Senators, I believe you will find him in the lobby. And when you do perhaps you should ask him, now that Alberto Gonzales’ testimony in front of the Senate Judiciary committee on Wednesday has been contradicted by James Comey, F.B.I. Director, Robert S. Mueller, John Negroponte, and several senators, what was really discussed in his hospital room on March 10, 2004. Or is there some kind of secret “omertà ” code between Attorney Generals that doesn’t allow them to testify against one another?
Gonzales is the worst kind of liar – the kind who lies consistently, constantly, and with unabashed hubris because he knows he will be protected by those who enable him to lie. Gonzales’ testimony, replete with “I can’t recalls,” “I am recused,” and “You know I can’t answer that question,” undermines the very foundation of our justice system and although this is not lost on some, the details can be confusing to others, which is what the Bush administration is hoping will save him:
Aboard Air Force One on the way to Philadelphia today, the White House spokesman, Mr. Snow, said that, contrary to the Democrats’ assertions, Mr. Gonzales has been consistent and that “the president supports him.” Mr. Snow suggested that what some see as deliberate inconsistencies in Mr. Gonzales’s accounts may be a reflection of the complexity of the issues being discussed.
Riiiiiiiiiight.
Enough of the nuance is getting through, however, and now many of us understand that the destruction of the foundation of our justice system is imminent unless President Bush asks Mr. Gonzales to resign today. And when the president insists, through spokesgoblin Tony Snow, that he stands by his attorney general, he proves once again that loyalty to his presidency trumps what’s best for the country. Is it any surprise then that he has record-high disapproval ratings and is perilously close to being the “most disliked president in at least seven decades?” Despite what they want you to believe, people are paying attention and they understand what’s going on. It may take longer, but a scandal doesn’t have to be about sex to get our attention.
COMIC RELIEF: The Daily Show Presents Mommy, Why is the Lying Man Still in Charge of the Law?
