Bush’s stubbornness continues to surprise me. Today, he reiterated his confidence in Gonzales and continued to speak out against calls for Gonzales’ resignation. He was happy with his testimony last week and felt it showed that Gonzales had done nothing wrong (I guess wreaking havoc on the foundations of our government isn’t technically a crime, so it’s all good). This follows Friday’s statement of support. Does the White House even get C-Span? Maybe Bush was busy playing Risk when the testimony was being shown.
Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, who questioned Gonzales, felt he should resign. He didn’t answer their questions, and the answers he did supply were misleading. Yet, Bush called him, “Our No.1 crime fighter.” OK. Any credibility Bush had left has just vanished.
Loyalty is important in politics. You don’t want to be seen as a fair-weather friend who will hitch his star to whoever the public likes that day. Bush sees loyalty as the most important characteristic someone can have—and he intends to stay loyal to his friends. But this is just political suicide. He’s already facing criticism on so many fronts, he should just cut his losses and have Gonzales resign. Guess what? Your administration has already been irreparably undermined. Might as well save face while offering your friend the opportunity to salvage a small bit of his dignity.
It seems as if the Bush Administration is operating in a communications vacuum. They’re at the complete opposite end of the spectrum from politicians who design platforms based on focus groups and surveys. They no longer care what the public thinks—or even their own party. They feel that they have selected the right course and will not change. While it’s admirable to see an institution refuse to be bullied by public whim, the President serves the citizens and should make an effort to consider public opinion. Not doing so at this point just adds to the public’s disillusionment with the President, and makes our leaders seem even further removed from the people they serve. Bush’s resolve has transformed into foolishness.
The AP today published a list of senior administration officials who have left as a result of controversy, or whose terms had been tarnished. It’s a sobering read. In addition to headline-grabbers like the Libby and Abramoff scandals, there are a number of less glamorous infractions, such as the political maneuverings of the Chief Administrator at GSA, that make you question the integrity of the administration.
Sure, politics and scandal go hand in hand. There have always been accusations and rumors about politicians. But to reach the point when a national news wire is featuring a laundry list of your sins, you’ve lost control. Ironic, considering how deft the administration seemed at pulling the strings in 2000. Dirty dealings are common in DC. Have we just reached a point in history where it’s impossible to hide them?
