WaPo: Bush Orders Staff to Attend Ethics Briefings (F-ING HILARIOUS!)

[grytpype]

Oh yeah, this will work...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/04/AR2005110402040.html

Bush Orders Staff to Attend Ethics Briefings
White House Counsel to Give 'Refresher' Course

By Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, November 5, 2005; Page A02

President Bush has ordered White House staff to attend mandatory briefings beginning next week on ethical behavior and the handling of classified material after the indictment last week of a senior administration official in the CIA leak probe.

According to a memo sent to aides yesterday, Bush expects all White House staff to adhere to the "spirit as well as the letter" of all ethics laws and rules. As a result, "the White House counsel's office will conduct a series of presentations next week that will provide refresher lectures on general ethics rules, including the rules of governing the protection of classified information," according to the memo, a copy of which was provided to The Washington Post by a senior White House aide.

Wow, damn nice of them to think of this. The article says Miers's office is going to be running these little seminars. I can't wait for the leaks from these briefings, should provide much entertainment...


Here's what the Disaster Chimp had to say about Plamegate today:

"It's a serious investigation, and it's an important investigation. But it's not over yet," Bush said. "I think it's important for the American people to know that I understand my job is to set clear goals and deal with the problems we face."

...

"I understand that there is a preoccupation by polls {showing Chimpy at way under 40%!} by some," the president said. "The way you earn credibility with the American people is to declare an agenda that everybody can understand, an agenda that relates to their lives, and get the job done."

Yeah, you trying to get the job done is what we're all afraid of! Who was it who said, when Clinton said he had to focus on the job, people cheered, but when Bush says it, people go "Oh no!"

[alittlelark]

1. uh, yeah...............

It's a little late.

[Rose Siding]

2. O.M.G.

We have a WH full of high level, security cleared, officials who are going to be cramming ethics.

Cry a river or bust a gut? Hmm...

[dmr]

25. Isn't that somethin'?

As you say:
We have a WH full of high level, security cleared, officials who are going to be cramming ethics.

Sounds like a Daily Show report; how disasterous that it's not.

[merbex]

3. Ethics briefings? Did they miss something in the bible? Shouldn't

that have been enough?

[99Pancakes]

85. An absolute farce!!

That's a course you give to high school students. Guess Shrubby gets to use his red crayon to grade all those papers now. Sheesh! What a complete Idiot!!

[PurpleChez]

89. I think President Corky McDrunktank needs that red crayon

to write his memoirs. And he's gonna get started right after recess.

[beam me up scottie]

4. Barn door - horse.

Next week's meeting is for West Wing aides with security clearance, which allows them to view and discuss sensitive or classified material. Information about Plame was classified. Rove is among those aides who must attend.

"There will be no exceptions," the memo states.

[Skink]

6. Now that Scooter's gone time to rejoice...

[beam me up scottie]

10. He shouldn't be rejoicing just yet.

He's already failed the first test.

Is this a do-over?

Maybe he'll take notes this time.

[bhuddaboy]

92. No Exceptions, Except For ....

Bush and Cheney.

[calimary]

113. Yeah, sure. rove will be there to brush up on what the law says, so he

can plot more ways to get AROUND it. Same for the rest of 'em. This should give them all a good idea of what laws they need to WORK AROUND, not follow or comply with.

That's how these people operate. Leopards don't change their spots. They just find new places to hide. And to prowl.

[ninkasi]

5. What makes me think

that these will be lessons in how to avoid being caught? Hmm...can somebody explain why I feel so cynical? It's Chimp logic...don't get caught, no violation. If caught, it's Clinton's fault.

[Critters2]

91. Yep!

Reminds me of the first time I had to take a "sexual boundaries" training in room full of male clergy. The ONLY thing they wanted to know was how badly they could behave before it was a "boundaries violation". I'm guessing the Bushies will be asking similar questions..."Teach, what's the technical difference between 'spin' and 'a lie'"?

[goclark]

111. Seems like they need more than Miers to conduct it

Sounds like an OUTSIDE agency, group of bi -partisan lawyers that should conduct the "class."

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Refresh my memory but hasn't this done before?

err Nixon and ahem, Reagan -Bush 41 White Houses?

[PegDAC]

102. It's supposed to be done

A minimum of once a year.

:eyes: :nopity: :shrug:

[MO_Dem]

8. Will Cheney and w attend, too?

If not, forget it. Won't do any good. Waste of taxpayer money. Remember! It's OUR money!

