mentioned all i will think of is this...

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Bush has the power of alchemy..

he can turn gold medals into turds.

[knitter4democracy]

4. That guy is darn close to evil.

Oh, I'm sure his time in prison changed him. I don't doubt that, but does he have to keep going for all the cash, all the glory, and mess more and more people up?

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. Presidential Citizen Medal To Albert DeSalvo for his outstanding

contribution to birth control

Presidential Citizen Medal To Jack Abramoff for his outstanding contribution
to America for his understanding of the inner workings of American Government.

[Starry Messenger]

6. I cannot wait for the end of Bizarro World President.

[trof]

7. I just...I just...aw crap.

Oh wait...but he's a GOOD CHRISTIAN who's done SO MUCH for 'residents' of federal penitentiaries in his Prison Outreach "I've Been Born Again" scam.
s.h.i.t.
:mad:

[peekaloo]

8. "privately run prisons"

A Cheney thank you?

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

9. chuck colson's motto

"when you have them by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow"

he had that on the wall of his white house office.