RK ARCHIVE - Bush (and Cheney) are Cowards

I may write about this elsewhere. For now, this is a Raising Kaine Exclusive George Bush and Dick Cheney are cowards. They do not want to take the heat for what they believe. They want the Congress and others to take them off the hook. If you want to know about what I am writing, keep reading.
Bush and Cheney are worried that there are people - clearly CIA interrogators, possibly people in the White House and former SecDef Rumsfeld - who could be in legal jeopardy were Mukasey, or the former acting AG in the Office of Legal Council about whom ABC News did a story today, to clearly state that waterboarding is torture.

But here's the point - there is NO REASON for anyone to have legal jeopardy under US law, since the clemency power of the President is plenary. Bush could simply RIGHT NOW issue a blanket pardon for anyone - including himself - involved in waterboarding, and remove the issue from being one of prosecution. If he believes he was right to order or allow it, that is the proper course for him to take.

But he is a coward, and he does not want to take the heat.

But we already knew he was coward - he pulled string to avoid meaningful military service, and he wimped out on his National Guard service, and he had others cover up what he did.

Hell, had he said he did everything in his power to avoid going to Vietnam, many in the country would have accepted it. But that would require taking responsibility, and that requires courage, and Bush has none, not for himself. He "courageously" spends the lives and treasure of others.

Bush and Cheney and this administration are cowards. They are not even willing to take political heat.

You heard it here first.

Comments

Yeah, I know this is NOT on Virginia elections (teacherken - 11/2/2007 8:53:39 PM)

but Hell, this is important. And the news about the guy from OLC broke tonight on ABC. And I admit, I am totally pissed off. It is a very good thing that neither Dianne Feinstein or Chuck Schumer are in my reach, or I might be arrested for assault when I punch them out for their cowardice in not rejecting Mukasey. Maybe with the new info they will finally show some sense, but given their track record, I doubt it.

Lowell, if you think this is inappropriate, go ahead and delete it. I won't scream.

But I think this is an issue that ties back to the Republican party. They show their cowardice by beating up on immigrants, by attempting to gain advantage by picking on those who already suffer, whether they be gays, or or minorities, or poor people.

Hell, I am pissed off. And I guess my language is intemperate. But sometimes intemperate language is the minimum we can offer.

Peace.

No, it's about Virginia. (Lowell - 11/2/2007 8:57:47 PM)

The Virginia Republican Party is the same as the national Republican Party. Anyone who thinks it isn't, just look at the vile homophobia, xenophobia, anti-Muslim bigotry, etc. they're churning out. Anti-stem cell research. Anti-right to choose. Irresponsible, can't govern, wedge issues...same party exactly.

I agree (Evan M - 11/3/2007 3:56:40 PM)

Teacherken, it's diaries like yours that remind us what we are fighting for when we fight these elections. It's all well and good to elect people to office, but the whole point of doing so it to turn the ship of state (be it Virginia or the U.S.) away from the brink of disaster.

This diary is timely and extremely welcome!

Cheney would probably enjoy being (Lowell - 11/2/2007 8:54:05 PM)

waterboarded. He's a sick you-know-what.

I don't think so (KCinDC - 11/2/2007 9:28:48 PM)

There's a difference between being a sadist and being a masochist. Yes, there are people who are both, but I think Cheney's a plain sadist, who gets off on dominating and humiliating people, like Bush does.

It is much worse than cowardice...it's avarice (dsvabeachdems - 11/2/2007 10:26:52 PM)

They have stolen America's mantle of moral leadership, used it for nefarious purposes, and sold us out for personal aggrandizement and likely benefited through personal enrichment. They make Nixon and Agnew look like progressives. That is quite a set of accomplishments.

Let experience decide (Rebecca - 11/2/2007 11:23:26 PM)

The best way to help Mukasey decide whether or not waterboarding is torture is have him waterboarded in front of Congress.

Statute of limitations . . . (JPTERP - 11/2/2007 11:39:05 PM)

In all likelihood Cheney and Bush will be on the hook even after the current term expires -- at least as far as international law is concerned.

Just this past week Rumsfeld high-tailed it out of France based on fears concerning criminal liabilities for violations of international law -- so Bush and Cheney will probably need to steer clear of Old Europe (and parts of South America such as Argentina) once their terms are over . . .

http://www.haaretz.c...

I will say though that realistically odds are that Bush and Cheney will end up a bit like Nixon -- avoiding criminal liability, but spending the next 20 to 30 years attempting to re-write the history. Regardless, this administration has lowered the bar of legal conduct even further than any administration that proceeded it. Quite a few members in both parties -- but especially in the GOP -- simply looked the other way. It's a sad and more than just a little disconcerting statement about the leadership at the national level these days.

Hmm, that's a pretty good standard (Evan M - 11/3/2007 3:58:30 PM)

I think that should be a baseline standard for all actions by elected officials.

"If X could get you arrested in a Westernized country for human rights violations, don't do X."

But at the end of the day, it all comes down to the golden rule. Do unto others...

Virginian Republicans ARE Bush/Cheney Neo-con Republicans (mosquitopest - 11/3/2007 2:00:52 AM)

There is no difference between the radical rightwing neo-con Republicans and the Bush Cabal in D.C. Why else is Tom Delaney coming to VA to live and create his new base alongside Pat Robertson's power base?

Everyone knows Pat Robertson's money is deep in the Virginian Republican Party locally and statewide and Robertson is a Bushite.

Wake Up Virginia...Oust these Republicans'....Maybe then the sincere, honest, moderate Republicans will have a chance to re-emerge and take their party back.

Buzz...Buzz...