[Joe Chi Minh]

70. Cheney's giving one talk, but he has to rush off to give a class

at the School of the Americas on "Refining torture by involving the victim's family"; and another on the "Effectiveness of child and/or homosexual rape". Or is that Rumsfeld?

(Not true, of course, but it might just as well be).

[Punkingal]

9. OMG....

After 5 years in charge of the country they are now going to be trained on ethics? :rofl:

They get more pathetic on a daily basis. I am sure Karl is going to suddenly have a miraculous conversion, like Paul on the road to
Damascus!:rofl:

[PurpleChez]

90. I believe that was the road to Tarsus. But the fact remains

that you made a great point -- these shitheads ARE pathetic. Or they WOULD be if they weren't so unbelievably dangerous.

[EFerrari]

11. I declare this agenda:

Chimp, you :puke:

[Boomer]

12. PowerPoint to the rescue

>> "the White House counsel's office will conduct a series of presentations next week that will provide refresher lectures on general ethics rules... <<<

[kentuck]

44. It was just a small ethical lapse - not a criminal act...

But you knew that.

[kentuck]

45. And they wonder why some of us are so cynical...?

How could you not be cynical by listening to this ogre?

[Rose Siding]

13. We HAVE to send Harriet!!! some tips on running this class. Here's mine:

When starting a class, it's helpful to remind the students of a few basic rules, like "always keep you're eyes on your own work" and "turn you're paper over when you've finished". (You know, just to remove temptation. After all, we're only HUMAN, for gosh sakes!!!LOL!!!)

[Fairlyunbalanced]

14. Whatever happened to stay the course?

and "I would change my mind, but cheney hasn't showdeded me how yet."

[CoffeeCat]

15. How stupid does he think we all are? No, seriously...

Remember when BushCo rushed America into a war based on lies?

Remember when we all discovered that there were no WMDs, and that the mushroom-cloud talk was rubbish?

After the truth came out, Junior held an important press conference to announce super-duper changes at the CIA.

After all! The problem wasn't with the lying president, or the WHIG members who used guerrilla marketing to sell this war to the American public. The problem wasn't that Junior wanted this war years before it began.

The problem was the CIA. Ohhhhh LAAAWDY that faulty intelligence!

Ya see here folks...we've got more of the same going on here. Instead of facing his responsibilities like a man, Junior is playing games like a snake.

He's defining the problem. He's ACTUALLY insinuating that his staff needs a refresher course in handling sensitive intelligence.

As if anyone needs to be reminded that you don't out a covert CIA agent, in order to retaliate against the agent's spouse for discussing evidence that refutes your reasons for taking the country into war!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so sick of his stupidity. However, I am even more sick of how stupid he thinks we are.

Can't the man just apologize? How frickin sick is this assclown? This is his way of saying "Fuck you guys!" to the entire nation.

He makes me physically ill.

Sorry for the rant. I can't handle his dysfunction any more.

[Martin Eden]

57. Stupid enough to re-elect (sic) him

The 2004 election may have been stolen, but enough people actually voted for that assclown to make the theft deniable. Look back over the last 5 years, and you'll see just how stupid the American people can be.

This "ethics" stunt isn't for the consumption of those who never drank the koolaid, and with his polls plummeting it may have little or no effect on how his erstwhile supporters perceive this administration. But old propaganda habits die hard, and who knows? If they keep asserting that black is white and up is down, some people might go for it. It worked in the past, didn't it?

[silverweb]

16. Brilliant PR move.

This should certainly put to rest any questions or reservations any citizen has about the ethics of the current administration.

:eyes:

:sarcasm:

[Rose Siding]

23. This will hit them harder than lining up to give tearful apologies

What a horrid message- that WH officials need to be reminded of ethics! Can you imagine?

I don't think Rove came up with THIS one.

[Clyde39]

17. The biggest laugh of all------"an agenda that relates to their lives"

His agenda has NEVER related to the common man.

[beam me up scottie]

19. His agenda related to the life of one of my brothers.

He's in Ramadi now.

[Carolab]

21. Notice he didn't say HOW it relates.

Only that it's one we'd "understand".

I understand that his agenda is to ruin my life. Do I have that about right?

[jwirr]

18. Lesson plan #1: Don't get caught. End of ethics session.

[NYC Liberal]

20. Will they be "re-learning" this..............:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/20010124-2.html

[bballny]

48. Don't show that picture

to the young ones. It will give them nightmares.

