An old Poli Sci Perfesser of mine had a saying: “People get the government they deserve.” How right he was. Scooter Libby’s potentially damning testimony about Bush authorizing certain info on Iraq to be leaked in the run-up to war has been buried in the headlines, tucked away amidst stories of Katie Couric changing jobs, Tom Cruise’s abusive father (well, that would actually explain a whole lot), and some Congresswoman hitting a cop. Well, we’re the country that gave the world Wrestlemania, so what do I expect, right?
Still, I’m not a complete cynic, and if I ever see Harry Taylor on the street, I’ll shake his hand and buy him a beer. Leave it to a North Carolina real estate broker to come up with the words that hopefully will serve as the preamble to Bush’s political eulogy. Mr. Taylor had the rare privilege of addressing the President face-to-face, and this is what he said:
"While I listen to you talk about freedom, I see you assert your right to tap my telephone, to arrest me and hold me without charges, to try to preclude me from breathing clean air and drinking clean water and eating safe food. If I were a woman, you'd like to restrict my opportunity to make a choice... about whether I can abort a pregnancy... What I wanted to say to you is that--in my lifetime, I have never felt more ashamed of, nor more frightened by, my leadership in Washington, including the presidency. And I would hope from time to time that you have the humility and the grace to be ashamed of youself... I also want to say I really appreciate the courtesy of allowing me to speak... That is part of what this country is about."
(Me, I’d have replaced the last line - “I also want to say I really appreciate the courtesy of allowing me to speak... That is part of what this country is about” with “Have some of THAT, ya bloody smirking shit-kicking 36% approval rating wanker!”)
