WP: White House Ethics, Honesty Questioned (new WP-ABC poll)

[highplainsdem]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/29/AR2005102901223.html


White House Ethics, Honesty Questioned
55% in Survey Say Libby Case Signals Broader Problems

By Richard Morin and Claudia Deane
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, October 30, 2005; Page A14

A majority of Americans say the indictment of senior White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby signals broader ethical problems in the Bush administration, and nearly half say the overall level of honesty and ethics in the federal government has fallen since President Bush took office, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News survey.

The poll, conducted Friday night and yesterday, found that 55 percent of the public believes the Libby case indicates wider problems "with ethical wrongdoing" in the White House, while 41 percent believes it was an "isolated incident." And by a 3 to 1 ratio, 46 percent to 15 percent, Americans say the level of honesty and ethics in the government has declined rather than risen under Bush.

In the aftermath of the latest crisis to confront the White House, Bush's overall job approval rating has fallen to 39 percent, the lowest of his presidency in Post-ABC polls. Barely a third of Americans -- 34 percent -- think Bush is doing a good job ensuring high ethics in government, which is slightly lower than President Bill Clinton's standing on this issue when he left office.

The survey also found that nearly seven in 10 Americans consider the charges against Libby to be serious. A majority -- 55 percent -- said the decision of Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald to bring charges against Libby was based on the facts of the case, while 30 percent said he was motivated by partisan politics.

<snip>

This is just the start of a 2-page article going into much more detail on the poll results.

[journalist3072]

1. It's amazing what happens when the veil comes off isn't it?

People are finally "getting it" that the Bush Crime Team has absolutely zero respect for this country, and couldn't care less about honesty and integrity.

It's the subject of my latest blog entry: http://progressiveminds.bloghi.com/2005/10/29/tell-me-george-what-was-that-about-honor-and-integrity.html

[bluethruandthru]

2. I guess one third of the country will just never get it.

How in the world can anyone think * is doing a good job?

[ailsagirl]

10. It's that gross cognitive dissonance thing, I guess...

They can't think for themselves-- they're robots.

BTW, Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. But they hate us for our freedom and

* is saving us from them!!! :sarcasm:

[John Q. Citizen]

20. I guess you can fool some of the people all of the time...

[99Pancakes]

31. Intelligence vs Ignorance

This shows that the more educated tend to vote "Blue" (Are we so very not shocked?)

[rpannier]

3. 30% said partisan politics

A prosecutor who's a registered Republican looking into the illegal activities of Republicans -- very parisan.

[Straight Shooter]

12. One more time: Fitzgerald is registered as neither Dem nor Repub.

In fact, he did not vote in the Illinois primary because it would have required him to register as either Dem or Repub, and he refused.

[rpannier]

21. When he came to Chicago to investigate illegal activities

in the city, one of the first things Mayor Daly pointed out was that Fitzgerald was a registered Republican.

[Straight Shooter]

25. Find a link.

It isn't true. That has been debunked over and over on DU.

[rpannier]

28. Best I can tell you is this

1. I could have confused the name with Peter Fitzgerald, but I doubt it.

2. I went to lexis-nexis to check on Patrick Fitzgerald and his party affiliation. I got several possible hits from Crain's Chicago Business, but it would have cost 3.00 to check each article. Since I don't really care that much about whether he is or isn't a registered Republican I'm not willing to spend the money and find out there's nothing on his affiliation in any of the over 3000 articles.

[Straight Shooter]

34. Yes, I think you've got Peter Fitzgerald confused with Patrick.

I got lost in the tombstone shuffle time change on DU and I'm just now finding this post to respond to you, but before that I spent considerable time on the 'Net trying to find a link to substantiate Patrick Fitzgerald's nonpolitical identity. All I could find of any confirmation whatsoever is that Peter Fitzgerald is a Republican.

Believe me, if Pat Fitzgerald were a Repub, considering the outcome of the investigation to date, it would by now be confirmed by many of DU's longtime politically savvy members.

[struggle4progress]

33. ... Fitzgerald is careful to be apolitical in his targets and his public

life alike. He registered to vote as an Independent in New York, only to discover, when he began receiving fundraising calls, that Independent was a political party. He re-registered with no affiliation, as he did later in Chicago ...

The Prosecutor Never Rests
Whether Probing a Leak or Trying Terrorists, Patrick Fitzgerald Is Relentless
By Peter Slevin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 2, 2005; Page C01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A55560-2005Feb1?language=printer

[Mark E. Smith]

4. Shrub's Smuggery About Bringing Morals & Ethics To Govt ...

... turned out to be just another in a seemingly endless list of lies.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

11. Would have been nice if they'd had this "awakening" a year ago?!

For those who voted for *, they got what they paid for. We all knew better.

[antonialee839]

27. You forgot Poland, er, I mean humble.

[Rowdyboy]

5. "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free...."

Is America finally waking up with one helluva hangover?

[A-Schwarzenegger]

6. 30% of the people believe ANYthing.

I believe there was a poll and 30% said that they
consistently believe anything and everything as the
simplest way of life.

[ShockediSay]

23. I'll drink to that

PS
Don't underestimate the effect of the Soundbite MSM. I said that.
Nobody went broke underestimating the public's intelligence, OWTTE*. I think HL Mencken said that.
There's a sucker born every minute. PT Barnum, I think.