[mark11727]

51. Oh, I don't know about that ... I like to see 41 and Barbzilla SUFFER.

[jody]

50. Most important reply in this thread. Being ethical is hard work.

Bush's "MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES SUBJECT: Standards of Official Conduct" dated January 20, 2001 says:

QUOTE
(1) Public service is a public trust, requiring employees to place loyalty to the Constitution, the laws, and ethical principles above private gain.

(2) Employees shall not hold financial interests that conflict with the conscientious performance of duty.

(3) Employees shall not engage in financial transactions using nonpublic Government information or allow the improper use of such information to further any private interest.

(4) An employee shall not, except as permitted by applicable law or regulation, solicit or accept any gift or other item of monetary value from any person or entity seeking official action from, doing business with, or conducting activities regulated by the employee's agency, or whose interests may be substantially affected by the performance or nonperformance of the employee's duties.

(5) Employees shall put forth honest effort in the performance of their duties.

(6) Employees shall not knowingly make unauthorized commitments or promises of any kind purporting to bind the Government.

(7) Employees shall not use public office for private gain.

(8) Employees shall act impartially and not give preferential treatment to any private organization or individual.

(9) Employees shall protect and conserve Federal property and shall not use it for other than authorized activities.

(10) Employees shall not engage in outside employment or activities, including seeking or negotiating for employment, that conflict with official Government duties and responsibilities.

(11) Employees shall disclose waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption to appropriate authorities.

(12) Employees shall satisfy in good faith their obligations as citizens, including all just financial obligations, especially those -- such as Federal, State, or local taxes -- that are imposed by law.

(13) Employees shall adhere to all laws and regulations that provide equal opportunity for all Americans regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or handicap.

(14) Employees shall endeavor to avoid any actions creating the appearance that they are violating applicable law or the ethical standards in applicable regulations.

Executive branch employees should also be fully aware that their post-employment activities with respect to lobbying and other forms of representation will be bound by the restrictions of 18 U.S.C. 207.
UNQUOTE

[mark11727]

52. Rove raises hand..."Will this be on the test?"

"Is it an open book test...?"

"This stuff is HARD!"

"No fair!"

[Skittles]

22. ETHICS 101 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LET'S START WITH: DO NOT OUT THE WIVES OF PEOPLE YOU DON'T LIKE AS COVERT CIA OPERATIVES !!!!!!!!!!!!! :thumbsup:

[bigbrother05]

35. brainwashing 101

Whay exactly is the agenda?

[Skittles]

36. well OBVIOUSLY

the "agenda" is to fool the same stupid assholes who voted for bush into thinking he really GIVES A SHIT about NATIONAL SECURITY

[fooj]

24. Actions speak louder than words, asshole.

:spank:

[Garbo 2004]

26. What next? KKK sends members to sensitivity training? It's freakin'

laughable.

We understand your agenda and how it relates to our lives, GW, that's why your poll ratings are in the effin toilet.

[AlCzervik]

27. Jim VandeHei has been getting some good scoops, i love his stuff

his souce has got to be Andy Card.

[fearnobush]

28. An old soldier said to me today after watching the riots in Argentina,

"If some one down there was actually able to get spear threw that monster's chest, it would be a great day for America and the planet."
Scary Stuff, he's looking more hated than Johnson and Nixon these days. A safe Impeachment would show the world, we are a nation once again.

[Senator]

29. The Remedial pResidency n/t

[6000eliot]

30. They've got to be fucking kidding.

How stupid do they think we are?

[aquart]

31. Ethics classes????? BushCo????

Who will be teaching them?

[PegDAC]

103. G. Gordon Liddy? n/t

[Donovan61]

109. My nominees

Chuck Colson, Ollie North, Joe Isuzu

BTW -- This is my first post. DU rocks!!!

[TheMadMonk]

114. Who will teach....?

The channelled spirits of Lucrezia Borgia, Niccolo Machiavelli oh and the gent who looks like me. (The fellow they poisoned, shot and finally managed to drown in the Volga)

[depakid]

32. a copy of which was provided to the Post by...

Do the Post's editors have any shame or integrity at all?

Why, let's just go ahead and uncritically report this obvious and ridiculous propaganda maneuver like it was actually news. What a bunch of garbage. It blows me away that people actually pay for this crap to be delivered to their door every day.

