Taylor Marsh – TaylorMarsh.com – News, Opinion and Weblog on Progressive Politics

Bush's Very Bad Year

Two of the most powerful moments of political déjà
vu I have ever experienced took place recently in the context of the Bush
administration's defense of presidentially ordered electronic spying on American
citizens.

First, in the best tradition of former President Bill
Clinton's classic, “it-all-depends-on-what-the-meaning-of-is-is”
defense, President Bush responded to a question at a White House news conference
about what now appears to be a clear violation of federal electronic monitoring
laws by trying to argue that he had not ordered the National Security Agency
to “monitor” phone and e-mail communications of American citizens
without court order; he had merely ordered them to “detect” improper
communications.

This example of presidential phrase parsing
was followed quickly by the president's press secretary, Scott McLellan, dead-panning
to reporters that when Bush said a couple of years ago that he would never
allow the NSA to monitor Americans without a court order, what he really meant
was something different than what he actually said. If McLellan's last name
had been McCurry, and the topic an illicit relationship with a White House
intern rather than illegal spying on American citizens, I could have easily
been listening to a White House news conference at the height of the Clinton
impeachment scandal.

Presidents
all the same when scandal strikes

First, we had Patrick J. Buchanan calling Bush and his administration
out on Iraq, opposing the war.

Now, we've got Bob Clinton impeachment Barr calling Bush out on
Snoopgate.

Meanwhile, Buchanan is retreating over W.'s illegal spying, because
after all, he was part of the biggest presidential mess in history, Richard
Nixon's presidency, with Bush's presidency a little too close for comfort on
this one.

Hearing and reading many a lawyer talk and write about Bush's
current legal mess, you can't help but realize that our president has had one
of the worst second term first years ever, yes, ever.

However, Snoopgate promises to be the biggest challenge, even as Abramoff
is escalating and Enron is resurfacing, with the Washington
Post doing one hell of a profile on the Republican sleezebag, that is the former, which is not
to be missed. You almost need a score card to keep the Republican creeps straight.

One thing is certain, Snoopgate is going to undo all the powers
W.'s Dick went to such extremes to grab for the executive branch. As with all
power, it has corrupted Bush-Cheney absolutely, with the Congress ready to step
in and reel Bush in, if the 4th Circuit doesn't do it first.

But with the likes of Buchanan and Barr both, at different times,
throwing rhetorical bombs at Bush for the two gravest mistakes of his just begun
second term, Iraq and Snoopgate, whatever capital Bush fantasized having after
the election in 2004 is history.

What a difference arrogance and one year can make.