Anyone remember that Cornershop song?
I was listening to it and musing about 2 lessons that we apparently did not learn: Viet Nam and Watergate.
We forgot the lesson of Viet Nam (overwhelming force, clear exit strategy) in the rush to war in Iraq.
And now, by giving warrantless wiretap authority to Alberto Gonzales, we have effectively legalized Watergate. Screw Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist, now Gonzo can wiretap political opponents directly! Woot! And just in time for the election . . .
widespread
3
widespread
Mr. P., Lessons Learned From Rocky I to Rocky III is the name of the song.
Catchy pop tune, dumbass lyrics:
Lesson 1. The A&Rs are in it to the hips
Lesson 2. Cop the groove
Lesson 3 is to ignore 4.
Round 5 going into 6
I understand guns in the A&R office
7. we’re cooking with Amitabh Bachchan
8. it’s a real heavy weight
9. we’re rocking New York time
10x10 It’s like St. John said
4
vinnyd
The Watergate analogy that keeps popping into my head is Bush's refusal even to let Meyers, Rove, and Joshua Bolton appear to be questioned. If Nixon had tried that, and succeeded, then no John Dean testimony, which is what led to the question about whether there was a taping system in the White House (Dean had said that at one point he thought Nixon was talking as if being recorded), and therefore no Nixon resignation.
Certainly Congress could ask Meyers et al. a question in an area protected by executive privilege. But equally certainly they could ask her questions that weren't. Just one example: "Have you ever discussed the US attorney firings in the presence of anyone not in the executive branch of the US government?" There's no way that the answer to that could be within the privilege, and there's no way that if the answer was yes, further questions about that conversation would be protected.
5
widespread
Sara Taylor's testimony highlighted how ridiculous the executive privilege assertion is in this case.
She had no problem answering questions when the answer made the Administration look good.
But ask a question that she doesn't want to answer, all of a sudden it's covered by executive privilege.
Their version of executive privilege is like a being a witness in a courtroom where you only have to reply if the answer helps your case. When they grill you under cross-examination, you get to say, "Sorry, I'm not permitted to answer that." It's like taking the 5th without looking guilty!
That's why I'm kind of surprised that Miers and Bolten didn't do the same thing.
Pro tip
Lonely Planet
trusted partner
trusted partner