[banana republican]

33. can you spell COVERUP??????

This is nothing less than telling the gopers how to avoid incriminating themselves or others in the plame game.

get a bunch of lawyers to research the problems & identify the loopholes
then tell everyone about the loopholes....

[OneBlueSky]

34. kinda like a Ron Jeremy lecture on abstinence, no? . . . n/t

.

[cassiepriam]

37. More like HOW TO LIE AND NOT GET CAUGHT.

[BlueManDude]

38. Wouldn't it have been better had they done this in Jan 2001?

[ClintonTyree]

63. I thought they already had.......

they were going to return dignitude and honesterity to the White House, remember? After those awful Clinton's finished with their 8 years of peace and prosperity it was essential to return Republican ethics to the government. So tell me again, how did that work out? :shrug:

The Republican party HAS NO ethics! They're the party of lying, cheating, stealing and deviant sexual desire. Yet some people believe that they're the paragon of virtue! :puke: Spare me, please.

[connecticut yankee]

65. That's because

they're against gay marriage and abortion.

Those are the overriding concerns.

[99Pancakes]

87. That's exactly it!

The entire Reich Wing agenda is:
No Abortions
No Fags getting married

They voted Shrubbing Bubbles in for those 2 reasons, and as a result, we got stuck with the rest of the wicked agenda: Burn, Baby Burn! That's the rest of their agenda.

[annabanana]

39. reminds me of sexual harrassemnt seminars

that the managers are required to take after someone has been caught groping an assistant in the copyroom.

Standard corporate response to PR problem..

[salin]

40. blah blah blah, er yes Rove is still at the white house, blah, blah, blah

actions, boybush, talk louder than publicity stunts.

[EFerrari]

41. Attention: Fig trees! Prepare to be defoliated!

Are these guys more disgusting or more scarey? I can't decide.

[Halliburton]

42. they must've failed remedial ethics

I don't know what Harriet Miers teaches

[truthisfreedom]

43. bush continues to fiddle as he watches his base burn

to the ground.

he's no cowboy.

he's no sheriff.

he's no rancher.

he's a fratboy cheerleader whose skull and bones men have forsaken him.

[Solly Mack]

46. So they need to be reminded that you don't risk national security for

a political grudge?


Shrub is attending this class as well, no?

it's the Abu Ghraib cure....got torture? remind them you can't do torture....got treason? remind them you can't do treason

and all is well..(yeah, right)

[Native]

47. I'm sure the operative part of the word is "brief"

think they'll give it 5 minutes a week? I'd love to be a fly on that wall!

[BrklynLiberal]

49. "The Onion" or whitehouse.com could not have come up with a better

parody. This is f**king hysterical.
Cannot wait to see what TDS and SNL do with it.
Sure saves their writers lots of time coming up with crazy ideas.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[susu369]

53. And just who is PAYING for this??????????????

*nt*

[oxbow]

56. Who cares? the PR money to broadcast this story costs more

than the class itself. I think it's safe to say that Rove is NOT in charge of public relations anymore. This little stunt is like throwing a snausage at a bear: it's only gonna make the situation worse.

[susu369]

58. I care.

Taxpayer money wasted for image. Incompetence is expensive.

I do appreciate your point of view.

[oxbow]

61. right back at ya Susu :)

I do think they're shooting themselves in the foot with this one though. Can you imagine the fun after Leno and Letterman get a hold of this?

[emald]

54. isn't it just like the shrub

to order the gate closed after the horse has run out. To the vapid stupid idiot words are actions. If he says the right incantation it will all go away; NOT. Shrub is a cardboard cutout, an illusion. His p-residency will always be a failure because he is a FAILURE as a human being.

[leesa]

55. Do you think they will read from Libbey and Lynne Cheney's porn novels?

Actually, he's probably ordering them to go so they can rebut the ethics as they are presented.

[symbolman]

59. So someone LEAKED the White House Bush Memo

to the Washington Post?

Call Fitz! We've got another live one! :)

"No..No..NO MR PRESIDENT!! You put the paper IN THIS SIDE of the Shredder.. NO! Don't PULL on the paper, just let it SLIDE on in.. Let..uh, LET .. GO.. LET GO OF IT!..

Oh my GOD! SOMEBODY CALL THE DOCTOR!! Jesus Christ.. Karl, I TOLD you he shouldn't be let NEAR the SHREDDER.. just LOOK at his FINGERS! How are we going to SPIN this ONE?

