The Responsibility Era.

[Brotherjohn]

Isn't it good to live in "The Responsibility Era" that the Bush administration has ushered in?

You know, the one where you lie to the nation, Congress and the world, citing forgeries as evidence for war, and then ignore it for months after it becomes common knowledge that the evidence was forged.

Then when Joseph Wilson makes it painfully obvious that the administration MUST have known the evidence was unreliable, you finally admit that, yes, okay, the documents were forged (which everyone already knew), and "maybe we shouldn't have said it".

Then, when several reports reveal that the intelligence community was well aware that the evidence was unreliable long before the SOTU, you say that the CIA didn't inform you of these doubts.

Then, when it becomes obvious that the CIA DID, in fact communicate some of these doubts to you, the CIA Director stands up and takes responsibility for not holding your hand.

Then, when it is proven that the CIA DID clearly and unequivocally, on several occasions, inform the White House that this evidence was unreliable and should NOT be used in any speeches, you bring forth Stephen Hadley to take responsibility, in his name, for the entire White House.

Hadley himself admitted that "there were a number of people who could have raised a hand" to have the passage removed, but "no one raised a hand." We know that, at a minimum, one phone call and two memos specifically expressing CIA doubts about the evidence were directed to (at least) the National Security Adviser, the Deputy National Security Adviser, and Bush's chief speechwriter. But the blame belongs solely to one Stephen Hadley (oh, and George Tenet). Not the chief speechwriter, who was informed. Not the National Security Adviser, who was informed. Not the Vice President, upon whose suggestion the CIA launched their initial investigation into the matter. Oh, and certainly not President Bush, who, by the way, still has "the highest level of confidence" in his staff.

Isn't "The Responsibility Era" great?!

[Fovea]

1. I came to the conclusion yesterday

That what Bush meant by the 'party of personal responsibility' was that was NOT the party of corporate responsibility.