Politics As Usual

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
"....But if George Washington could see....

What would Thomas Jefferson think....

What would Benjamin Franklin think ....

How long would it take James Madison ...."

Thank god his handlers misplaced pages 4-8, lest we'd all now know what Millard Fillmore, John Tyler and US Grant would have thought about the Middle East.

If that's the craziest stuff you've got, and I'm Al Gore's personal assistant, I'm not exactly booking tickets on the bus to the loony bin.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop


What a waste of the President's time. Wouldn't it be better for him and the country if he just told senior staff that he wants the person who outed Plame to 'fess up?

He has, no? And if not sufficiently, he's simply following recently established precedent. Expect it to come out in a book in 3-7 years.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
He has, no?

He could try saying it like he meant it. Or, he could tell Novak that the White House is withdrawing the off-the-record designation for that interview, the way they did to release Richard Clarke's background briefings after his book came out.

In other news, per Wonkette, the Vice President is working hard to maintain the dignity of the office:

• CNN is reporting that on the floor of the Senate yesterday, Dick Cheney told Sen. Pat Leahy, "Go fuck yourself." We agree! Go fuck yourself -- while it's still legal!
  
  UPDATE: Speaking of sodomy. . . Wonkette operatives tell us that the fighting words sprang from an exchange in which Cheney told Leahy he didn't like what Leahy had been saying about Halliburton, to which Leahy replied that he didn't like Cheney calling him a bad Catholic. So you'd see how "Go fuck yourself" is the only appropriate response.

[SlaveNoMore]

Tyrone Slothrop
If that's the craziest stuff you've got, and I'm Al Gore's personal assistant, I'm not exactly booking tickets on the bus to the loony bin.

That was only page one... and we get paid to bill by the hour.

Let Marshall, Kaus or Sullivan do their job, actually read the whole damn thing, and parse out all the fun stuff for us later.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
That was only page one... and we get paid to bill by the hour.

Let Marshall, Kaus or Sullivan do their job, actually read the whole damn thing, and parse out all the fun stuff for us later.

Gatti was only asking because club's post implied that he actually had read the damn thing, something I'm not inclined to do.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Or, he could tell Novak that the White House is withdrawing the off-the-record designation for that interview

Has Novak yet been asked, under threat of contempt of court, to reveal his source?

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Gatti was only asking because club's post implied that he actually had read the damn thing, something I'm not inclined to do.

Actually, both club's and Slave's, especially since they said this demonstrates that he's out of his friggin' mind.

Fuck, I read it assuming from these guys' posts that they had done so, and that I would find evidence of Gore drooling and pulling out his hair. Fool me once, shame on me...

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Has Novak yet been asked, under threat of contempt of court, to reveal his source?

I don't know. But I thought a privilege would protect him.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Gattigap
Fuck, I read it assuming from these guys' posts that they had done so, and that I would find evidence of Gore drooling and pulling out his hair. Fool me once, shame on me...

If you should have learned anything from Hank's impressive W-L record, it's that you can rack up easy victories hereabouts by calling the other guy's posts unsupported, and you don't actually have to make any effort yourself.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
I don't know. But I thought a privilege would protect him.

What privilege? "reporter's privilege"?

He should get a grand-jury subpoena. Then there will be lots of hand-wringing about freedom of the press and protection of sources, at which point a judge says "sing or go to jail until you do"

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
What privilege? "reporter's privilege"?

He should get a grand-jury subpoena. Then there will be lots of hand-wringing about freedom of the press and protection of sources, at which point a judge says "sing or go to jail until you do"

I don't know the law on this, but I think the First Amendment should protect his sources. We want people to go to the press.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by Gattigap
Actually, both club's and Slave's, especially since they said this demonstrates that he's out of his friggin' mind.

Fuck, I read it assuming from these guys' posts that they had done so, and that I would find evidence of Gore drooling and pulling out his hair. Fool me once, shame on me...

The language itself, while unseemly and certainly over the top, is not as objectionable as the foaming of the rabid, Dean-like delivery. Bottom line: I expect more decorum from a former VP.

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
I don't know the law on this, but I think the First Amendment should protect his sources. We want people to go to the press.

With the names of spies? With nuclear secrets? Certainly there are limits.

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

Originally posted by sgtclub
Bottom line: I expect more decorum from a former VP.

So what do you think of the behavior of the present VP in his recent conversation with Sen. Leahy?

[SlaveNoMore]

Sexual Harassment Panda
So what do you think of the behavior of the present VP in his recent conversation with Sen. Leahy?

Given the recipient, I'm surprised he actually held back from flipping him the bird.

And FWIW, an overheard conversation is not the same as a speech in front of hundreds.