We've already USED the Pretzel, the Bike, the rolly thing, what was that, uh.. remember Cheney used it just fine, but Bushie boy here couldn't find the on/off switch? Fell right off of it..Segewey something?..

Okay, okay.. FISHING -- it was a FISHING accident, that's IT! He was hauling in a big bass and it BIT HIM.. no, a SHARK.. no, too scary, no sharks in Crawford..uh, ah.. a..

Ah fuck it, a SHREDDER ATE HIS HAND, let's tell the DAMN TRUTH FOR ONCE.. What are you pointing at Karl? What? Something IN the Shredder?

Wait a minute, that's MY TIE, don't stick my TIE in the Shredder - it could pull my Head off and kill meeeeeeeeeeeeeughhhgggggjugjugjug....."

*******
I posted this on the General Discussion and it made some people "leak" :)

[OnyxCollie]

78. LOL! Oh, my god that's funny!

Thank you! I'm going to be laughing all day over that post. "The rolly thing" (Can't stop laughing.)

[Mist]

60. They're all about the PR--but lately their PR has been

boomeranging them in their collective ass. Public response might very well be: "After FIVE YEARS you're holding ethics seminars?"

[Beetwasher]

62. I Hear They Are Going To Use Puppets

n/t

[Evergreen Emerald]

67. hahahaha

you made me spit my coffee out!

[Little Star]

64. Who among them has the ethics to teach such a class? n/t

[jbnow]

66. Ethics training is a great idea

Since so many are born again I'd be happy to see Jesus teach it.

One lecture could be on "Blessed are the peacemakers"

Another could be on practical examples of "Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, therefor you do unto me"
They would go over examples from the parable:
Feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, caring for the sick, treatment of those jailed and so on.

Just so it's not a sissy talk (they like damnations) Jesus can talk about behaviors and groups that really pissed him off. The type he called vipers, scorpions and sons of Satan. The rich hypocrites who burdened people so heavily but never themselves. Who made a big deal of appearances and rules but inside were full of rot. Who prayed for the public to see but worshiped the gold of the temple. Who took houses from widows. And so on.

I am a believer in separation of church and state, but out of respect for their beliefs I would not object to Jesus teaching this very needed ethics training.

[Joe Chi Minh]

80. I'm sure the first lesson they will hear in these lectures,

will be one of Jesus' most fundamental Gospel teachings:

"'And my counsel to you is, make use of your base wealth to win yourselves friends, who, when you leave it behind, will welcome you into eternal habitations. He who is trustworthy over a little sum, is trustworthy over a greater; he who plays false over a little sum, plays false over a greater; if you then could not be trusted to use the base riches you had, who will put the true riches in your keeping? Who will give you property of your own, if you could not be trusted with what was lent to you.

No servant can be in the employment of two masters at once; either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will devote himself to the one and despise the other. You must serve God or money; you cannot serve both'.

The Pharisees, who were fond of riches, heard all this and poured scorn on him. And he said to them, 'You are always courting the approval of men; but God sees your hearts; what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in God's sight'".

Isn't that hilarious! They poured scorn on him... Although, at least, they were "up front" about it. Note that Jesus states that whatever money we have is lent to us, and does not actually belong to us. And guess who have been and continue to be atrocious stewards of the nation's tax revenues?

A little later, Jesus relates to them the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, which is uncompromising and unequivocal about the true status of rich man and poor man, generally. And why should it be otherwise? "Where your treasure is, there your heart is", he tells us elsewhere.

It is very much in the the interest of the rich man to ensure that the poor man has enough for his needs In fact, taxation is an inestimable boon to him, since it enables him to be liberal with the money lent to him, in favor of the needy and more spiritual man, without letting their "left hand know what the right is doing", i.e patting themselves on the back self-righteously for being such a stout fellow. They thereby acknowledge that they are only one tiny part of Jesus' much larger brotherhood - instead of being at perpetual war with God and his people.

[TheMadMonk]

119. Who has the money to put that (both) up on a billboard float

and parade it non-stop around the Hill?

[doc03]

68. Republican ethics? Isn't that like Military intelligence?

[enlightenment]

69. It's kind of interesting that once again ethics seems to be a

popular topic. Not just this mis-administration woo-haw, but in business and academia as well.
Yesterday, I received a notice of an upcoming forum panel at my university -- the subject: ethics and democracy. The panel is chock full of ethicists (naturally), political scientists (natch), and sociologists (presumably to tell the rest of us what we're supposed to think). No historians -- a little annoying to me, since I am one!

