Bush's loyalty raises doubts about his political judgment

[deadparrot]

WASHINGTON - Former Major League Baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent wasn't surprised this week when President Bush supported embattled Baltimore Orioles slugger Rafael Palmeiro after he tested positive for steroids by saying the star first baseman was a trusted friend.

...

Bush's loyalty to his friends extends from the baseball diamond to the White House, where he's backed beleaguered Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, who's mired in an investigation over who leaked the name of an undercover CIA officer, and to John Bolton, whom Bush appointed ambassador to the United Nations despite Senate reservations.

But the president's quick and unequivocal defense of Palmeiro - who's now the subject of a congressional investigation - has raised questions about whether Bush's loyalty undercuts his political judgment.

"It seems that President Bush is falling into the Nixon trap - his administration can do no wrong. His allies and people who support him can do no wrong," said Robert Dallek, a presidential historian. "Palmeiro is above suspicion, Rove is not to be questioned, John Bolton is a stand-up guy.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/krwashbureau/_bc_bush_loyalty_wa

[Erika]

1. As W says, he can't remember making a mistake

Good post. Bush is getting very Nixonian, an ego type thing. He thinks he's too smart to be around liars. Those that lie to themselves are that way.

[rodeodance]

2. and the Repug Senate wants to investigate Paliero for purgery

This makes no sense to me.

[symbolman]

24. My wife has an idea on this

She thinks that by getting the baseball player off in Congress for perjury (maybe he wasn't or never DID do Steroids before that testimony?) they can THEN let Rove/Libby off since they just had a "test case" for what constitutes "perjury" with a baseball star..

Might just work. Unless Fitz says, "Do not pass Go, Do not collect 200 billion dollars, go DIRECTLY TO JAIL.." :)

[FloridaPat]

3. Bush awake undercuts his political judegment. He has none.

He's a dictator and doesn't care.

[rodeodance]

5. yahoo has it at about 4 and half stars.

Average (158 votes)

[rodeodance]

6. "He has to be very careful about being consistent," (I say flip-flop)

......Peter Robey, director of Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society, said Bush's defense of Palmeiro dented the president's credibility on an issue that he elevated into the national consciousness.

"He has to be very careful about being consistent," Robey said. "He should temper his support for Palmeiro by coming out with a statement that combines his loyalty to Palmeiro with a drive to rid baseball of steroids. He has to maintain his consistency."

Bush often described himself on the campaign trail as a president who says what he means and means what he says. But Dallek says his consistency sometimes fades when friendship and loyalty arise. He noted that when Rove's name became prominent in the CIA leak investigation, Bush's position on the flap appeared to soften.

In September 2003, Bush had vowed to take "appropriate action" against the culprit. In June 2004, he answered "yes" when asked if he would fire anybody who leaked the agent's name. Last month, his answer was nuanced: "If anyone committed a crime, they will no longer work in my administration." .......

[thecrow]

25. Vote it up, my friends! n/t

[kskiska]

4. I wonder why he threw Kenny Boy overboard so quickly?

Maybe they weren't all that close after all.

The "Bush Loyalty" usually is a one-way street – loyalty TO *, not the other way around.

[UrbScotty]

7. So this is in the LATEST BREAKING NEWS forum?

I find that ironic.

[Imagevision]

8. Bush will next state that Charles Manson was only misguided

[Imagevision]

9. This President really sounds like he has serious mental probs

[daleo]

10. He sounded pretty unglued the other day to me.

When he spoke from the phony ALEC confab. I thought he would start foaming at the mouth.

[dArKeR]

11. Will my last prediction for 4 years actually come true? Since the age of

14 aWol has been dropping LSD, downers, uppers, dope, alcohol... Maybe he quit but 35 years of it would leave a mushroom brain.

As I've been posting for years, why do so many public sector workers have to take drug and psychological testing but yet the people who have the ability to start nuclear wars do NOT?

Lastly, aWol is the one involved... gave authorization and/or Plame's name to Rove. Obviously Rove is blackmailing aWol.

The brain of a child playing army in the sandbox.

[Amonester]

22. He really looks like he has serious mental probs too. (nt)

[The_Casual_Observer]

12. I'll take it further, bush is some kind of horrible devil.

He behavior and misjudgment are a threat to all mankind.

[kestrel91316]

17. I'm tellin' ya, HE'S THE ANTICHRIST. Pope JPII had his number.

[William Seger]

13. And "Secretary Rumsfeld has served our country well"

Rumsfeld is both evil and incompetent... and * loves him.

[EST]

14. Birds of a feather...

[davidinalameda]

15. but look how fast the Bushies cut Cruella loose

I don't foresee too many trips to Florida next year on his schedule

[Dulcinea]

28. She served her purpose.

They have no further use for her. Cut-off city.

[Spinzonner]

16. Shrub is Objectively Pro-Lie

so he can't see the problem with lying to achieve a goal, especailly those that he benefits from or is associated with.

[Terran]

27. That's right.

Palmeiro lied to Congress about not taking steroids--it's on the frickin' record, for god's sake. And yet to Bush he's a "trusted friend". :crazy:

[WhiteTara]

18. don't forget to rate this story up! It almost seems

as if the tide is turning.

here's a little snip

Stephen Hess, a political scientist at George Washington University in Washington, believes Bush's judgment isn't clouded by loyalty. The president had no problem in dismissing Lawrence Lindsey, his economic adviser during the 2000 campaign and the head of his Council of Economic Advisers until his ouster in 2002.

"That showed me he'll carry loyalty to a point - which is part of what presidents do," Hess said.

Of course, Lindsey was let go not long after he estimated publicly that a war in
Iraq could cost $200 billion, far above Bush loyalists' line at the time, which may have been seen as disloyal. Iraq war costs will exceed $200 billion in the next year.

Never tell the truth to a man sinking in denial!

[MaineDem]

19. I'm glad someone outside politics is saying this

Bush should NEVER have made this statement.

[distantearlywarning]

20. Groupthink.

It's a bad, bad thing.

[Demeter]

21. Judgment? What Judgment?

Bush has no judgment. Bush has a collection of prejudices and fantasies, usually mutually reinforcing and totally impervious to new information or any factual counterindication. He is Archie Bunker without any redeeming comic relief or sense of shame.

[Tesla]

23. In his mind, if he admits that he has made one mistake...

then he'll have to think about all of the mistakes he has made.
This way, he just thinks everything he does is right, and he sleeps at night.

If he really noted all of his wrongdoing, his conscious might explode him!!

[sadiesworld]

26. I think this article is quite helpful to *.

All this loyalty biz gives the freeptards the warm fuzzies whereas "political judgment" does not. This makes * sound like a real stand-by-your-friend sort of guy, not a conniving politician.

It sets * up as the duped buddy in Plamegate rather than the co-conspirator in a political hatchet job that he is.

I wouldn't rate it up.