A New Standard in Presidential Ethics
Everything is okay as long as you're not convicted.
President Bush, as you probably know by now, has changed his tune on Karl Rove. In the past, he said he'd fire anyone who was "involved" in leaking Valerie Plame's identity. Now he says he'll fire anyone who "committed a crime."
This blatant shift to save his brain—which is to say, Karl Rove—has fooled no one.
Whatever your politics, this should be a truly demoralizing moment in the history of presidential politics. The President of the United States has just declared that people who work for him can engage in all manner of skullduggery—as long as they're not convicted of a criminal offense.
This is setting the bar shamefully low.
I've never worked in the White House, but I would consider it one of the greatest honors in American life. Nobody should have a higher standard of ethics than people who work in the White House—whatever party they belong to.
Being able to work for the president as long as you are not a felon is not a sufficiently high standard. This country deserves better.
Two other points.
Remember all the Bush—ite rhetoric back in 2000-2001 about how they were going to restore honor and dignity to the White House?
You don't hear that any more.
And two, can you imagine what conservatives would be saying if Bill Clinton had pulled a switcharoo like this? The anti-Slick Willie crowd would be screaming bloody murder.
Well, guys—consistency's a virtue. Let's hear it.