I think it's great that people are interested in ethical questions, but I'm afraid it's really just the latest fad -- one that will fade much faster than peek-a-boo thong panties (eww, by the way . . .).

A long time ago, in the early 18th c., many philosophers and politicians and regular people in the street believed in something they called politeness. It incorporated a lot of ideas, but was based on principles of respect, honesty, and personal integrity. It had nothing to do with religion, though many of these folks were religious. It was the way society needed to operate in order to maintain civility -- to BE civilized.

The important thing about politeness is that it wasn't external -- it wasn't about opening doors or covering your mouth when you sneezed or saying please and thank-you. Those things were an outcome of internally held beliefs. If a man held a door for a woman, but inside he was thinking, "gah. what a cow!" he wasn't polite -- because what he was doing wasn't real, it was a sham. She might never know what he was thinking, but he still failed the politeness test.

Obviously, that sort of thing took more work than many people were willing to put into it -- by the end of the 18th c., politeness had been replaced by "manners." You could read about those in a book, apply them when necessary, and forget about them in-between.

Ethics are no different. No list of rules is going to make people ethical, if they have not internalized the basic premise.

:(

[newspeak]

86. so, is that like Michael Milken

teaching a business ethics class? Don't get caught lying and you can do anything as long as your loyal!!!!:eyes:

[K-W]

71. Imagine thier suprise when they learn they are evil. EOM

[The White Tree]

72. Please tell me they will be videotaped

I would love to see the roleplaying sessions in those courses.

Facilitator: Okay we're going to roleplay a situation where classified information is being discussed by 2 high level White House officials and see how well you do.

Who would like to play the role of Mr. Libby? Mr. Rove how about you? No, Mr. Card, No? Mr. Mclellan, anybody? No one wants to be Scooter?

Okay well then who would like to be Mr. Cheney? How about you Dick, you'd be perfect?

Reminds me of an episode of the American version of the TV show The Office where the staff had to do diversity training because of a complaint about the boss and they decided to role play the incident.

[Rainscents]

73. O.M.G!

This is toooooo funny! They (GOP) all act like bunch of wild teenagers that needs to be sent to boot camp!

[DirtyDawg]

74. What'd ya expect from 'The CEO Presidency'?

...From the get go the media has been trying to paint bushco as the CEOs...leaders that know how to really 'run something'...well if truth be known, most CEOs don't really have clue about genuine leadership and will predictably resort to PR stunts to deal with problems. We've insulted the rest of the world?...Send Karen on a 'good will listening' tour. We've got a bunch of arrogant, underhanded individuals on the staff - that finally got caught doing our bidding, by the way - hold an ethics briefing - and certainly let the media know that we did it.

Geedubya's been a joke of a leader, but a typical well-familied, ne'er do well put into a job that he never had a prayer of handling (after all Cheney was there). Well it's all coming home to roost and I pray that if there ever is a real avian flu 'pandemic' it'll hit the White House first.

[azureblue]

75. who's creating and giving the briefing

Why, Halliburton, of course!

[drm604]

76. Protecting classified information.

"the White House counsel's office will conduct a series of presentations next week that will provide refresher lectures on general ethics rules, including the rules of (sic) governing the protection of classified information," according to the memo, a copy of which was provided to The Washington Post by a senior White House aide.

(Emphasis is mine.)

Why would they need to learn how to protect classified information? They already know about that, right? Haven't they said that no one knowingly released anything that was classified? Plame's employment was common knowledge, right?:sarcasm:

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

77. Bush's clear agenda on "tax reform"...

http://money.cnn.com/2005/11/04/pf/taxes/taxreform_scenarios/

[footinmouth]

79. Saturday Night Live

will have a field day with this one tonite. Can't wait.

[williesgirl]

81. Next week - Geneva Convention Training by Dick Cheney. n/t

[PegDAC]

104. No,

by Alberto Gonzales

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[existentialist]

82. "'Oh no!' not again."

Let's come up with a plan to keep that chimp distracted.

[Vidar]

83. Ethics for this regime consists of not getting caught.

[savemefromdumbya]

84. Too funny!

:rofl:

[jwirr]

88. If ever there were a case of the blind leading the blind this is it.

I would not trust anyone in that administration to teach ethics to a dog let alone to themselves.

