Yesterday, the Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty resigned. It is astonishing that his boss continues to hang on, as does Wolfowitz at the World Bank, and Rove at the White House. The more egregious the behavior, the more Bush supports them.
A world bank committee had this to say about Wolfowitz:
"He did not accept the bank’s policy on conflict of interest, so he sought to negotiate for himself a resolution different from that which would be applied to the staff he was selected to head," the committee said, adding that this was "a manifestation of an attitude in which Mr. Wolfowitz saw himself as the outsider to whom the established rules and standards did not apply."
"It evidences questionable judgment and a preoccupation with self-interest over institutional best interest," it said.>>.
In response to this the Bush administration mounted a last ditch effort to save him.
As far as this administration is concerned, nothing rises to the level of warranting dismissal. Not Rove being involved in leaking a covert CIA officer, not the lies of Gonzales, not Wolfowitz’ violation of ethics. These people are completely amoral. It's all about pride, winning and losing. Nothing – not peoples' lives, not truth, not integrity – is sacred to them. Indeed, nothing is improper, no matter the cost, as long as they appear to win, or to have stood their ground.
The goings-on at the World Bank are no different from what is happening at the Justice Department. Two great institutions touched by Bush’s people and two great institutions corrupted & demoralized. They could not care less how much filth they drag these institution through, or at what cost, just as long as they survive – a preoccupation of self interest over and above institutional best interest.
Sadly, the opposition is silent as these institutions are trashed. Sure, Reid wrote a letter on Wolfowitz, and from time to time noises are made about Gonzales and corruption. But they have not risen up in outrage or even righteous indignation about the violation of OUR institutions that this administration is charged with safeguarding. The Democrats seem to feel that Bush and company will perceive the filth for themselves and reason their way into doing the right thing.
The Democrats forget that these people have absolutely no shame, and that nothing in politics happens without a push. The Bush crowd are so shameless they need a shove. But the Democrats are still afraid to criticize with passion. They are scared to death of going any where near the jugular. Wolfowitz, Gonzales, et al would be gone in three days if a few had the guts to say out loud:
"the more criminal, the more corrupt, the more scandalous the behavior, the more likely this President is to support it."
And stick to it and not apologize when the hornets attack.