Paul Krugman (NYT): Slime and Defend

[Dudley_DUright]

On July 14, Robert Novak published the now-famous column in which he identified Valerie Plame, the wife of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, as a C.I.A. "operative on weapons of mass destruction," and said "two senior administration officials" had told him that she was responsible for her husband's mission to Niger. On that mission, Mr. Wilson concluded — correctly — that reports of Iraqi efforts to buy uranium were bogus.

An outraged President Bush immediately demanded the names of those responsible for exposing Ms. Plame. He repeated his father's statement that "those who betray the trust by exposing the names of our sources" are "the most insidious of traitors." There are limits to politics, Mr. Bush declared; Mr. Wilson's decision to go public about his mission had embarrassed him, but that was no excuse for actions that were both felonious and unpatriotic.

Everything in the previous paragraph is, of course, false. It's what should have happened, but didn't. Mr. Bush took no action after the Novak column. Before we get bogged down in the details — which is what the administration hopes will happen — let's be clear: we already know what the president knew, and when he knew it. Mr. Bush knew, 11 weeks ago, that some of his senior aides had done something utterly inexcusable. But as long as the media were willing to let the story lie — which, with a few honorable exceptions, like David Corn at The Nation and Knut Royce and Timothy Phelps at Newsday, they were — he didn't think this outrage required any action.

And now that the C.I.A. has demanded a Justice Department inquiry, the White House's strategy isn't just to stonewall, Nixon-style; as one Republican Congressional aide told The New York Times, it will "slime and defend."

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/03/opinion/03KRUG.html

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. Hot Tip on "Slime & Defend":

This is EXACTLY the strategy afoot, in Washington, right now. The repukes are using this, and calling their strategy this, to keep any repuke members of congress from calling for an independent investigation. They are working the phones hard, and especially hitting McCain, Hagel, Goss and two unnamed others with this strategy. Veiled threats are in the mix as well.

Straight from a disillusioned repuke who would definately know.

[benfranklin1776]

2. That speaks volumes does it not? Slime and defend.

So much for that "compassionate conservatism" eh? Hurl the slime from their endless reservoirs of bilious vitriol as is the standard modern sleazeball Rethug operating procedure. Of course this is from the same crew of Rethug Congressional staffers which had one of its members think it was just so cool that Senator Carnahan's plane went down because that day "the worm turned" and even was moved to create a web site to celebrate the "good fortune" of Senator Carhahan's death. The veneer of respectability that they try to fool people with is mighty thin and under times of pressure it breaks wide open to reveal the repellent bunch of immoral reprobates who are at the helm of their pirate ship.

[Dudley_DUright]

3. Amen Ben

[benfranklin1776]

4. It is truly sad that they have dragged politics to this level of filth.

Once upon a time in the not so distant past Democrats and Republicans could disagree on issues but respect the differences and put them aside on occasion when the good of the country demanded it. Eithics and prinicples and committment to duty and country trumped party. Not always of course but certainly in dire times of crisis. Many prinicipled Republicans saw the dangers of Watergate and refused to stand behind Nixon as they saw the damage caused to constitutional democracy by his imperious actions. No more can we expect such statesmanship. The modern Rethug leadership has dragged its standards of political behavior down below the level of decency exhibited by the combatants in Rollerball. It is win at all costs, the damage to people and indeed the structures of our democracy be damned. They play by absolutely no rules, except one, "Grab and maintain power at any cost, period."

[Skittles]

9. I agree ben

I really do remember a time when repugs simply annoyed me; now they are truly ugly and frightening.

[benfranklin1776]

10. Yes its like their leadership has slipped below the event horizon....

....of some moral black hole and the pull of their decay is dragging our democracy down with it. They are of course proving Lord Acton's theorem nicely. The greater the degree of unchecked power the greater its corrupting influence.

[realFedUp]

5. Anyone see Paul on Krudlow and Cramer?

Loved watching Paul make mincemeat out of Krudlow's
economic recovery theories...
Lou Dobbs barely gave him the time of day
and both were visibly antagonized by his
opinion of the pResident's invasion of Iraq.

Could even imagine Paul Krugman debating
Bush...gads I would pay money for that.

[Dudley_DUright]

6. Darn I missed it

Will there be a transcript available?

[benfranklin1776]

7. No sorry I missed it.

Krugman debating Bush. Wow talk about your unfair fight. It would be like Muhammed Ali against Pee Wee Herman. I would pay money to see it though!

[Lindsay]

8. Krugman v Bush

would make a heck of a Democratic fund raiser, wouldn't it?

[realFedUp]

11. Yah!

.