Let's say you're the President of the United States. Your Vice President's Chief of Staff has just been indicted on five felony counts of perjury and obstruction of justice. Your own closest adviser has been implicated in possible treason for disclosing classified information to reporters. Your poll numbers are low, thanks in large part to an unpopular war whose justification the public is beginning to believe was fabricated. What do you do? If you're George W Bush, you send out a
memo!
More below...
In a memo sent to all White House aides on Friday, the counsel's office said it will hold briefings next week on ethics, with a particular focus on the rules governing the handling of classified information. Attendance is mandatory for anyone holding any level of security clearance.
"There will be no exceptions," the memo said.
Oooooooo! If I'm Karl Rove, I'm quaking in my boots! What bold action by the President!
Please. This is far too little far too late. In fact, this is utterly pointless as long as Rove continues to work at the White House with a security clearance. I'm sure Enron conducted seminars on ethics, too, while Kenny Boy and friends plundered away. And it's a cynical ploy if the White believes for a second that the American people think that being forced to go to a meeting and watch a PowerPoint presentation is sufficient punishment for treason. I urge you to let the White House know what you think about this pathetic attempt to address this violation of the nation's trust.