[rodeodance]

93. part of the PR campaign --wonder if Jr will be in the front row.

[prescole]

94. We've had five good years, now let's bone up on this intelligence crap

Geez, these people are in charge of the "free world"?

[opihimoimoi]

95. Bush has become a fuckin JOKE...worse, why does he explain things

to us that we already know..."Its a serious investigation and its an important investigation"......

If its credibility ya want...forget Bush...

The man has turned out to the biggest joke since Mel Brooks...

[Tight_rope]

96. I'm surprised he didn't tell them they had to start going to bible revival

What a complete dumbass.

[sakabatou]

97. Riiiiiggghhttt...

-_- Not impressed.

[T_i_B]

98. Observer article

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1635445,00.html

Beset by a tide of scandal and with one senior aide facing criminal charges, President George W Bush has ordered all his White House senior staff to take a refresher course in ethics. The move, revealed yesterday, is likely to be lauded by Reuse senior staff to take a refresher course in ethics, writes Paul Harrispublicans and derided by Democrats. It comes after a grim few months for Bush that has seen his second term declared by many critics to be a lame duck less than a year after his inauguration.

Particular damage has been inflicted by the Plamegate scandal, which involved the leak of a CIA agent's identity by top official Lewis 'Scooter' Libby, who has resigned to fight a court case that could see him facing a lengthy jail term.

With Plamegate perhaps in mind, the internal memo announcing the courses said the briefings would place special emphasis on the rules governing the handling of classified information. The courses will be held this week, which might still be too late for several White House officials, including Bush's political guru, Karl Rove, who is still under investigation by the investigation into Plamegate.

The courses will be mandatory for anyone in the White House who holds any level of security clearance. The week after will see further general ethical conduct courses held for other members of staff. 'The President has made clear his expectation that each member of his Executive Office of the President staff adhere to the spirit as well as the letter of all rules governing ethical conduct for EOP staff,' the memo said. It added sternly: 'There will be no exceptions.'

[johnlal]

99. This is ridiculous

So... Their defense is that nobody ever told them it was wrong to use classified information to endanger the life of a CIA agent and her network in order to retaliate against a political critic?

This is like sending serial killers to anger management classes.

[TheMadMonk]

116. When was the last time you read a lisence agreement,

or a disclaimer of liability?

I wonder if any attempted that a defence.


I also wonder if he/anyone will be so stupid as to say: "We've fixed the problem. Now it's time to stop the witch hunts.

[sinkingfeeling]

100. Stunt! Stunt! Just a policial Stunt! Stunt! Stunt!

[sandrakae]

101. They will cheat on the final exam, or be AWOL from class.

[Akbar]

105. I Heard that Bush Was Very Opposed to This

He thought his administration had plenty of ethics, including an African-American Sec. of State and a Latino Attorney General.

[flying_wahini]

106. So that's what Harriet has been doing......

now that KKKarl is out, Harriet HAD to find something to do,
and the best part is - that they can show the world that,
by golly, they really mean business......:sarcasm:
and not only that, this WILL come up in a press announcement,
it will be broadcast far and wide and * will fall over trying
to pat himself on the back...... and the fundies will EAT IT UP!
They love this shit! :puke:

[shantipriya]

107. ethics for White House aides

Do you really need ethical training? These are the guys from middle and upper middle class.Don't they know right from wrong,moral from immoral,etc?It is common sense.And didn't the Red states'morons elect this Admin. because they have "higher" moral standards?

[TheMadMonk]

117. What you and I do with our dicks,

preys far more heavily on Fundie minds than what He and they do with everyone's money.

[BlueIris]

108. I just--the White House Counsel? It's the BLIND leading the BLIND.

GOD. It's been three days, I'm still laughing so hard.

[bornagainhuman]

110. hahahahahaha

o this is so funny and yet so sad at the same time

[Generator]

112. Fox news sunday mentioned this

They no likey. Looks Baaaaaaaadd. Admission of guilt. The goose is cooked and ready for toast.

[Brooklyn Michael]

115. Best.......Headline......EVER

It would actually be hilarious if it weren't so pathetic. :eyes:

[Yavin4]

118. What Happened to Restoring Honor and Dignity

From the first hour on the first day....


Remember that crap? What happened to it?

[Lisa]

120. how do you explain "good taste" to people who haven't got it?

-- the immortal words of Gene Wilder ...