The Curse of the Second Term

I heard about this on the radio the other day.

Despite sounding like a bad B movie it would seem that it is compulsory for US Presidents to implode somewhere about year 6.

This, on the face of it, would seem an odd custom. :blink:

It is not uncommon.

This latest (Plame/CIA/Libby) is actually quite hilarious in the true variety of it's circumstantial fecklessness.

A bit of the 'While you didn't fire the gun, you were observed to have spit on the sidewalk' aspect.

No crime really seems to have been committed, and the only person whose incredibly boorish behavior should be questioned (Joe Wilson, Plame's husband) isn't in the docket.

If no crime has been committed why is libby facing indictment on 5 counts and if guilty up to a $1.25 million fine and 30 years jail time?
From all i've heard it seemed pretty clear cut that the White House leaked the name on purpose and that apparently is a criminal offence, no?

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Originally Posted by j2k4

It is not uncommon.

This latest (Plame/CIA/Libby) is actually quite hilarious in the true variety of it's circumstantial fecklessness.

A bit of the 'While you didn't fire the gun, you were observed to have spit on the sidewalk' aspect.
Seems to me that it's only a crime if sex is involved, at least when Clinton leaked it was just on a chubby girls dress :rolleyes:
No crime really seems to have been committed, and the only person whose incredibly boorish behavior should be questioned (Joe Wilson, Plame's husband) isn't in the docket.

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The actual crime is all but impossible to prove, but then the investigation is not yet complete.
I'm not surprised that the republicans try to deflect from the actual facts of what Wilson said...."no yellow cake here" by twisting details about why he was looking in the first place.

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Originally Posted by G.W. Bush

Let me say a few words about important values we must demonstrate while all of us serve in government. First, we must always maintain the highest ethical standards. We must always ask ourself not only what is legal, but what is right. There is no goal of government worth accomplishing if it cannot be accomplished with integrity.

Second, I want us to set an example of humility. As you work for the federal government there is no excuse for arrogance, and there's never a reason to show disrespect for others. A new tone in Washington must begin with decency and fairness. I want everyone who represents our government to be known for these values.

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source

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Originally Posted by j2k4

This latest (Plame/CIA/Libby) is actually quite hilarious in the true variety of it's circumstantial fecklessness.

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After you're done chuckling about breaches in national security we can all share a good laugh about Frist, Delay and Miers, too.

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Originally Posted by clocker

After you're done chuckling about breaches in national security we can all share a good laugh about Frist, Delay and Miers, too.

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You have my permission to laugh about Miers.

The other two haven't had their day, yet.

Anent Libby-

If he had the gall to utter what Joe Wilson himself did at every opportunity, fie on him, but that very non-fact is the basis for Wilson's complaint, and also the reason the Grand Jury was convened.

Whether/why Libby lied to the FBI (the charging offense) is still a mystery, but the whole issue of Plame and her cover being "blown", is not an issue at all, as evidenced by the charges laid.

If you can't see the humor in that, you must be highly sedated or awfully (almost impossibly) liberal.

As a side note, it must be acknowledged that the ultimate steward/custodian of an undercover agent's status is the agent him-/herself.

If Valerie Plame were at all concerned about her own cover, she should have, immediately upon her husband's first social utterance as to her employer, drawn her secret-agent pistol and blown the dumb bastard away, don't you think?

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Originally Posted by j2k4

You have my permission to laugh about Miers.

The other two haven't had their day, yet.

Anent Libby-

If he had the gall to utter what Joe Wilson himself did at every opportunity, fie on him, but that very non-fact is the basis for Wilson's complaint, and also the reason the Grand Jury was convened.

Whether/why Libby lied to the FBI (the charging offense) is still a mystery, but the whole issue of Plame and her cover being "blown", is not an issue at all, as evidenced by the charges laid.

If you can't see the humor in that, you must be highly sedated or awfully (almost impossibly) liberal.

As a side note, it must be acknowledged that the ultimate steward/custodian of an undercover agent's status is the agent him-/herself.

If Valerie Plame were at all concerned about her own cover, she should have, immediately upon her husband's first social utterance as to her employer, drawn her secret-agent pistol and blown the dumb bastard away, don't you think?

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You cannot be this sheepish and stupid.

Leaking identity in retaliation > Lie about getting dick sucked.

If you can't see that those reporters didn't get Plame's identity from her husband then you must be highly sedated or awfully (almost impossibly) Republican.

I honestly don't think shit of any real consequence will happen to Frist, Delay, Libby, or Rove...and it's not due to their supposed innocence.

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Originally Posted by Busyman

You cannot be this sheepish and stupid.

Leaking identity in retaliation > Lie about getting dick sucked.

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Sheepish?

Are you familiar with the meaning of the word?

Stupid?

I may be wrong (doubtful as that is), but I'll never plead to stupidity, and you will certainly never prove it.

The moral equivalence of "leaking identity" (which is not what Libby is charged with, for the precise reason I mentioned) and an Oval Office knob-job is debatable, B; besides which, I never brought up "dick-suck"ing or Clinton's name, that was vid.

Get shit straight before you post-or is your urge to try to nail me of the same order as the one which compels you to go after Bush, et.al., at the drop of an indictment?

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Originally Posted by j2k4

Sheepish?

Are you familiar with the meaning of the word?

Stupid?

I may be wrong (doubtful as that is), but I'll never plead to stupidity, and you will certainly never prove it.

The moral equivalence of "leaking identity" (which is not what Libby is charged with, for the precise reason I mentioned) and an Oval Office knob-job is debatable, B; besides which, I never brought up "dick-suck"ing or Clinton's name, that was vid.

Get shit straight before you post-or is your urge to try to nail me of the same order as the one which compels you to go after Bush, et.al., at the drop of an indictment?

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1. To my knowledge this is not directly about Bush but about many top leaders surrounding him. This says nothing about Bush himself.:ermm:

2. I brought up Clinton just because. It amazes me that in previous efforts to be all appalled and "upheavaled" about a dick suck, that something that is directly related to the country's security (and serious crimes of your top leaders) is summarily excused for bullshit reasons when it's CaptainObvious.

3. Leaking an identity versus a dick suck is not morally equivalent and is nor debatable. What are you thinking? :wacko:

4. Stupid and sheepish are somewhat redundent. Are you an idiot or a dolt? Sheepish is obvious though....like a sheep....:dry:

I am not familar with the details of the cases above, although I am aware of some of the names and that there are court issues pending. (Libby strikes as a curious name for a Bush aide :unsure: )

However, the principle of second term implosion is interesting as some sort of political phenomenon. Do Presidents get blase because they are no longer seeking re-election? The appointment of Miers is possibily a better indication of this than any naughtiness Mr Libby or Mr DeLay have been up to.

Is George frittering his political capital away like a kid in a candy store?