*Or Words To That Effect

[bluestateguy]

7. 39%!!!

And that's in a corporate poll too, meaning that the real number is probably in the low 30's. Still, I feel good.

[sonias]

8. * is doing a worse job ensuring high ethics in government

Only 34% think he's doing a good job on high ethics - lower than when President Bill Clinton left office. So I'd say the majority of Americans believe a consensual blow job was more ethical than lying us into an illegal war. Now that's progress!

Sonia

[bluestateguy]

9. Bill Clinton's administration was moderately ethical

Sure there were some peccadilloes: blow jobs in the White House, the "coffees" for big donors, the dismissal of the Travel Office staff (which was perfectly legal, though unethical).

But nobody ever died because of Clinton lies or monkey business.

[jaysunb]

19. Moderately ?

jeez.....no indictments, nobody jailed or suicided, just phony scandals.

Back in the 20th century, when born-again prosecutor Ken Starr was industriously probing into every nook and cranny of the Clinton administration, it was a very, very big deal to the Republicans that President Clinton committed perjury in his testimony about—well, you know what it was about. Now, of course, we are about to be treated to a chorus of Republicans saying that it really isn’t a big deal at all that Karl Rove, the Scooter and who-knows-who-else in the Bush administration might have lied under oath about the outing of Valerie Wilson.

The irony of that aside, there is an important lesson here. Starr, one recalls, was originally given what seemed to be a very limited mandate to investigate an obscure real estate deal in Arkansas that took place many years before. But Starr, spreading tentacles everywhere, eventually dug into every manner of (unrelated) non-scandal he could find: Travelgate, Filegate, Vince Foster-gate, etc. Eventually, Linda Tripp trundled into his office to tell on Monica. At that point, Starr could have said: “Umm, no. That has nothing to do with Whitewater. Go tell someone else.” But he didn’t. Denying the affair with Monica as the cock crowed thrice, Clinton was nabbed, impeached by the House and his presidency was ruined.

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20051028/keep_investigating_fitz.php

[goforit]

13. Looks the US Gov't should be "fired" across the board!!!

They earned it.

[Spazito]

15. Very bad news for the bush cabal

The people trust Fitzgerald over bush and his admin and understand the seriousness of the leak.

[ThoughtCriminal]

16. Thud !!!

RW TP meets reality

[jaysunb]

17. Libby's case has been assigned to judge nominated by Bush

Libby's case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, nominated by Bush in 2001.



Well...that takes care of that. :evilfrown:
For those less informed, this is the reason people like Janice Rogers-Brown and Pricilla Owens definately don't belong on this circuit.

[ThoughtCriminal]

24. Sibel Edmonds case

JULY 2004: Judge Reggie Walton in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia dismisses Edmonds' lawsuit, relying on the government's states secrets privilege.

http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=17359&c=206

[A Brand New World]

18. Where in the world did the art teacher get the idea that

Libby had talked to his wife about Plame and that the wife is the one who leaked the info? I have never, ever heard anything like that mentioned. Of course, I don't listen to Limbaugh or Fox, so that must be something circulated throughout that group of liars and thugs.

[fishwax]

22. welcome to reality

this is where you should have been 12 months ago, America ...

[Nothing Without Hope]

26. To SEE & HEAR how Americans are finally waking up, check this VIDEO:

It will lift your spirits and make you smile, I guarantee:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5200196&mesg_id=5200196
thread title: GREAT VIDEO - Callers to CSPAN DEMOLISH GOP talking points on Plamegate!

[Orsino]

29. Five counts are NOT an "isolated incident"!

Idiots.

[newspeak]

30. it should be a lot lower

if we didn't have the media "spin" machine, it would be a lot lower. I don't think neocons know what the word ethics or corruption means. All followers of Leo Strauss, they can lie, cheat, steal, murder, as long as they stay in power.

[struggle4progress]

32. Poll: Ethical Issues Tar Bush Administration (ABC reporting on poll)

Most Call Libby Indictment a Sign of Broader Ethical Wrongdoing
Analysis by GARY LANGER

<snip> Nearly two-thirds of Americans, 64 percent, give Bush a negative rating ("only fair" or "poor") for his handling of ethics in government. That's about the same as Bill Clinton's ethics rating at the end of his career, and at most only slightly worse that Ronald Reagan's. But both Clinton and Reagan faced serious ethical crises in their second terms — Clinton, the Monica Lewinsky scandal; Reagan, Iran-Contra. <snip>

Bush's 39 percent job approval itself is an unenviable milestone. Neither Clinton nor Reagan, the last two two-term presidents, fell below 40 percent approval; Clinton's worst was 43 percent early in his first term, Reagan's, 42 percent in the aftermath of the 1982 recession. But others have done worse: Lyndon Johnson's career low hit 35 percent during the tumultuous summer of 1968. Bush's father fell to 33 percent the summer before he lost re-election to a second term. Jimmy Carter saw 28 percent approval; Richard Nixon, a low of 23 percent. <snip>

Alleging political motivations, as Rep. Tom DeLay has done in his case, also may prove unproductive: While 30 percent think prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald brought the case out of political motivations, far more, 55 percent, think he relied on the facts alone. Even among Republicans, more say the charges rest on the facts than on political motivations, by 48-36 percent. <snip>

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/PollVault/story?id=1264205